People behind the TV programme "Osoon" on Iceland. Photo: osoon/etv.err.eeIn November the TV programme "Osoon" will devote special attention to Iceland. The programme aims to provide a diverse overview of the mystical nature of the Land of Fire and Ice. Iceland with its somewhat out-of-this-world mountains and congealed lava plains is an island from another planet. This island of tectonic origin is situated on the border the continental shelves of Europe and North America. These continental shelves drift apart more and more with each passing year, causing volcano eruptions and earthquakes.

Authors of the programme note that Iceland has been rightfully named the Land of Fire and Ice. There the fire of volcano eruptions and the warmth of geysers and hot water springs meet the icy coolness of glaciers.

The first episode of the series was aired on 1 November. A week later on 8 November journalists will give some insight into the workings of a volcano. They will ask local volcanologists how these fiery mountains function and how much do we actually know about them. Whether and how is it possible to predict their activity?

Flags of the five Nordic countries. Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.orgYear 2030: the five Nordic countries – Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland – have merged into a united political federation with 25 million inhabitants and a common constitution, rule and head of state. Jakob Sjövall, MA in political science from the University of Stockholm, discusses the prospects for the emergence of a new, strong political force on the European as well as the international stage.

The idea of the Nordic countries forming one unified state has once again come to the forefront. Last year the renowned Swedish historian Gunnar Wetterberg came dynamically out with the idea of the Nordic Federal State, supported by arguments based on facts, which caused much sensation in the Nordic region as well as all over Europe. In the course of one year his proposal has put some flesh on its bones, has been widely debated and has been published as a book.

Wetterberg argues enthusiastically for a federation which, in addition to a common head of state – according to the latter the Queen of Denmark – would have common foreign, defence and fiscal policy frameworks and exercise legislative cooperation in various fields of social policy, starting from the hot topic of immigration.

Nordic Statistical Yearbook 2010. Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.org25% of Swedish citizens between ages 16 and 24 were unemployed in 2009. Denmark and Norway do somewhat better in this respect, their unemployment rate among young people being around 10%. The Nordic Statistical Yearbook 2010 includes the above and other interesting statistical data on the Nordic countries.

Also from the Yearbook 2010:

• In Iceland 37% of students quit school right after compulsory school. The percentage of students with just basic education is higher only in Aland, namely 38%.
• In Sweden the most popular name for newborn girls is Alice. In Finland the most popular name is Aino, in Denmark Freja, in Iceland Sara and in Norway Emma.
• Sweden is the Nordic country where women have the most abortions. In Sweden 348 abortions per 1000 newborns were performed in 2008. However, in Greenland, which is an autonomous country of Denmark, the number of abortions is higher than that of live births.

Icelandic ambassador Elin Flygenring and President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves. Photo: Erik Peinar/Estonian Ministry of Foreign AffairsIcelandic ambassador Elín Flygenring, who presented her credentials to President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves on 19 February, also met with Carita Pettersson, director of the Estonian office of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Flygenring stated that she is very interested in fruitful cooperation, particularly on energy matters and in the field of culture. Amongst other things, the Icelandic embassy hosts a variety of unusual touring exhibitions.