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Iceland is an extraordinary little country. It's a volcanic island in the far north of Europe, where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. According to worldometers.info, the current population of Iceland as of December 2025 is about 400,530, compared to the population of San Jose, California: 997,368, according to worldpopulationreview.com.

Iceland is a progressive role model for other countries. According to the 2025 World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, Iceland ranked first for gender parity for the 16th year in a row.

Eliza Reid was the First Lady of Iceland from 2016 to 2024, when her husband, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson served as the President of Iceland. Eliza is a Canadian who emigrated to Iceland to raise her family with her husband. She is also a journalist and freelance writer, including writing Icelandair's flight journal.

In Secrets of the Sprakkar, Eliza shares her own experiences adapting to life in Iceland and the stories of some of Iceland's extraordinary women of the past and present. She profiles women in a wide range of professions, including sea captains, fisherpersons, farmers, athletes, politicians, artists, and corporate executives. "Sprakkar" is the Icelandic word for "extraordinary (or outstanding) women." Bear in mind that, with such a "small pond," it's easier to stand out as a "big fish."

The groundwork for improving the status of women started with a "Women's Day Off" demonstration on October 24, 1974. 90% of the women in the country participated! Even homemakers handed their children to their husbands and said, "I'm taking the day off. You figure it out!" From that time, legislation was enacted to make life better for women in the workforce. The government provides childcare and universal healthcare. State universities are tuition-free. Paid parental leave is provided by the government for after a birth - three months for each parent and an additional three months to be divided between them.

With many of the worries of being a parent eliminated, families are having more children. Iceland has the highest fertility rate in Europe, about 1.97 children per woman. (Eliza has four.) More than three-quarters of Icelandic women over age 15 who are economically active work outside the home, compared to about 56% in the United States. More than half of the women in Iceland have university degrees. About half of the representatives in Iceland's parliament are women. Iceland had the first women as federal government president and prime minister.

Iceland still has its share of challenges for women. Despite equal pay legislation, many are still paid less than men. Iceland still suffers from violence against women. Almost all of the chief executive officers of publicly-held corporations are still men.

Secrets of the Sprakkar is a worthwhile read for inspiration of how a country can provide an environment of achievement for women and what women are capable of achieving.

Buy it on Amazon: Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World.

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