290 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



The Icelandic fisheries are as old as the nation itself. For cen- 

 turies the Icelanders used virtually only rowing boats. Later on 

 came sailing vessels, which again, in their turn, were replaced by 

 steam trawlers, other steamships, and motorboats. Now the fishing 

 is run on the most scientific modern lines. 



But it is not only the Icelanders who enrich themselves with the 

 abundance of the sea. There are thousands of ships of different 

 nationalities fishing around the coast of Iceland. During the winter 

 nights some of the fishing banks look like moving towns, light with 

 light, ship with ship, all fighting for the cod. But the Icelanders 

 are, of course, best situated for these fishing grounds, and indeed 

 they exploit them with diligence, being the fourth largest fishing 

 nation in Europe. 



Agriculture, second largest occupation of the Icelandic nation has 

 undergone a great change although the development has been slower 

 than in the fishing industry. Stock raising is largely pursued, the 

 qualities of the soil being suited to it. The production of vegetables 

 is considerable and increasing. An interesting feature of this occu- 

 pation is, as has been stated earlier, the ever increasing use of natural 

 heat from the thermal springs for growing all kinds of vegetables, 

 fruit, and flowers. The possibilities in this respect are practically 

 without limit. 



There is a considerable amount of industry in Iceland, particu- 

 larly in connection with the fisheries, and it is increasing rapidly. 



Trade, both at home and with foreign countries, is extensive in 

 proportion to the size of the population. The foreign trade is greater 

 per person than that of any other country from which statistics are 

 available. This is because Iceland has need of a great many products 

 for which there are no raw materials in the country. On the other 

 hand, the products are somewhat one-sided. The exports consist 

 mainly of sea products, such as fresh fish, frozen, salted, and dried 

 herring, cod-liver oil, fish meal, and agricultural products such as 

 meat, wool, butter, cheese, hides, and skins, and eider down. Manufac- 

 tured goods, groceries, and all kinds of cereals have to be imported. In 

 Iceland there are no mines, no coal, no salt or oil. These and all kinds 

 of machinery must therefore be imported. 



COMMUNICATIONS 



Communication is, as may be expected, rather difficult in Iceland. 

 The country is mountainous and intersected by great rivers, but the 

 population is small. Perhaps the first thing that would strike the 

 visitor wanting to travel about in Iceland is the absence of railways. 

 There have never been any railways in Iceland, and it is improbable 

 that any will ever be built. Nevertheless, roads fit for motor traffic 



