Atlantica - 01.09.2004, Page 48

Counting Sheep
It’s often said that in Iceland there are more sheep than people. This factoid is
indeed true, as there are 469,658 of the grass-eating animals with thick furry coats,
kept for their fleece and meat, according to data taken in 2002 by Iceland’s Bureau
of Statistics. While that’s a lot of sheep, the population is actually in decline. Back
in 1998, there were 490,002. But you can’t tell that by looking at this picture of
Erlingur Arnórsson who is surrounded by his flock. Known as the Mountain King
because he organizes the sheep round-ups in his area, a farm in north Iceland,
Arnórsson owns over 1,000 sheep.
PHOTO BY PÁLL STEFÁNSSON
046-47 Réttir 24.8.2004 12:20 Page 46