The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1926, Blaðsíða 64

tut otherwise the students have, of course, been
almost exclusively Icelanders.
Small public libraries are to be found in almost
every parish, and in addition every province
(sysla) has its special public library. As a rule
these libraries are stocked with foreign books as
well as Icelandic, especially Scandinavian and
English, though some also stock German and
(more rarely) French literature. All public
libraries receive some support from public funds.
Generally speaking the people have a voracious
appetite for reading, and the number of books,
papers and periodicals published annually is
incredibly large in proportion to the population
of the country.
The Established Church is the Evangelical
Lutheran, which is supported by the State. There
is, however, full religious liberty, in so far as
everybody is allowed to worship according to his
own belief, and people of any denomination are
free to form congregations for the exercise of their
religion. These dissenting bodies may receive
recognition by the Government, if they have a
spiritual minister and a place of worship. Those who
do not belong to any recognized congregation must
pay the parochial tax to the Established Church, or,
if they prefer, to the University.
The country forms one bishopric, divided into 20
deaneries and 100 parishes.
Literature. The language spoken and written in
and Iceland at the present day is essenti-
Language. ally that of the first settlers in the coun-
try more than a thousand years ago.
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