A true colour image of Iceland captured by NASA's Aqua satellite on January 28, 2004.

CIA World Factbook map of Iceland

The ridge between the tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America

Iceland is a large island with extensive volcanic and geothermal activity located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland immediately south of the Arctic Circle. It lies about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 mi.) from New York and 830 kilometers (520 mi.) from Scotland. The rift associated with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which marks the division between the European and North American 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 amphitheater. Just over a thousand years ago Iceland's first parliament (Althing) was convened there. A true colour image of Iceland captured by NASAs Aqua satellite on January 28, 2004. ... A true colour image of Iceland captured by NASAs Aqua satellite on January 28, 2004. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of Iceland from CIA World Factbook. ... Map of Iceland from CIA World Factbook. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... Image File history File links Original caption Map showing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge splitting Iceland and separating the North American and Eurasian Plates. ... Image File history File links Original caption Map showing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge splitting Iceland and separating the North American and Eurasian Plates. ... Image File history File links The ridge between the tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America, photograph by Matias Ärje File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The ridge between the tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America, photograph by Matias Ärje File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Courtesy USGS The ridge was central in the breakup of Pangaea The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mostly underwater mountain range of the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean that runs from 87°N (about 333 km South of the North Pole) to subantarctic Bouvet Island at 54°S. The highest... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... A sign along the Dalton Highway marking the location of the Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Courtesy USGS The ridge was central in the breakup of Pangaea The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mostly underwater mountain range of the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean that runs from 87°N (about 333 km South of the North Pole) to subantarctic Bouvet Island at 54°S. The highest... Þingvellir in autumn Þingvellir (Icelandic Þing: parliament, vellir: plains) is a place in the southwest of Iceland near the peninsula of Reykjanes and the Hengill volcanic area. ... The term promontory has several similar meanings in English, including geographical names: A promontory is a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water (e. ... The name amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is given to a public building of the Classical period (being particularly associated with ancient Rome) which was used for spectator sports, games and displays. ... The Althing (Modern Icelandic Alþingi; Old Norse Alþing) is the national parliament: literally, the all-thing (or General Assembly) of Iceland. ...

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: The metre, or meter, is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet) is a non-SI unit of distance or length, measuring around a third of a meter. ...

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

and several smaller ones: Vatnajökull, Iceland Vatnajökull (IPA: [ˈvahd̥naˌjøœːg̊ʏd̥l]) is the largest glacier in Iceland. ... Langjökull is after the Vatnajökull second in extension under the glaciers of Iceland (1. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Hofsjökull is the third largest glacier in Iceland after Vatnajökull and Langjökull covering an area of 994 square kilometres. ...

• Mýrdalsjökull, size 695 km²
• Drangajökull, size 199 km²
• Eyjafjallajökull, size 107 km²
• Snæfellsjökull,

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 Hallormstaðarskógur and Vaglaskógur. Mýrdalsjökull Mýrdalsjökull is a glacier in the south of Iceland. ... Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller glaciers of Iceland. ... The Summit of Snæfellsjökull Snæfellsjökull is a strato volcano with a glacier (isl. ...

The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southwest, whereas 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. For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... Reykjavík (pronounced (♫) in Icelandic) is the capital of Iceland, its largest city and the worlds most northern national capital. ...

Statistics

Location

Northern Europe (mostly for cultural and historical reasons it is not considered to be a part of the Americas), island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom.

Geographic coordinates

• 65°00′N 18°00′W
• 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 Hokkaido

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, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes

• Lowest point: Jölkulsárlón Lagoon:-146 m, Atlantic Ocean 0 m
• Highest point: Hvannadalshnúkur 2,110 m (Aug.2005 new measurement)

Natural resources

Fish, hydropower, geothermal power.

Land use

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

Irrigated land

NA km²

Natural hazards

Earthquakes and volcanic activity; avalanches

Environment--current issues

Eater 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

Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... The Americas (sometimes referred to as America) is the area including the land mass located between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, generally divided into North America and South America. ... The Greenland Sea is an area of the Arctic Ocean between Greenland, Jan Mayen and Iceland. ... The red line indicates the 10°C isotherm in July, commonly used to define the Arctic region border The Arctic is the area around the Earths North Pole. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Frankfort Louisville Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 37th 40,444 sq mi  104,749 km² 140 miles  225 km 379 miles  610 km 1. ... For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ... A nautical mile is a unit of length. ... The North Atlantic drift is a powerful warm ocean current that continues the Gulf Stream northeast. ... The metre, or meter, is a measure of length. ... The Hvannadalshnjúkur is a volcano in the southeast of Iceland. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: one of the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Thermally active area, New Zealand. ... This power plant in New Mexico releases sulfur dioxide and particulate matter into the air. ... Rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of life. ... UNFCCC logo. ... Ship stranded by the retreat of the Aral Sea Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities. ... The endangered Sea Otter An endangered species is a population of organisms (frequently but not always a taxonomic species) which is either (a) so few in number or (b) threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters that it is at risk of becoming extinct. ... Hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment and generally exhibits one or more of these characteristics: ignitability corrosivity reactivity (explosive) toxicity Many types of businesses generate hazardous waste. ... Admiralty law (usually referred to as simply admiralty and also referred to as maritime law) is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. ... Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature - 29 December 1972 entered into force - 30 August 1975 objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention... The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes and was opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996, when it was signed by 71 States, including the five nuclear weapon states at the time (which did not... Ship Pollution is an abbreviated form of the Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973. ... A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ... The crew of the oceanographic research vessel Princesse Alice, of Albert Grimaldi (later Prince Albert I of Monaco) pose while flensing a catch Whaling refers to the practice, history and industries associated with the hunting and killing of whales. ... note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature - December 10, 1976 entered into force - October 5, 1978 objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria... opened for signature - 29 April 1958 entered into force - 20 March 1966 objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Aletsch glacier, Switzerland A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ...

See also

• Volcanoes of Iceland
• Rivers of Iceland
• Waterfalls of Iceland
• Fjords of Iceland
• Lakes of Iceland
• Iceland plume

Eruption at Eldfell volcano, just outside a town of 5000 people, in 1973 Iceland has a very high number of active volcanoes due to its unique geological conditions. ... Rivers of Iceland On an island like Iceland, rivers are never very long. ... Gullfoss, in southern Iceland The numerous waterfalls of Iceland are part of the wonders of nature in this region. ... The (most important) Fjords of Iceland Faxaflói Hvalfjörður Borgarfjörður Breiðafjörður Hvammsfjörður Ísarfjarðardjúp Húnaflói Skagafjörður Eyjafjörður Skjálfandi (bay) Öxarfjörður Vopnafjörður Héraðsflói Seyðisfjörður... Lakes of Iceland partially indicating surface or depth Þórisvatn 83-88 km², 114 m Þingvallavatn 82 km², 114 m Lagarfljót(Lögurinn) 53 km², 112 m Mývatn 37 km², 4,5 m Hvitárvatn 30 km², 84 m Hóp 29 - 44 km², depending on tides Langisjór... The Iceland Plume is an upwelling of anomalously hot rock in the Earths mantle beneath Iceland whose origin probably lies at the boundary between the core and the mantle in ca. ...

External links

• Igneous Lab: Iceland lavas