Iceland Geography Profile 2008

Location

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references

Arctic Region

Area

total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

4,970 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use

arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Total renewable water resources

170 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%)
per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe