Mosquitoes are a menace in most countries around the world. But there’s one unique country on Earth where you’ll find no mosquitoes and no snakes.
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This country is the only one in the world that has neither mosquitoes nor snakes.
Another clue: This country ranks among the top 10 globally in the Global Prosperity Index, the Global Talent Competitiveness Index, and the Environmental Performance Index.
The Nordic country in question is Iceland. People in Iceland don’t have to deal with buzzing, blood-sucking mosquitoes or slithering snakes.
According to several studies, Iceland’s harsh climate isn’t favorable for mosquitoes. While mosquitoes typically survive in warm, humid environments and can even endure cold, Iceland’s unique water chemistry and soil composition make it unsuitable for mosquito breeding.
Scientists from various countries have been intrigued by this phenomenon for decades, especially since neighboring countries like Norway, Denmark, Scotland, and Greenland do have mosquito populations.
Experts believe the island’s oceanic climate is a major reason behind the mosquitoes’ absence. When mosquitoes lay eggs in cold climates, the larvae typically emerge during thaws. But Iceland experiences three major freezes each year, disrupting the mosquito life cycle and making survival nearly impossible.
Still, researchers have yet to reach a unanimous conclusion on exactly why mosquitoes can’t thrive in Iceland.
However, environmentalists think that climate change and global warming could alter Iceland’s delicate ecosystem, potentially making it more hospitable to mosquitoes in the future.
As of now, there’s only one known mosquito in Iceland — or rather, its remains. It’s preserved in a jar of alcohol at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History.
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