Iceland

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Lakes and rivers
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups and languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labor and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Early history
  - Settlement (c. 870–c. 930)
  - Commonwealth (c. 930–1262)
    - Christianization
    - Economic life
- Iceland under foreign rule
  - Late Middle Ages (1262–c. 1550)
    - Economic growth and decline
    - The Reformation
  - Growth of Danish royal power (c. 1550–c. 1830)
- Modern Iceland
  - Struggle for independence (c. 1830–1904)
  - Home rule and sovereignty (1904–44)
  - The Icelandic republic
    - Financial boom and bust
    - Political developments
    - Defense
    - European integration
    - Fishing limits
    - The status of women

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Political map of Iceland showing national boundaries, major cities and towns including Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Egilsstadir, as well as surrounding bodies of water such as the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean. An inset locator map in the lower right highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

Map highlighting Iceland in orange in the North Atlantic Ocean, showing its location between Greenland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The capital city, Reykjavik, is marked with a star. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean, are labeled.

View of Reykjavik, Iceland with colorful rooftops and church spires in the foreground, water in the midground, and snow-covered mountains in the background.

Physical map of Iceland showing major geographic features such as mountains, glaciers, national parks, lakes, rivers, and coastal landmarks. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean, are labeled. An inset locator map in the bottom right corner highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

Map of Iceland highlighting the locations of major glaciers, shown in light blue, and major volcanoes, marked with names and eruption years. The map also indicates areas of lava fields and labels surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Iceland: aurora borealis

Crater Viti with its milky blue geothermal lake is set in a barren volcanic landscape, with the larger Lake Oskjuvatn and snow-dusted mountains in the background, Iceland.

Steaming geothermal hot spring with milky blue water surrounded by mossy hills and rugged terrain in Landmannalaugar, Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland.

At a Glance

default image

Iceland summary

Iceland: Media

country, Europe

Videos

What new opportunities and risks come with harnessing geothermal energy?

What new opportunities and risks come with harnessing geothermal energy?

Learn about the opportunities and risks of drilling for geothermal energy in Iceland.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

How the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stopped air travel in Europe

How the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stopped air travel in Europe

Learn more about the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

How and where does magma form on Earth?

How and where does magma form on Earth?

At the margins of Earth's plates, where two plates pull apart or one plate dives...

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Iceland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Political map of Iceland showing national boundaries, major cities and towns including Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Egilsstadir, as well as surrounding bodies of water such as the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean. An inset locator map in the lower right highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

Iceland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map highlighting Iceland in orange in the North Atlantic Ocean, showing its location between Greenland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The capital city, Reykjavik, is marked with a star. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean, are labeled.

Iceland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

View of Reykjavik, Iceland with colorful rooftops and church spires in the foreground, water in the midground, and snow-covered mountains in the background.

Reykjavík

Reykjavík, Iceland.

© Frans Blok/Dreamstime.com

Physical map of Iceland showing major geographic features such as mountains, glaciers, national parks, lakes, rivers, and coastal landmarks. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean, are labeled. An inset locator map in the bottom right corner highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

physical features of Iceland

Physical features of Iceland.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Iceland highlighting the locations of major glaciers, shown in light blue, and major volcanoes, marked with names and eruption years. The map also indicates areas of lava fields and labels surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Volcanoes and glaciers of Iceland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: aurora borealis

Iceland: aurora borealis

Aurora borealis over the Snaefellsnes peninsula, western Iceland, March 2013.

Joe Capra—Scientifantastic (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Crater Viti with its milky blue geothermal lake is set in a barren volcanic landscape, with the larger Lake Oskjuvatn and snow-dusted mountains in the background, Iceland.

Viti Crater

Víti Crater and Lake Öskjuvatn, Iceland.

© Lenka Pribanova/Shutterstock.com

Steaming geothermal hot spring with milky blue water surrounded by mossy hills and rugged terrain in Landmannalaugar, Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland.

Iceland

Hot springs at Fjallabak Nature Reserve, in the highlands of southern Iceland.

© Ovchinnikova Irina/Shutterstock.com

Arnarstapi

Arnarstapi

Arnarstapi is one of the fishing villages located on Faxa Bay in western Iceland.

© Brian A. Vikander/Westlight

Wide view of the first Viking parliament meeting site in Iceland, showing red-roofed buildings, a winding river, green fields, and distant mountains with snow patches.

Thingvellir

Thingvellir, the historical site of the first Althing (Icelandic parliament), is...

© Digital Vision/Getty Images

GIUK Gap

GIUK Gap

The waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom form a strategically...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became Iceland's first female prime minister in 2009.

Icelandic Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Eyjafjallajökull volcano emitting ash into the air over southern Iceland, April 16,...

Brynjar Gauti/AP Images

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Plume from Eyjafjallajökull volcano (tan streak) moving southeast over the North...

NASA

Iceland: geyser

Iceland: geyser

Geyser erupting in Iceland.

© Nicolas Berthy/Fotolia

Silver image showing the integration of pagan (Thor's hammer) and Christian (cross) symbols; found in southern Iceland. In the National Museum, Reykjavík.

Silver image showing the integration of pagan (Thor's hammer) and Christian (cross)...

Courtesy of the National Museum, Reykjavík; photograph, Gisli Gestsson

geothermal energy

geothermal energy

Krafla geothermal power plant, Iceland.

Ásgeir Eggertsson

Map highlighting the Nordic countries and their territories in northern Europe and the North Atlantic. Denmark, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is marked in green and light blue; Iceland in dark blue; Norway in orange, including Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden in yellow; and Finland in purple, including the Aland Islands. Country and territory names are labeled clearly.

Nordic countries and their territories or dependent areas

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland

Iceland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Iceland

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Iceland.

Interactives

Iceland: Ethnic composition

Iceland: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: Religious affiliation

Iceland: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: Urban-rural

Iceland: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: Age breakdown

Iceland: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: Major export destinations

Iceland: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iceland: Major import sources

Iceland: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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