Geography of Iceland

The Iceland is large a island, the 18 {{E}} of the world in term of surface, in the North of the Atlantic Ocean in the west of the Mer of Norway, in the south-east of the Détroit of Denmark. It is located at a distance of 250 km in the south-east of the Greenland (between 63° 17 ' 30" and 67° 07 ' 05" North and with 4° 32 ' 12" West) in the middle of the Dorsal the Atlantic and represents its only emerged part. The Polar circle Arctic is with a few kilometers of the north of Iceland.

The surface of the island measures 103.125 km ², including 100.329 km ² of ground and 2.796 km ² of water. The length of its east coasts of 4.988 km. Its culminating point is the Volcan Hvannadalshnjúkur with 2.119 Mr. the longest rivers are Þjórsá with 230 km length and Jökulsá á Fjöllum with 206 km.

Physical geography: volcanos and ices

A volcanic island on the médio-Atlantic dorsal

The Iceland is in the middle of a dorsal between the plate S American and Eurasian. This one crosses Iceland in diagonal of south-west to the North-East. The cracks while resulting are visible for example in the national park of Þingvellir. A known example is the throat Almannagjá. The seismic activity is important, in particular in the South of the island close to Þingvellir and around Selfoss. Iceland would be with the site of a hot Point which would make assemble magma of the terrestrial coat in the shape of a plume mantellaire. New geological theories rather evoke a rather broad current located at levels closer to the surface of the Earth. At all events, Iceland is in almost totality made up of volcanic rocks (except for some marine sedimentary grounds Cénozoïque S in the peninsula of Tjörnes) and comprises many Volcan S credits. There are about 130 there whose majority are in the Highlands of Iceland. The matter going back to surface repairs and roof progressively the cracks caused by the separation of the plates. Consequently the island is always growing (of approximately 2 centimetres per annum).

A great number of the active volcanos are covered of Glacier S. There are volcanos under all the large glaciers of Iceland:

Vatnajökull (8 300 km ²) with in particular the volcanos Hvannadalshnjúkur and Grímsvötn;
Langjökull (953 km ²);
Hofsjökull (930 km ²);
Mýrdalsjökull (695 km ²) with the volcano Katla;
Drangajökull (199 km ²);
Eyjafjallajökull (107 km ²).

Climate

In spite of a raised latitude, the Icelandic climate is strongly moderate on the coast by the presence of the Gulf Stream. With Reykjavík, the temperatures are rather fresh in summer (the average of July being 11°C), but relatively soft in winter (average of January: 1°C).

Human geography

A mainly deserted island

Most of the island makes up of Désert S of Lave uninhabitable. That includes/understands almost all the interior of Iceland. 11% of the country in are covered with glaciers. The livable parts are along the coasts around the island with the major part of the population concentrating with Reykjavík. Terrestrial road transport is difficult, with the tracks of the interior closed during the majority of the year.

An island of fishing and breeding

The Icelandic economy depends mainly on fishing and the breeding. 20% of the livable grounds are used for the breeding (especially sheep and horses), 1% is used with the culture as cereals. Moreover, the government subsidizes the Reboisement especially to fight against the erosion.

an Icelander on five saw fishing: their trawlers bring back to these descendants Vikings what to ensure 90% their exports and more of the quarter of their rough national product. To preserve this fortune, they limit the catches of the threatened species.

The geothermal energy is used to also cultivate fruits and vegetables (see Hveragerði).

a country without trees

Lichen, undergrowth, grass; only one potato species. Nothing pushes very high in full field. It does not remain any more that one forest worthy of this name, with Egilsstadir, in the east of the island. Volcanicity and the climate are the leading causes but also the presence of more than one million sheep.

Enegetic resources with profusion

The energy resources are important, thanks to geothermics and with the hydro-electricity.

See too

Internal bonds

Volcanos of Iceland
Rivers of Iceland
Lakes Iceland
Fjords of Iceland
Cascades of Iceland
Towns of Iceland
relief of Iceland

External bonds

Genesis of the Icelandic landscapes
current seismic Situation
Of the details concerning the geology of Iceland

Random links: