Iceland

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- 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
- Labour 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

physical features of Iceland

Volcanoes and glaciers of Iceland

Iceland: aurora borealis

Iceland: Ethnic composition

For Students

Iceland summary

Read Next

Johanna Sigurdardottir Iceland's first female prime minister, the first openly gay prime minister in the world. A Veteran M (longest serving MP) elected in 1978 for the Social Democratic party. Official photo 2009

7 People Who Shaped LGBTQIA+ World History

Viking ships on the water

Did the Vikings Discover America?

Philippine President Corazon Aquino (b. Maria Corazon Cojuangco) greets officials in airport terminal. Andrews Air Force Base, U.S., Maryland September 15, 1986. President of the Philippines 1986-1992.

6 of the First Women to Become Heads of State

poem. A poet in a Heian period kimono writes Japanese poetry during the Kamo Kyokusui No En Ancient Festival at Jonan-gu shrine on April 29, 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. Festival of Kyokusui-no Utage orignated in 1,182, party Heian era (794-1192).

World Poetry Day

Discover

VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 25: A building and car ruined during the earthquake of Van-Ercis on October 25, 2011 in Van, Turkey. It is 604 killed and 4152 injured in Van-Ercis Earthquake.

What Is an Aftershock?

Person paying with a credit card using a credit card terminal. Cashless payment, credit card reader

What Is a Cashless Society and How Does It Work?

Solar Eclipse, Eclipse, Solar Flare, Outer Space, Astronomy

What Causes Lunar and Solar Eclipses?

Young men throw balloons and glitter from above the mosque at the celebration Eid Al-Fitr after prayers playing with balloons outside of Al-seddeeq mosque, Al-Mansourah, Egypt. 17 July 2015.

Julius Caesar in full Gaius Julius Caesar (100? BCE-44 BCE) statue in Rimini, Italy. Roman general and statesman and dictator

The Time Julius Caesar Was Captured by Pirates

Vietnam War. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson awards the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant Marty A. Hammer, during a visit to military personnel, Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, October 26, 1966. President Johnson

Vietnam War Timeline

solar eclipse, sun, moon, astronomy, space

How Do You Tell the Difference Between Total, Annular, Solar, and Lunar Eclipses?

Iceland: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Iceland • Lýdhveldidh Ísland • Ísland
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Capital	Reykjavík
Population	(2024 est.) 403,000
Head Of State	President: Guðni Th. Jóhannesson
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Althingi, or Parliament [63])
Official Language	Icelandic
Official Religion	Evangelical Lutheran
Official Name	Lýdhveldidh Ísland (Republic of Iceland)
Total Area (Sq Km)	103,000
Total Area (Sq Mi)	39,769
Monetary Unit	króna (ISK)
Population Rank	(2023) 180
Population Projection 2030	408,900
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2023) 9.9
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2023) 3.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2020) 93.9% • Rural: (2020) 6.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 80.1 years • Female: (2022) 84.2 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: 100% • Female: 100%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2022) 26,055
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2022) 68,220

Photos and Videos

physical features of Iceland

Volcanoes and glaciers of Iceland

Iceland: aurora borealis

What new opportunities and risks come with harnessing geothermal energy?

How the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stopped air travel in Europe

Study plate tectonics and the geologic cycle from magma beneath Earth's crust to igneous rock

National anthem of Iceland

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

North Atlantic Treaty Organization Marshall Plan Council of Europe island European Free Trade Association Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Arctic Council Schengen Agreement Eureka Nordic Council of Ministers United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Europe: Iceland

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson receiving the Louise Blouin Foundation Award, New York City, 2007.

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson

president of Iceland

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

prime minister of Iceland

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

president of Iceland

Thorfinn Karlsefni

Scandinavian explorer

Sigurdsson, Jón

Jón Sigurdsson

Icelandic statesman

Gudbrandur Thorláksson

Icelandic bishop and scholar

Sveinn Björnsson

president of Iceland

Ólafur Thors

prime minister of Iceland

Eggert Ólafsson

Icelandic poet

Ari Thorgilsson the Learned

Icelandic historian

Europe

Europe

continent

Atlantic Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Atlantic Ocean

Reykjavík

Reykjavík

national capital, Iceland

Akureyri, Iceland

Akureyri

Iceland

Reykjanesbaer: Njardvík

Reykjanesbaer

Iceland

Cleaning and salting a herring catch at Húsavík, Ice.

Húsavík

Iceland

Hveragerdi: hothouses

Hveragerdi

Iceland

Hafnarfjördhur

Iceland

Kópavogur

Kópavogur

Iceland

Vestmannaeyjar

Iceland

Nordic countries and their territories or dependent areas

Nordic countries

Volcanoes and glaciers of Iceland

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

volcano, Iceland

Lakagígar, Iceland

Laki

volcano, Iceland

Surtsey

Surtsey

island, Iceland

Vatnajökull

Vatnajökull

ice field, Iceland

Quiz

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Island, New Caledonia.

Islands and Archipelagos

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz