Denmark Strait Did you know T h e no r t h e r nmo s t po i n t s o f I c e la nd n ea r l y to u c h t h e A r c t i c C i r c l e T h i s m ea n s t h e s u n ha rd l y d ip s b e low t h e ho r i zo n i n J u n e I n D e c emb e r t h e s u n i s o n l y up fo r a f ew ho u r s ea c h da y Greenland Sea Iceland Reykjavík N S E W 4 Atlantic Ocean Where Is Iceland
Iceland is a rugged island of tall mountains and deep fjords A part of Europe the country sits in the chilly Atlantic Ocean The Greenland Sea touches its northern shores Across the Denmark Strait to the northwest is Iceland’s nearest neighbor Greenland To the east lies Norway and the United Kingdom is a short flight to the southeast Spanning 39,769 square miles 103,000 square kilometers Iceland is a small country Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík This is the northernmost capital city in the world 5
Did you know 2010 ing of the spr spewed In l lajökul The erupt jal Eyjaf the sky so dangerous into ravel ts had t r ai rpor European ai Iceland’s lava and ash ion made many that down to be shut Eyjafjallajökull In some places Iceland lives up to its name Glaciers top large areas of the rocky landscape Arctic winds howl through the dark snowy winters However Iceland is also a land of fire The island rests atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge This makes Iceland a hot spot for volcanic eruptions and mild earthquakes 6 The Land
Iceland has the largest number of hot springs in the world Some hot springs shoot water into the air They are called geysers after the Icelandic word geysir Iceland's landscape is green in the summer but it has few trees Clear lakes sparkling waterfalls and jagged fjords add to its beauty The climate does not change much throughout the year Winters are mild and summers are cool The average temperature in the capital city is 40 degrees Fahrenheit 4 degrees Celsius 7
