Annually on June 17 Iceland celebrates its national independence daybecause it was on this day in 1944 that the republic declared its independence from Denmark.

Iceland is a northern European island state that is washed by the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, the capital is Reykjavik (the northernmost on the planet). The population of the republic is about 369 thousand. The island was discovered by the Vikings in the 9th century. Iceland belongs to the list of states with the highest level of well-being, and in 2007 the republic became the best country to live in according to the UN. The main drivers of the economy: fishing, geothermal sources, tourism, banking, information technology, etc. The official church is Lutheran.

On June 17, parades are held in Iceland, traditionally a woman in a “Mistress of the Mountain” costume (the national female symbol of the country) makes a festive speech.