Akureyri, Iceland
Seal
Nickname: Höfuðstaður Norðurlands (Capital of North Iceland)
Location of Akureyri in Iceland
Coordinates: 65°41′N 18°06′W / 65.683, -18.1
Constituency	Northeast
Area
- City	125 km²  (48.26 sq mi)
Population (2007)
- City	16,887
- Density	128.7/km² (333.3/sq mi)
Postal Codes: 600-603
Website: http://www.akureyri.is/

Akureyri (ˈaːkʰʏrˌeiːrɪ (help· info)) is a town located in the northern part of Iceland; it is the second largest urban area after Reykjavík. As of the 2007 census, the town had a total population of 16,887 [1]. Image File history File links Akureyri seen from Vaðlaheiði. ... Image File history File links The town seal of Akureyri File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... // A nickname is a name of a person or thing other than its proper name. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Iceland is divided into 6 constituencies for the purpose of selecting representatives to the Alþingi (parliament). ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Image File history File links Akureyri. ... Location in Iceland Coordinates: , Constituency Reykjavík North Reykjavík South Government  - Mayor (Borgarstjóri) Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson Area  - City 274. ...

History

The Norse Viking Helgi magri Eyvindarson originally settled the area in the 9th century. The first mention of Akureyri dates back to 1562 when a woman was sentenced there for adultery. In the 17th century Danish merchants based their camps on the actual Akureyri which was one of the numerous spits of land in Pollurinn. The reasons for choosing this exact spot for the trading operations were mainly the outstanding natural harbour and the fact that Akureyri is surrounded by a very productive agriculture area. The Danish merchants did not live at Akureyri the whole year round, in winters the houses were locked up and the merchants went home. Permanent settlement at Akureyri started in 1778 and the town was granted its municipal charter by the king of Denmark (and at the time Iceland also) eight years later in 1786 along with five other towns in Iceland. The king hoped to improve the living conditions of Icelanders by this action because at the time, urban areas were virtually non-existent in Iceland and had never existed. As far as Akureyri was concerned the king was unsuccessful, Akureyri did not grow from its population of 12. In 1836 Akureyri lost its municipal status but gained it back in 1862. From that point, Akureyri started to grow because of the excellent port conditions and perhaps more because of the productive agricultural region around it. Industries processing agricultural products became the backbone of the city and spurred its further growth. Norseman redirects here; for the town of the same name see Norseman, Western Australia. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was the century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... Year 1562 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

During World War II, Akureyri was the base of Catalina flying boats from the Norwegian-British No. 330 Squadron RAF, which protected convoys from the United States to the United Kingdom and Murmansk from German submarines. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... PBY Catalina was the United States Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. ... The No. ... Murmansk coin Murmansk (Russian: ; Finnish: (archaic); Northern Sami: ; Skolt Sami: ) is a city in the extreme northwest part of Russia with a seaport on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russias borders with Norway and...

The 20th century in Iceland became the scene of a mass exodus from the countryside to the cities. Commerce and service industries grew to be the primary employers in Akureyri as the manufacturing industries started to decline in the 1990s. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

In the early 21st century, fishing industries have become more important in Akureyri as two of the major fishing companies of Iceland has become a more important source of revenue and are expected to grow further in coming years. The University of Akureyri was founded in 1987 and is growing rapidly. The University of Akureyri is a fairly young institution, founded in 1987 in the city of Akureyri in the north part of Iceland. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Law and government

Akureyri is governed by the town council, directly elected by anyone over 18 and registered with domicile in the town. The council has 11 members that are elected for four-year terms. The mayor is appointed by the council; usually one of the council members is chosen but they may also appoint a mayor who is not a member of the council.

Current Town Council party division

Last elections to the town council were held on May 27, 2006. The results were as follows: is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Following the elections the Independence Party and the Alliance formed a coalition government in the council. According to the coalition agreement, the mayor will come from the Independence Party for the first three years of the four-year term but from the Alliance in the last year of the term. The Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is a center-right political party in Iceland. ... The Progressive Party (Icelandic: Framsóknarflokkurinn) is an agrarian and liberal party in Iceland. ... The Alliance (Samfylkingin) is a political party in Iceland. ... The Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin - grænt framboð) is a political party in Iceland. ...

Mayor or City Executive

As of 2007 the current mayor is Sigrún Björk Jakobsdóttir, member of the Independence Party The Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is a center-right political party in Iceland. ...

Timeline of mayors

• 1919-1934 - Jón Sveinsson
• 1934-1958 - Steinn Steinsen
• 1958-1967 - Magnús Guðjónsson
• 1967-1976 - Bjarni Einarsson
• 1976-1986 - Helgi M. Bergs
• 1986-1990 - Sigfús Jónsson
• 1990-1994 - Halldór Jónsson
• 1994-1998 - Jakob Björnsson
• 1998-2007 - Kristján Þór Júlíusson
• 2007-        - Sigrún Björk Jakobsdóttir

Kristján Þór Júlíusson Kristján Þór Júlíusson is the current mayor of Akureyri, Iceland. ...

Geography

Akureyri is located at 65°40′N 18°10′WCoordinates: 65°40′N 18°10′W. Positioned at the bottom-west side of the fjord Eyjafjörður. It is surrounded by mountains, the highest being Súlur 1213 m (3980 feet) and Hlíðarfjall 1116 m (3661 feet). The coast in the area is a narrow strip of flat land before a steep but low hill. In earlier times a few spits of land (Icelandic: eyri, thus Akur-eyri) jutted from the narrow coast but a lot of land has since been claimed from the sea so that today the coastline is more even except for the largest spit of land (eyri), Oddeyri, which was formed by the river Glerá that runs through the town. The body of sea between Oddeyri and the fjord's bottom is known as Pollurinn and is known for calm winds and a good natural harbour. The central area of Akureyri today is at Ráðhústorg Square near the north-west corner of Pollurinn. The districts of Akureyri are: Innbær, the oldest part of town on the land strip between the hill and Pollurinn south of the central area; Brekkan, on top of the hill; Oddeyri on the peninsula with the same name and Glerárhverfi on the north bank of Glerá river(also referred to as Þorpið which is more of a slang version, in English: the Village). Because of the town's position at the bottom of a long fjord surrounded by high mountains, the climate is actually more inland than coastal, meaning greater variants in temperature (warmer summers, colder winters) than in many other parts of Iceland. The surrounding mountains also shield the town from strong winds. Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Eyjafjörður shown in blue Eyjafjörður is the longest fjord in central northern Iceland. ... Súlur is a mountain located to the south west of the town Akureyri in Iceland rising some 1213 meters. ... The metre or meter is a measure of length. ... Hlíðarfjall is a mountain located west of the Icelandic town Akureyri. ... Glerá River (lit. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Fjords are very long inlets from the sea with high steeply sloped walled sides. ...

Economy

Major industries/products

• Samherji
• Norðurmjólk
• Brim hf
• Vífilfell, the largest brewery within 1000 miles

Samherji is the second biggest company in the Icelandic fish industry and was founded in Grindavík in 1972. ... Vífilfell is the Icelandic franchisee for brands of The Coca-Cola Company. ...

Personalities

Jón Sveinsson (1857-1944) popular author of children's book was born in Akureyri. Jón Stefán Sveinsson (16 November 1857, near Akureyri - 16 October 1944, Cologne) was an Icelandic childrens writer and member of the Society of Jesus. ...

Transport

Akureyri is a transport hub for the region, it is well connected by land, sea and air.

Route 1 (the Ring Road) runs through Akureyri and connects it with other parts of the country. The Ring Road of Iceland and some towns it passes through: (1) Reykjavík; (2) Borgarnes; (3) Blönduós; (4) Akureyri; (5) Egilsstaðir; (6) Höfn; (7) Selfoss Route 1 or the Ring Road (Icelandic: Þjóðvegur 1 or Hringvegur) is a main road in Iceland that runs...

The town has an airport that is mostly used for domestic flights but occasionally international flights use the airport as well. Air Iceland flies several times a day to Reykjavik, but there are also flights to Grimsey, Vopnafjörður and Þórshöfn. Scheduled flights from Akureyri to Copenhagen began on May 30 2006, operated by Iceland Express. A further regular service to London is due to begin in October 2006. is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The port of Akureyri is a vital structure for the town which largely bases its livelihood on fisheries. It is the site of a few large fish processing plants and trawlers come there to unload. The port is also very important for tourism as many cruise ships stop in Akureyri during the summer months. The port is important for freight handling. Seaport, a painting by Claude Lorrain, 1638 The Port of Wellington at night. ... A modern Icelandic trawler A trawler is a fishing vessel designed for the purpose of operating a trawl, a type of fishing net that is dragged along the bottom of the sea (or sometimes above the bottom at a specified depth). ... Tourists on Oahu, Hawaii Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. ... Pacific Sky sails under Sydney Harbour Bridge A cruise ship or a cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ships amenities are considered an essential part of the experience. ... Freight is a term used to classify the transportation of cargo and is typically a commercial process. ...

Akureyri

Image File history File links Akureyri seen from Vaðlaheiði. ... Image File history File links Akureyri seen from Vaðlaheiði. ...

Sites of interest

• Amtsbókasafnið á Akureyri: (Public Library) Brekkugata 17
• Minjasafnið á Akureyri: Villa Kirkjuhvoll (1934), Aðalstræti 58
• Nonnahús: Aðalstræti 54
• Náttúrufræðistofnun Norðurlands: (Nature Museum) Hafnarstræti 81
• Listasafnið á Akureyri: (Art Museum) Kaupvangsstræti 24
• Davíðshús: (Davids house) Bjarkarstíg 6
• Lystigarður Akureyrar (The Botanical Garden of Akureyri) Spítalavegur
• Sigurhæðir: Eyrarlandsvegur 3
• Akureyrarkirkja: (The church of akureyri) Eyrarlandsvegur

Nonnahús is a house famous for being the home of Jón Sveinsson (Nonni), a well known Icelandic author. ...

Gymnasia, colleges and universities

• Menntaskólinn á Akureyri
• Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri
• Háskólinn á Akureyri

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The University of Akureyri is a fairly young institution, founded in 1987 in the city of Akureyri in the north part of Iceland. ...

Sports clubs

• K.A. (Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar) - soccer, volleyball, handball, judo
• S.A. (Skautafélag Akureyrar) - hockey, figure skating
• S.K.A. (Skíðafélag Akureyrar) - skiing
• S.A. (Skákfélag Akureyrar) - chess
• Íþróttafélagið Þór - football, basketball, handball, tae kwon do
• Hamrarnir - football
• Skarfarnir - chess

Akureyrar logo Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar is a sport club that resides in Akureyri, Iceland. ...

Twin town

• Ålesund, Norway
• Randers, Denmark
• Västerås, Sweden
• Lahti, Finland
• Murmansk, Russia

Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... Ålesund (or Aalesund) is a city and municipality in the county of Møre og Romsdal, Norway. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... The old Town Hall on the square in Randers with statue of Niels Ebbesen in front. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... VästerÃ¥s [vÉ›stÉ™roːs] is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland. ... Location within Finland Lahti (Lahtis in Swedish) is a Finnish city of 100,049 inhabitants (2006), bordering the Vesijärvi lake. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Murmansk coin Murmansk (Russian: ; Finnish: (archaic); Northern Sami: ; Skolt Sami: ) is a city in the extreme northwest part of Russia with a seaport on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russias borders with Norway and...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Akureyri

• Akureyri Municipal Website (in Icelandic and English)
• Port of Akureyri
• Samherji Fishing Company
• Norðurmjólk - Dairy products
• University of Akureyri
• Knattspyrnufélagið Þór
• Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar
• Skautafélag Akureyrar
• Skákfélag Akureyrar
• Skíðafélag Akureyrar
• Hamrarnir
• Golfklúbbur Akureyrar

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Twenty largest Municipalities of Iceland

Reykjavík | Kópavogur | Hafnarfjörður | Akureyri | Reykjanesbær | Garðabær | Mosfellsbær | Árborg | Akranes | Seltjarnarnes | Vestmannaeyjar | Skagafjörður | Ísafjörður | Fjarðabyggð | Borgarbyggð | Húsavík | Grindavík | Hornafjörður | Fljótsdalshérað | Dalvíkurbyggð | The municipalities of Iceland are local administrative areas that provide a number of services to their inhabitants such as kindergartens, elementary schools, waste management, social services, public housing, public transportation, services to senior citizens and handicapped people etc. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iceland. ... Location in Iceland Coordinates: , Constituency Reykjavík North Reykjavík South Government  - Mayor (Borgarstjóri) Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson Area  - City 274. ... Location in Iceland Coordinates: Constituency Southwest Area    - City 83. ... Location of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland (left/center) Coordinates: Constituency Southwest Area  - City 147 km²  (56. ... Reykjanesbær is a municipality on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland, it is made up of the towns Keflavík, Njarðvík and Hafnir. ... Garðabær is a municipality in the Greater Reykjavík area of Iceland. ... Mosfellsær is small city in Southwestern Iceland. ... Árborg is the largest city in Southern Iceland. ... City nickname: Skaginn Location of west seaport Akranes (left/center) County Akraneskaupstaður Constituency Northwest Area 8. ... Seltjarnarnes is an Icelandic township located within the Greater Reykjavík area. ... Location of Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland (lower left) County Vestmannaeyjar Constituency South Area 13 km² ( 8,1mi²) Population Total (2003) Density 4349 334/km² Postal codes IS-900 Latitude Longitude Municipal website Cliffs on Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar Off the southwest coast of Iceland Vestmannaeyjar (English: The Westman Islands) is a small archipelago... Location in Iceland County Skagafjarðarsýsla Constituency Northwest Area 4180 km² (1614mi²) Population Total (2003) Density 4,178 0. ... Location of Ísafjörður in Iceland (upper left) Constituency Northwest Area 270 km² ( 104. ... Disambiguation, see also Húsavík, Faroe Islands Location in Iceland County Suður-Þingeyjarsýsla Constituency Northeast Area 270 km² ( 104. ... Location of Grindavík Grindavík is a fishing town at the peninsula of Reykjanes at the south-western coast of Iceland. ... Location of Dalvík Dalvík is a small fishing village in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. ...