Geographic Details of Iceland
Iceland is a rather large island with a size of 103,000 square kilometers (39,768 square miles) an is situated directly under the
polar circle, with a shortest distance of 280 kilometers from Greenland, 420 kilometers of the Faroes and 800 kilometers away from Scotland. With a population of bit more than
300,000 people Iceland is the most thinly settled state of Europe. Over half of the Icelanders live in the region of the capital Reykjavik.
Total area: 103,000 km²
Total area including fishery: 758,000 km²
Main island: 102,700 qkm
thereof:
|
Without vegetation
|
62 %
|
|
Cultured
|
1.5 %
|
|
Greater Reykjavik
|
1 %
|
|
Lea
|
1,3 %
|
|
Lakes
|
2.9 %
|
|
Forest
|
1.5 %
|
|
Glaciers
|
11.6 %
|
|
Lava
|
11 %
|
Population: (Last update: 31. December 2005)
|
Population (Total)
|
299,891
|
|
Density of population
|
2.78 Einw./km²
|
|
Greater Reykjavik
|
187,426
|
|
Reykjavik
|
112,268
|
|
Southwest Iceland
|
17,915
|
|
West Iceland
|
14,968
|
|
Westfjords
|
7,551
|
|
Northwest Iceland
|
8,870
|
|
Nordeast Iceland
|
27,017
|
|
East Iceland
|
13,822
|
|
South Iceland
|
22,413
|
Geographic position:
|
North
|
66°32´29´´ N
|
|
South
|
63°23´31´´ N
|
|
East
|
13°30´06´´ W
|
|
West
|
24°32´12´´ W
|
Coastline:
The largest islands beside the main island:
|
Heimaey (Westman Islands)
|
13.4 km²
|
|
Hrísey (Eyjarförður)
|
8.0 km²
|
|
Hjörsey (Mýrar, Faxafloí)
|
5.5 km²
|
|
Grímsey (North)
|
5.3 km²
|
|
Flatey (Skjálfandi Bay)
|
2.8 km²
|
|
Málmey (Skagafjörður)
|
2.4 km²
|
|
Papey (Southeast)
|
2.0 km²
|
|
Viðey (Reykjavik Bay)
|
1.7 km²
|
|
Surtsey
|
1.7 km²
|
The largest lakes and their max. depth:
|
Þórisvatn *
|
88 km²
|
113 m
|
|
Þingvallavatn
|
82 km²
|
114 m
|
|
Lögurinn
|
53 km²
|
112 m
|
|
Mývatn
|
37 km²
|
4 m
|
|
Hvítárvatn
|
30 km²
|
85 m
|
|
Langisjór
|
26 km²
|
73 m
|
|
Skorradalsvatn
|
15 km²
|
57 m
|
|
Svínavatn
|
12 km²
|
39 m
|
|
Öskjuvatn
|
11 km²
|
220 m
|
* Due to structural measures Þórisvatn is the largest lake of Iceland today. But the largest natural lake is Þingvallavatn.
The longest rivers and their watersheds:
|
Þórsá
|
230 km
|
7.500 km²
|
|
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
|
206 km
|
7.850 km²
|
|
Hvítá/Ölfusá
|
185 km
|
6.100 km²
|
|
Skjálfandafljót
|
178 km
|
3.950 km²
|
Inland ice caps:
|
Vatnajökull
|
8.300 km²
|
|
Landjökull
|
953 km²
|
|
Hofsjökull
|
925 km²
|
|
Mýrdalsjökull
|
596 km²
|
|
Drangajökull
|
160 km²
|
|
Eyjafallajökull
|
78 km²
|
|
Tungnafellsjökul
|
48 km²
|
|
Snæfellsjökull
|
11 km²
|
|
All galciers
|
11,922 km²
|
The highest and most importent mountains:
|
Hvannadalshnúkur
|
2,119 m
|
|
Báðarbunga
|
2,000 m
|
|
Kverkfjöll
|
1,920 m
|
|
Snæfell
|
1,833 m
|
|
Hofsjökull
|
1,765 m
|
|
Herðubreið
|
1,682 m
|
|
Eiriksjökull
|
1,675 m
|
|
Eyjafjallajökull
|
1,666 m
|
|
Hekla
|
1,491 m
|
|
Mýrdalsjökull
|
1,480 m
|
|
Snæfellsjökull
|
1,446 m
|
The highest and most important waterfalls:
|
Glymur
|
190 m
|
|
Háifoss
|
122 m
|
|
Hengifoss
|
110 m
|
|
Seljalandsfoss
|
65 m
|
|
Skógafoss
|
62 m
|
|
Dettifoss
|
44 m
|
|
Gullfoss
|
32 m
|
|
Ófærufoss
|
26 m
|
|
Goðafoss
|
12 m
|
|
Öxaráfoss
|
10 m
|
|
Svartifoss
|
8 m
|
 
|
