Iceland National Day
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- 930Althing established — world's oldest surviving parliament
- 1944Iceland declares independence from Denmark on 17 June
- 2008Financial crisis — Iceland becomes first country to prosecute bankers
Why Iceland celebrates 17 June
On 17 June 1944, Iceland declared full independence from Denmark and established the Republic of Iceland. The date was chosen partly in honour of Jón Sigurðsson — the leader of the 19th-century Icelandic independence movement — who was born on 17 June 1811. Iceland had been in personal union with Denmark since 1380, though it maintained its own parliament and considerable autonomy.
The timing of independence in 1944 was influenced by World War II. Denmark had been occupied by Nazi Germany since 1940, which severed practical ties with Iceland. The Icelanders used the opportunity to hold a referendum on independence — 98% voted in favour — and the republic was proclaimed at Þingvellir, the site of the ancient Althing parliament.
National Day is one of the most festive occasions in Iceland. The town of Akureyri holds particularly lively celebrations, but Reykjavik's parade — with the symbolic "Lady of the Mountain" ceremony — is the centrepiece. Street performers, brass bands and children's activities fill city centres throughout the long summer day.
- 202617 June 2026 · Wednesday
- 202717 June 2027 · Thursday
- 202817 June 2028 · Saturday
The Icelandic flag has a blue field with a red Nordic cross outlined in white. The colours reflect the elements of Iceland's landscape — blue for the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, red for the volcanic fire beneath the surface, and white for the glaciers and snow that cover the island.
Icelandic food is shaped by the North Atlantic environment — lamb, fish, skyr dairy and foraged herbs define a cuisine that has been modernised into one of Europe's most creative restaurant scenes.
What to eat
SkyrThick, protein-rich Icelandic dairy product — eaten with berries and cream or used in cooking and baking.
Lamb soupKjötsúpa — slow-simmered Icelandic lamb with root vegetables and herbs — the definitive comfort dish.
PlokkfiskurPoached cod mashed with potato, onion and béchamel — a traditional fisherman's dish.
HákarlFermented Greenlandic shark — ammoniacal and intensely flavoured, eaten in small cubes as a cultural rite of passage.
KleinurTwisted fried dough pastries dusted with sugar — an Icelandic bakery classic at celebrations.
RúgbrauðDense, dark rye bread steamed in the ground using geothermal heat — moist and slightly sweet.What to drink
BrennivínIcelandic aquavit flavoured with caraway — nicknamed Black Death, drunk alongside hákarl.
Einstök beerIcelandic craft beer brewed with Arctic water — the Toasted Porter and White Ale are internationally acclaimed.
Hot spring waterIceland's geothermally heated tap water is among the purest in the world — the country's invisible luxury.Iceland culture
Iceland has an astonishing per capita cultural output — it publishes more books per person than any country in the world. The sagas, the midnight sun, the northern lights and the volcanic landscape give Icelandic culture a mythic quality.
Þingvellir National ParkThe site of the world's oldest parliament and the geological rift between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates.
Northern lightsThe aurora borealis appears over Iceland from September to March — one of the world's great natural spectacles.
Midnight sunIn June, the sun barely sets — the National Day falls in the perpetual summer daylight.
Icelandic sagasMedieval prose narratives written in the 13th century — among the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages.