Iceland Geography 2008

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,970 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 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Total renewable water resources:
170 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%)
Per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation