Geography of Iceland

Iceland (Ísland ˈistlant) is an island country at the confluence of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle, atop the constructive boundary of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The island country is the world's 18th largest in area and one of the most sparsely populated. It is the westernmost European country when not including Greenland and has more land covered by glaciers than continental Europe. Its total size is and possesses an exclusive economic zone of . Iceland is an island country in Northern Europe, straddling the Eurasian and North American plates between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the British Isles. Extent (locations outside mainland in parentheses) North: Rifstangi, 66°32′3" N (Kolbeinsey, 67°08,9 N) South: Kötlutangi, 63°23′6" N (Surtsey, 63°17,7 N) West: Bjargtangar, 24°32′1" W East: Gerpir, 13°29′6" W (Hvalbakur, 13°16,6 W) Area: Total: Land: 100,329 km2 Water: 2,796 km2 Coastline Iceland has a coastline of 4,970 km. Maritime claims: Territorial sea: Exclusive economic zone: with Continental shelf: or to the edge of the continental margin Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m Highest point: Hvannadalshnúkur 2,110 m Natural resources: Marine life, diatomite, hydropower, geothermal power Arable land: 1.21% Permanent crops: 0% Other: 98.79% (2012) Total renewable water resources 170 km3 (2011) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) Total: 0.17 km3/yr (49%/8%/42%) Per capita: 539.2 m3/yr (2005) Natural hazards Volcanism, earthquakes, avalanches, and glacial lake outburst flooding (or jökulhlaups) Environment—current issues Water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment Iceland consists of eight geographical regions, Capital Region, Southern Peninsula, West, Westfjords, Northwest, Northeast, East and South. Twenty per cent of the land is used for grazing, while only one per cent is cultivated.