01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Icelandic Telecom, Sýn and Nova sell no-contract prepaid SIMs, topped up by card, ATM or online.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Strætó: pay capital-area bus fares by phone; multi-ride ticket sets are sold only in the app.Safe Travel Iceland: register travel plans so rescuers know where to look if something goes wrong.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 5 of 5: Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and cash is rarely needed.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Iceland
Icelandic Króna · kr · ISK
Shop for groceries at the budget chains Bónus, Netto and Krónan, which cost far less than other shops.
Beer from the state liquor shop costs about 350 kr, against roughly 900 kr in a bar.
VAT refunds need a single receipt of at least 12,000 kr, so combine purchases.
Change money after arriving rather than before leaving, as local rates are better.
Collect Icelandic Króna in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Thu, 24 Dec 2026 · Christmas Eve Aðfangadagur
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Jóladagur
Sat, 26 Dec 2026 · St. Stephen's Day Annar í jólum
Thu, 31 Dec 2026 · New Year's Eve Gamlársdagur
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Nýársdagur
Thu, 25 Mar 2027 · Maundy Thursday Skírdagur
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday Föstudagurinn langi
Sun, 28 Mar 2027 · Easter Sunday Páskadagur
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday Annar í páskum
Thu, 22 Apr 2027 · First Day of Summer Sumardagurinn fyrsti
Sat, 1 May 2027 · May Day Verkalýðsdagurinn
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day Uppstigningardagur
Sun, 16 May 2027 · Pentecost Hvítasunnudagur
Mon, 17 May 2027 · Whit Monday Annar í hvítasunnu
Thu, 17 Jun 2027 · Icelandic National Day Þjóðhátíðardagurinn
Mon, 2 Aug 2027 · Commerce Day Frídagur verslunarmanna
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Iceland say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise normal precautions
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Level 1 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 4 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 4 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 11 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 11 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine vaccines incl. MMR; consider hepatitis A, and hepatitis B if unvaccinated, as the CDC advises.
Vaccinations
Be current on routine vaccines, including measles (MMR), before you go; CDC also suggests considering hepatitis A and recommends hepatitis B for unvaccinated travellers.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $38.6 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $98,323Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | aluminum, fish, orthopedic appliances, animal meal, iron alloys (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 392,404Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 84 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 58.6% Roman Catholic 3.8%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.6%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 1.9%, pagan worship 1.5%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.4%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 18.7%, none 7.7% (2024 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 103,000 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summersSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiordsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | unitary parliamentary republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +354Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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