| Location : |
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom |
| 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 |
| Coastline : |
4,988 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 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier) |
| Natural Resources : |
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite |
| Land Use : |
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001) |
| Natural Hazards : |
earthquakes and volcanic activity |
| Environment - Current Issues : |
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment |
| Environment - International Agreements : |
party to: Air Pollution, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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. |
