Geography

Iceland, covering 103,000 sq km is the 107th largest country in the world and the second-largest island in Europe. It 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 (2,600 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 Thingvellir National Park, where the promontory creates an extraordinary natural amphitheatre. The site was the home of Iceland's parliament, the Althing, which was first convened in 930.

Location

Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grimsey off Iceland's northern coast, but not through mainland Iceland. Unlike neighbouring Greenland, Iceland is considered to be a part of Europe, not of North America, though geologically, the island belongs to both continents. Because of cultural, economic and linguistic similarities, Iceland in many contexts is also included in Scandinavia. It is the world's 18th largest island, and Europe's second largest island following Great Britain.

Topography

Approximately eleven percent of the island is glaciated. Many fjords punctuate its 3,088 miles (4,970 km) long coastline, which is also where most towns are situated because the island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland, is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sands and mountains. The major towns are the capital Reykjavik, Keflavik, where the international airport is situated, and Akureyri. The island of Grimsey on the Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland.

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, the only existing patches of birch forests are Hallormstadarskogur and Vaglaskogur.

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

Glaciers

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:

Vatnajokull (8,300 sq km)
Langjokull (953 sq km)
Hofsjokull (925 sq km)

There are also several smaller ones:

Myrdalsjokull (695 sq km)
Drangajokull (199 sq km)
Eyjafjallajokull (107 sq km)

Geological and Volcanic Activity

Iceland is located on both a geological hot spot, thought to be caused by a mantle plume, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs right through it. This combined location means that the island is extremely geologically active, having many volcanoes, notably Hekla, Eldgja, and Eldfell. The volcanic eruption of Laki in 1783-1784 caused a famine that killed nearly a quarter of the island's population; the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months after the eruption.

There are also geysers (a word derived from the name of one in Iceland, Geysir). With this widespread availability of geothermal power, and also because of the numerous rivers and waterfalls that are harnessed for hydropower, residents of most towns have hot water and home heat for a low price. The island itself is composed primarily of basalt, a low-silica lava associated with effusive volcanism like Hawaii. There are, however, a variety of volcano-types on Iceland that produce more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite.

Geography

Location

Topography

Glaciers

Geological and Volcanic Activity

Facts and Figures