What is the capital of Iceland?

The capital of Iceland is Reykjavík.

What is the population of Iceland?

Iceland has a population of about 392,404, the #178 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.

Iceland covers 103,004 km², ranking #109 by area, with about 4 people per square kilometre.

Which countries border Iceland?

Iceland shares a land or maritime border with Greenland, Faroe Islands.

What is the largest city in Iceland?

Reykjavík is the largest city in Iceland, with a metropolitan population of about 166,212.

What is the highest mountain in Iceland?

The highest summit recorded for Iceland in YearMaps is Hvannadalshnkur at 2,110 m (6,923 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.

Iceland Map — Cities, Rivers & History

Interactive Map of Iceland

5.2

Centred on Reykjavík at 64.1500° N, 21.9500° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.

About Iceland

Iceland is a Nordic island country between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. It is Europe's westernmost and most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 35% of the country's roughly 395,000 residents (excluding nearby towns/suburbs, which are separate municipalities and contribute a further substantial percentage). The official language of the country is Icelandic. Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates, and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions. The interior consists of a volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite being at a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate.

According to the Landnámabók, an ancient manuscript, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD, when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the island's first permanent settler. In following centuries, Norwegians and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, migrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin. The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament, the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. After a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1397, Iceland followed Norway's integration into the Kalmar Union along with the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, coming under de facto Danish rule upon its dissolution in 1523. The Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism by force in 1550, and the Treaty of Kiel formally ceded Iceland to Denmark in 1814.

Influenced by ideals of nationalism after the French Revolution, Iceland's struggle for independence took shape, culminating with the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union in 1918, and the establishment of the Kingdom of Iceland, sharing through a personal union the incumbent monarch of Denmark. During the occupation of Denmark in World War II, Iceland voted overwhelmingly to become a republic in 1944, ending its remaining formal ties to Denmark. Although the Althing was suspended from 1799 to 1845, Iceland nevertheless has a claim to sustaining one of the world's longest-running parliaments. Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Geography and Climate of Iceland

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, which was established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter-century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but the global financial crisis hit Iceland especially hard in the years after 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, primarily thanks to a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom.
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.
Highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m.
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
Coastline: 4,970 km.
Land borders: Total: 0 km.
Natural resources: Fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite.
Land use: Agricultural land: 16.2% (2023 est.); arable land: 1.2% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.); permanent pasture: 15% (2023 est.); forest: 0.6% (2023 est.); other: 82.6% (2023 est.)
Natural hazards: Earthquakes and volcanic activity volcanism: Iceland is situated on top of a hotspot and experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar.
Geographic 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.
Languages: Icelandic, English, Polish, Nordic languages, German.
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 58.6% Roman Catholic 3.8%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.6%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 1.9%, pagan worship 1.5%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.4%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 18.7%, none 7.7% (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups: Icelandic 78.7%, Polish 5.8%, Danish 1%, Ukrainian 1%, other 13.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: High-income North Atlantic island economy; not an EU member but market integration via European Economic Area (EEA); dominant tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries vulnerable to demand swings and disruption from volcanic activity; inflation remains above target rate; barriers to foreign business access and economic diversification.

From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.

Iceland in Numbers

Population: 392,404
GDP: US$38.6 billion
GDP per person: US$98,323
Life expectancy: 82.8 years
Population growth: 1.51% a year
Population density: 4 per km²
Urban population: 94.2%
Surface area: 103,000 km²
Forest cover: 0.6%
Arable land: 1.2%
Access to electricity: 100.0%
Internet users: 98.2%

Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.

Iceland in Depth

History

According to both Landnámabók and Íslendingabók, monks known as the Papar lived in Iceland before Scandinavian settlers arrived, possibly members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission. An archaeological excavation has revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula. Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. In 2016, archaeologists uncovered a longhouse in Stöðvarfjörður that may date to as early as 800.

Swedish Viking explorer Garðar Svavarsson was the first to circumnavigate Iceland in 870, and established that it was an island. He stayed during the winter and built a house in Húsavík. Garðar departed the following summer, but one of his men, Náttfari, decided to stay behind with two slaves.

Geography

Iceland is at the juncture of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. The main island is entirely south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small Icelandic island of Grímsey off the main island's northern coast. The country lies between latitudes 63 and 68°N, and longitudes 25 and 13°W.

Iceland is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland, an island of North America. Iceland is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic, and practical reasons. Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates.

Economy

In 2022, Iceland was the eighth-most productive country in the world per capita (US$78,837), and the thirteenth-most productive by GDP at purchasing power parity ($69,833). About 85% of the total primary energy supply in Iceland is derived from domestic renewable energy sources. Use of abundant hydroelectric and geothermal power has made Iceland the world's largest electricity producer per capita.

Historically, Iceland's economy depended heavily on fishing, which still provides around 20% of export earnings and employs 7% of the workforce. The economy is now more dependent on tourism, but important sectors continue to be fish and fish products, aluminium, and ferrosilicon. Iceland's economic dependence on fishing is diminishing, from an export share of 90% in the 1960s to 20% in 2020.

Demographics

The original population of Iceland was of Norse and Gaelic origin which is evident from literary evidence dating from the settlement period as well as from later scientific studies such as blood type and genetic analyses. One such genetic study indicated that the majority of the male settlers were of Nordic origin, while the majority of the women were of Gaelic origin, meaning many settlers of Iceland were Norsemen who brought Gaelic slaves with them.

Iceland has extensive genealogical records dating back to the late 17th century and fragmentary records extending back to the Age of Settlement.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Iceland: Key Facts

Key facts about Iceland
Currency	Icelandic króna
Official language	Icelandic
Head of state	Halla Tómasdóttir
Head of government	Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir
Form of government	parliamentary republic
Calling code	+354
Internet domain	.is
Highest point	Hvannadalshnúkur
Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean
Established	17 June 1944

Facts from Wikidata Q189 (CC0).

History of Iceland: Empires and States

The atlas records 7 polities whose mapped territory included part of Iceland, from Viking settlements in 875 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.

Polities that held Iceland, in chronological order
Polity	Period here	Extent
Viking settlements	875–935 CE	A large part
Icelandic Commonwealth	936–1271 CE	Most
Old Kingdom of Norway	1272–1401 CE	Most
Kalmar Union	1402–1525 CE	Most
Denmark-Norway	1526–1921 CE	Most
Kingdom of Iceland	1918–1939 CE	Most
Republic of Iceland	1946–2024 CE	Most

Historical Maps of Iceland

Iceland on the world map in each year one of these states held it:

Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.

Visiting Iceland

Iceland (Icelandic: Ísland) is a stunningly beautiful place if you enjoy strange and desolate landscapes interspersed with glaciers, volcanoes, rivers and waterfalls. It is a place for hiking, ice climbing, kayaking in glacial waters, and relaxing in geothermal hot springs, and there are many tours available for those looking for a less strenuous vacation.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Largest Cities in Iceland

9 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.

Largest Cities in Iceland
#	Name	Population	Region	Role
1	Reykjavík	166,212	Suðurnes	National capital
2	Akureyi	16,563	Akureyri	Populated place
3	Keflavík	7,930	Suðurnes	Populated place
4	Selfoss	6,275	Biskupstungnahreppur	Admin-1 capital
5	Sauðárkrókur	2,682	Akrahreppur	Populated place
6	Ísafjörður	2,534	Vestfirðir	Populated place
7	Egilsstaðir	2,265	Austur-Hérað	Populated place
8	Borgarnes	1,783	Vesturland	Admin-1 capital
9	Höfn	1,695	Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður	Populated place

Highest Mountains in Iceland

1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.

Highest Mountains in Iceland
#	Name	Elevation	Feet	Region
1	Hvannadalshnkur	2,110 m	6,923 ft	Europe

Rivers in Iceland

1 river recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.

Rivers in Iceland
Name	Type	Also Flows Through
Thjórsá	River	—

Ports in Iceland

16 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.

Ports in Iceland
#	Name	Channel Depth	Class	Sea	Max Vessel
1	Budir	56.7 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
2	Bildudalur	49.4 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
3	Dalvik	49.4 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
4	Thingeyri	45.7 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
5	Skerjafjordur	45.7 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	large vessels
6	Hafnarfjordur	42.1 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	large vessels
7	Siglufjorhurd	42.1 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
8	Husavik	42.1 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	point_of_interest
9	Vestmannaeyjar	42.1 m	Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	medium vessels
10	Isafjordur	42.1 m	Very Small	Norwegian Sea & European Arctic	large vessels

The other 6 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)

Grundartangi · 31.1 m · Minor · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · large vessels
Bolungavik · 5.5 m · Very Small · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · large vessels
Seydhisfjordhur · 5.5 m · Small · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · point_of_interest
Neskaupstadur · 5.5 m · Very Small · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · point_of_interest
Eskifjordhur · 5.5 m · Very Small · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · point_of_interest
Straumsvik · Very Small · Norwegian Sea & European Arctic · large vessels

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iceland

3 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iceland
#	Name	Inscribed	Type	Criteria
1	Thingvellir National Park	2004	Cultural	(iii) (vi)
2	Surtsey	2008	Natural	(ix)
3	Vatnajökull National Park	2019	Natural	(viii)

Largest Islands of Iceland

1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.

Largest Islands of Iceland
#	Name	Area	Type
1	Iceland	182,961 km²	Island

Iceland

Island · 182,961 km²

Iceland is an island in Europe (Iceland), covering an estimated 182,961 km².

Iceland is a Nordic island country between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. It is Europe's westernmost and most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 35% of the country's roughly 395,000 residents (excluding nearby towns/suburbs, which are separate municipalities and contribute a further substantial percentage). The official language of the country is Icelandic. Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates, and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions. The interior consists of a volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite being at a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate.

According to the Landnámabók, an ancient manuscript, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD, when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the island's first permanent settler.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Feature class: Island
Mapped extent: 182,961 km²
Size rank: #39 of 445 islands
Region: Europe
Subregion: Iceland
Coordinates: 64.9886°, -21.1232°

Summits:: Gunnbjørn Fjeld (3,694 m), Mount Forel (3,360 m), Slaettaratindur (882 m)
Ranges:: Grampian Mountains (Europe), Cambrian Mountains (Europe)
Settlements:: Reykjavík (101 km), Inverness (1,224 km), Aberdeen (1,334 km)

View on the live map

More about Iceland

Geography

Iceland is at the juncture of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. The main island is entirely south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small Icelandic island of Grímsey off the main island's northern coast. The country lies between latitudes 63 and 68°N, and longitudes 25 and 13°W.

Iceland is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland, an island of North America. Iceland is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic, and practical reasons. Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates.

History

According to both Landnámabók and Íslendingabók, monks known as the Papar lived in Iceland before Scandinavian settlers arrived, possibly members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission. An archaeological excavation has revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula. Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. In 2016, archaeologists uncovered a longhouse in Stöðvarfjörður that may date to as early as 800.

Swedish Viking explorer Garðar Svavarsson was the first to circumnavigate Iceland in 870, and established that it was an island. He stayed during the winter and built a house in Húsavík. Garðar departed the following summer, but one of his men, Náttfari, decided to stay behind with two slaves.

Demographics

The original population of Iceland was of Norse and Gaelic origin which is evident from literary evidence dating from the settlement period as well as from later scientific studies such as blood type and genetic analyses. One such genetic study indicated that the majority of the male settlers were of Nordic origin, while the majority of the women were of Gaelic origin, meaning many settlers of Iceland were Norsemen who brought Gaelic slaves with them.

Iceland has extensive genealogical records dating back to the late 17th century and fragmentary records extending back to the Age of Settlement. The biopharmaceutical company deCODE genetics has funded the creation of a genealogy database that is intended to cover all of Iceland's known inhabitants.

Economy

In 2022, Iceland was the eighth-most productive country in the world per capita (US$78,837), and the thirteenth-most productive by GDP at purchasing power parity ($69,833). About 85% of the total primary energy supply in Iceland is derived from domestic renewable energy sources. Use of abundant hydroelectric and geothermal power has made Iceland the world's largest electricity producer per capita.

Historically, Iceland's economy depended heavily on fishing, which still provides around 20% of export earnings and employs 7% of the workforce.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Iceland: Key Facts

Key facts about Iceland
Area	103,004 km²
Population	364,260 (2019)
Highest point	Hvannadalshnúkur

Facts from Wikidata Q189 (CC0).

Visiting Iceland

Iceland (Icelandic: Ísland) is a stunningly beautiful place if you enjoy strange and desolate landscapes interspersed with glaciers, volcanoes, rivers and waterfalls. It is a place for hiking, ice climbing, kayaking in glacial waters, and relaxing in geothermal hot springs, and there are many tours available for those looking for a less strenuous vacation.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Iceland (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Iceland

11 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.

See all 11 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms →

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Iceland
#	Name	Area	Type	Region
1	Vatnajökull	9,000 km²	Range/mtn	Europe
2	Vatnajökull	8,492 km²	Glaciated areas	—
3	Langjökull	1,092 km²	Glaciated areas	—
4	Hofsjökull	970 km²	Glaciated areas	—
5	Mýrdalsjökull	725 km²	Glaciated areas	—
6	Drangajökull	181 km²	Glaciated areas	—
7	Eyjafjallajökull	107 km²	Glaciated areas	—
8	Tungnafellsjökull	51 km²	Glaciated areas	—
9	Myrkarjökull	42 km²	Glaciated areas	—
10	Irandarjökull	27 km²	Glaciated areas	—

Countries Bordering Iceland

Land and maritime neighbours.

More Maps in Europe

Iceland: Quick Answers

What is the capital of Iceland?: The capital of Iceland is Reykjavík.
What is the population of Iceland?: Iceland has a population of about 392,404, the #178 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
How big is Iceland?: Iceland covers 103,004 km², ranking #109 by area, with about 4 people per square kilometre.
Which continent is Iceland in?: Iceland is in Europe.
Which countries border Iceland?: Iceland shares a land or maritime border with Greenland, Faroe Islands.
What is the largest city in Iceland?: Reykjavík is the largest city in Iceland, with a metropolitan population of about 166,212.
What is the highest mountain in Iceland?: The highest summit recorded for Iceland in YearMaps is Hvannadalshnkur at 2,110 m (6,923 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.