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Geography of Iceland

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A true colour image of Iceland captured by NASA's Aqua satellite on January 28, 2004.
A map of Iceland showing major towns and geographical features.
The ridge between the tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America
Iceland is rich in sulfur deposits.

Iceland is the second-largest island in Europe. The island 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 (2,600 mi.) from New York City and 830 km (520 mi.) from Scotland.

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 (6,970 ft) above sea level) and other wasteland. Eleven percent is covered by three large glaciers:

and several smaller ones:

Twenty percent of the land is used for grazing, and only 1% is cultivated. An ambitious reforestation program is under way. It is assumed that prior to human settlement in the 900s, trees covered about 30-40% of the island. Today, however, there are only small remnants of the original forests, the most prominent existing patches of birch forests are Hallormsstaðaskógur 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 (52°F) in July and -1°C (30°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 / 65.000°N 18.000°W / 65.000; -18.000
  • North: Rifstangi, 66°32′3" N
  • South: Kötlutangi, 63°23′6" N
  • West: Bjargtangar, 24°32′1" W
  • East: Gerpir, 13°29′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 nautical miles (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin
  • Exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km)
  • Territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km)
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
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
Geography—note
Strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

See also


Template:Icelandic topics

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