Why Greenland Is Ice and Iceland Is Green ❄️ Name Mix-Up 🤯

🇬🇱 Greenland is 80% covered by glaciers, while 🇮🇸 Iceland is known for its green landscapes and geothermal springs so why are their names the opposite of what you'd expect? ❄️🌿 The reason goes back to the 9th century. When Vikings first arrived in Iceland during winter, they saw ice and snow and named it accordingly. 🧊 Later, Erik the Red, exiled from Iceland, discovered a massive icy island further west. To attract settlers, he named it Greenland 🌍 hoping the name would make the land sound more appealing. This clever strategy worked, and the misleading names stuck. 🧠 Naming based on first impressions was common 🌸 Florida, for example, was named by Spanish explorers for its flowers. Greenland and Iceland are a perfect example of how exploration, exile, and strategy shaped the maps we know today. 🗺️📜

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[ASBA]

"It's just a prank, bro!"

The prank in question.

[davidfernandez]

His son is the famous Leif Erikson, the first known European to set foot on any place of the Americas.

[Aoxhio.]

"if I suffer, everyone suffers” ahh viking

[dream]

Imagine arriving in Greenland after days or weeks of sailing only to realise you’ve been scammed

[GMPranav]

Bro pulled one of the greatest pranks in history 💀

[puppypoet]

"And they name them accordingly."

**PRANKD**

[gravelroad]

I actually heard this story while I visited Iceland
. But good job! You got the facts correct

[LeonMRr]

Jokes aside, imagine what you gotta do to be exiled by people who are famous for their pillaging and killing

[blueroninstudios]

How Greenland got it's name has to be one of the funniest "trolls" in history! 🤣

[KingOfXB]

"We do a little bit of trolling over here" - Erik probably

[jacknabox]

I was told yrs. Ago that the vikings called their land iceland to discourage other countries from traveling there & conquering it. Then, they named Greenland to encourage their enemies to travel & settle there.

[davidbooth]

Was stationed in Iceland for a year when i was in the Air Force. Was told by Icelanders that this is partially a myth. Iceland was called Iceland because it is small with ice and snow almost year round. Greenest most forested part of Iceland, when I was there, was the north eastern coastal area. Greenland was called Greenland because between 500 - 1500 AD there was significant global warming and the settled areas of Greenland were very green and could support crops and cattle..

[TRVSAKIB]

Eric did the biggest prank of the history 😅

[everyday.sociopath]

Fun fact for anyone who cares: Me and my family are descended from Erik the Red

[Eowyn]

I am SO enjoying these! I love geography, and am loving these cool facts.

[JustJessee]

"Greenland is covered in ice, and Iceland is very nice" - The Mighty Ducks

[mochimochikanna]

I always wondered why, thanks for the explanation!

[dannyhaezebrouck]

in medieval times grapes were growing on south coast of Greenland so the place was warmer and greener in those days, ...

[ConnorPlayz_Official-]

My dad said that Greenland was named Greenland to try and make more tourists travel there, but they named it Iceland to try and hide its beauty.

[cloudunderweather]

That naming trick is diabolocal since there were no planes back then.... you can't just go back.