Iceland is the second largest island in Europe. Located just south of the
Arctic Circle, it is situated just east of Greenland in the
North Atlantic Ocean. The geographical location of Iceland is such that it is one of the most
volcanically active regions of the world, and has a large abundance of plateaus and
glaciers.
Terrain
Iceland has mostly rough, undulating terrain, consisting of mountainous lava deserts,
plateaus and
glacial ice fields, with a coastline deeply indented by bays and fjords. Most of the locals live near the arable lands, which constitutes roughly 7% of the total land, and near the coast, with the central highlands being almost totally uninhabited.
Weather
Warmed by the
Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys pleasant temperate
climate. Other places located so close to the Arctic Circle. It has mild and windy winters and wet and cool summers. The Southern coastline has more temperate
weather than the Northern coastline, which lies in close proximity to the
Arctic Circle.
Volcanoes and Glaciers
Iceland is one of the most
volcanically active regions in the world, unique geothermal conditions making for a high density of active
volcanoes. Geologists attribute this to the island being located in the Mid-
Atlantic Ridge, and to the presence of a volcanic
“hotspot” beneath the island.
Glaciers constitute and large area of the landscape of
Iceland, covering almost 11% of the terrain. They have a great impact on the country's weather patterns.
For more information on Iceland geography log onto the following sections:
