Geography of Iceland

Iceland

Native name: Ísland Nickname: Land of Fire and Ice
Map of Iceland
Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	65°00′N 18°00′W
Area	103,001 km2 (39,768.9 sq mi)
Area rank	18th
Coastline	4,988 km (3,099.4 mi)
Highest elevation	2,110 m (6,920 ft)
Highest point	Hvannadalshnúkur
Country
Iceland
Largest city	Reykjavík (pop. 118,861)
Demographics
Population	316,252 (as of 2008)
Density	3.1 /km2 (8 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Icelanders

Iceland is a medium-sized island in the North Atlantic ocean. The island is located east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle, atop the divergent boundary of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean. It lies about 4,200 km (2,610 mi) from New York City and 860 km (534 mi) from Scotland. The term Iceland also is used to refer to the country sometimes called the Republic of Iceland, of which the island Iceland contains almost all the land area and almost all the population.

Iceland has extensive volcanic and geothermal activity. The rift associated with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which marks the division between the European and North American tectonic plates, runs across Iceland from the southwest to the northeast. This geographic feature is prominent at the Þingvellir National Park, where the promontory creates an extraordinary natural amphitheatre. The site was the home of Iceland's parliament, the Alþing, which was first convened in 930.

About half of Iceland's land area, which is of recent volcanic origin, consists of a mountainous lava desert (highest elevation 2,119 m (6,952 ft) above sea level) and other wasteland. Eleven percent is covered by three large glaciers:

• Vatnajökull (8300 km²)
• Langjökull (953 km²)
• Hofsjökull (925 km²)

and several smaller ones:

• Mýrdalsjökull (695 km²)
• Drangajökull (199 km²)
• Eyjafjallajökull (107 km²)
• Snæfellsjökull.

Twenty percent of the land is used for grazing, and only 1% is cultivated. An ambitious reforestation program is under way. Fossilized tree pollen and descriptions by the early settlers indicate that prior to human settlement in the 8th-10th century, trees covered about 30-40% of the island. Today, however, there are only small patches of the original birch forests left, the most prominent are Hallormsstaðarskógur and Vaglaskógur.

The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southwest; the central highlands are totally uninhabited.

Because of the Gulf Stream's moderating influence, the climate is characterized by damp, cool summers and relatively mild but windy winters. In Reykjavík, the average temperature is 11 °C (51.8 °F) in July and 0 °C (32 °F) in January (Koppen: Cfc).

Statistics

Geographic coordinates

Northern Europe (for cultural and historical reasons it is not considered to be a part of North America), between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the British Isles.

• 65°00′N 18°00′W
• North: Rifstangi, 66°32′3" N (Kolbeinsey, 67°08,9 N)
• South: Kötlutangi, 63°23′6" N (Surtsey, 63°17,7 N)
• West: Bjargtangar, 24°32′1" W
• East: Gerpir, 13°29′6" W (Hvalbakur, 13°16,6 W)

Map references

Arctic Region

Area

• Total: 103,125 km²
• Land: 100,329 km²
• Water: 2,796 km²

Area—comparative

Slightly smaller than Kentucky; about half the size of Great Britain; slightly larger than Hokkaidō

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

4,988 km

Maritime claims

• Continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the edge of the continental margin
• Exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
• Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)

Climate

Temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; cool summers, damp in the South and West

Terrain

Mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, ice fields; coast deeply indented by bays and fjords

Elevation extremes

• Lowest point: Jökulsárlón Lagoon: -146 m, Atlantic Ocean 0 m
• Highest point: Hvannadalshnúkur 2,110 m

Natural resources

Fish, hydropower, geothermal power.

Land use

• Arable land: 0.07%
• Permanent crops: 0%
• Permanent pastures: 23%
• Forests and woodland: 1%
• Other: 76% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land

NA

Natural hazards

Earthquakes, volcanic activity, avalanches, and glacial lake outburst flooding (or jökulhlaups)

Environment—current issues

Water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment—international agreements

• Party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution (MARPOL 73/78), Wetlands, Whaling
• Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography—note

Strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

Antipodes

Iceland is not antipodal to any land mass. The closest are the Balleny Islands off Antarctica, claimed by New Zealand. The antipodes of the northernmost of these, Young Island, lie between Flatey and Grímsey Islands off the north central Icelandic coast, about 10 km from either.

Maps and Images

• 

  True colour satellite image of Iceland in winter

• 

  Satellite image of Iceland

• 

  Map of Iceland showing major towns and geographical features

• 

  Active volcanic areas and systems in Iceland

• 

  Map showing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge splitting Iceland and separating the North American and Eurasian Plates

• 

  Ridge between the tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America

• 

  Iceland is rich in sulfur deposits.

• 

  Topographic map of Iceland

See also

Climate of Iceland Extreme points of Europe Extreme points of Iceland Fjords of Iceland Glacial lake outburst flood Glaciers of Iceland Highlands of Iceland Iceland hotspot Iceland plume

Lakes of Iceland List of islands off Iceland List of National Parks of Iceland List of valleys of Iceland List of volcanoes in Iceland Plate tectonics Rivers of Iceland Volcanism in Iceland Waterfalls of Iceland

External links

• Igneous Lab: Iceland lavas (BROKEN LINK)