Iceland#

Iceland is an island and a Nordic country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is, after Great Britain, the second largest island in Europe and the biggest volcanic island of the world. The nearest neighbours are Greenland, with a distance of 287km and the Faeroe Islands with 420km. Iceland has a population of nearly 326.000 people of which most live in the capital Reykjavik and its surroundings. Incidentally it is the most sparsely populated country in Europe, with an average density of 3,1 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Over sixty percent of the total area of 103.00km² is a wasteland comprising of gravel and lava deserts. It is not surprising that nearly every settlement is located at the coast. About ten percent of Iceland is covered by glaciers, with the Vatnajökull being the biggest one. The highest mountain is named Hvanndalshnúkur (2.119m). Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite its high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. The three major industries are, respectively, fishery, Aluminum production (because of the availability of cheap energy) and tourism.