New immigrant in Iceland

Welcome to Iceland

Moving to a new country is a big step.
It can take a long time to adapt to different circumstances, find a new livelihood and create a good home for you and your family.
It's natural to experience various emotions in that time, such as joy, optimism, and excitement. But alsoemotions like grief, anxiety, disappointment, regret, fatigue and irritation.
Even though many things are different, strange and difficult, there's also a lot that's good and interesting. Being curious and positive about new things is worth it.
It’s sometimes said that “good things take time". Be patient, also with yourself.

The Community Education Course

The aims of the course are education, discussion and insight into the main aspects of Icelandic society. The chapters are called:
- New Immigrant in Iceland
- History, Geography and Way of Living
- Children and Families
- Health
- Education and Skills
- Employment
- Democracy and Welfare Society
The teaching material is on slides in nine languages (Icelandic, English, Arabic, Kurdish, Farsi, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian and Spanish). It is both written and read aloud.
Teaching instructions are for teachers.
Each chapter starts with a video of Icelandic daily life.
All the material is available on www.landneminn.is

General Information on Iceland

Iceland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean and is a part of Northern Europe.
The country is 103,000 km2 and has a population of around 376,000 (January 1st, 2022).
The inhabitants live along the coastline, but no one lives in the highlands.
Most people live in the Greater Reykjavík Area.
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavík.
Iceland has a lot of mountains, fjords, valleys and wilderness.
It also has glaciers and waterfalls but few forests.
It often snows in winter and the winters are very dark – but summers are very bright.
Iceland has been a republic since 1944.
Parliamentary elections are held every 4 years. A government is formed after the elections.
Iceland is a peaceful country and has no national army.
Gender equality and human rights are enshrined in law.
Iceland is a welfare state. That means that people pay relatively high taxes on wages but receive various services in return.
Companies and individuals are obliged to pay taxes on their income to the state.
The fishing industry and tourism are important industries in Iceland.
Agriculture (meat and vegetables) is practiced and there are also large power plants to produce electricity.
Many people also work in public administration and services, in the educational system and the health system. Industry and food production are also a major part of the Icelandic labour market.