# The Answer (Greenland vs Iceland)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 30, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633 "2002-05-30T23:21:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ShorTpie2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@ShorTpie2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShorTpie2)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633/1 "2002-05-30T23:21:43Z")

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I don’t know if this was stated in the answer given on the page, but in my history class we studied this. The Vikings gave the names. They were tricking the people. Greenway sounded fertile and pleasant, so of course people went there only to find ice and harsh conditions. However, nobody went to Iceland but it was the “Greenland” they were looking for. This left it open and private for the Vikings.

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**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633/2 "2002-05-31T16:34:09Z")

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Link: [Shouldn’t Greenland be known as Iceland and vice versa?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/micegreenland.html)

**bibliophage** appears to have considered but rejected that theory:

> [@](#):
>
> You sometimes hear the story that Iceland was so named to discourage excessive immigration, but there seems to be no basis for this claim. Even if it’s true, it didn’t work very well. Between about 870 and 930, a period called the _landnám_, productive land in Iceland was free for the taking to all comers, and thousands of people immigrated from Norway, which was in political upheaval at the time. _Landnám_ is usually translated “settlement,” but “land grab” is a more literal translation and comes closer to the point.

-Loopus

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**Author:** ![Jerevan\_Somerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@Jerevan\_Somerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerevan_Somerville)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633/3 "2002-05-31T17:33:51Z")

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Plus, I would think anyone sailing from Europe to Greenland would have to stop over in Iceland on the way, thus exposing any potential land-use ruse involved with the names. It would never work.

The “Little Ice Age” referred to by **bibliophage** (in the PBS link in the report), ended a period of warmer climatic conditions in the North Atlantic which, it is thought, is what allowed the Vikings to range so far west in the first place.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-greenland-vs-iceland/111633/4 "2002-05-31T19:25:50Z")

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Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, ShorT.

It’s helpful to other readers if you provide a link to the Staff Report or column that you’re commenting on. Loopus has helped you out there.

It’s also helpful if the topic subject line gives readers a clue. “The Answer” is pretty broad, so I have taken the liberty of editing it to be more specific.

Again, welcome, always glad to have a variety of opinions expressed.