The easternmost point of the country is Cape Gerpir (13°30' E), the northernmost is Hraunhafnartangi (66°32' N), the westernmost is Bjargtangar (24°32' E; also the westernmost point of Europe) and the southernmost is Kotlutangi (63°23' N).
The total area is approximately 103,100 km². Lakes occupy approximately 3% of the territory, deserts (including lava fields) – approximately 63%, glaciers – approximately 11%, and vegetation – 23%.
Europe's second largest island
Iceland is unlike most other countries. It is mountainous and located between Greenland and Norway. It is Europe's second-largest island and its westernmost point, with relatively sparse population. About 20% of its area is inhabited. The central highlands and some areas of the northwest are uninhabited.
A sudden change in weather
People should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and change their clothing accordingly. It's important to know the road network, rural roads, streets in populated areas, and roads in inland areas. It's crucial to familiarize yourself with off-road driving rules and regulations. It's also important to consider the vulnerable vegetation at this latitude and lava formations. The country's natural environment is harsh, and in addition to the weather (snowstorms, hurricane-force winds), there are other hazards to consider, such as rivers blocked by bridges, crevassed glaciers, volcanoes, geothermal zones, and merciless seas.
average temperature
Without the Gulf Stream, the entire country would be covered in ice. The average temperature in the warmest month is around 12°C (54°F), and in the coldest, around 0°C (32°F). It's usually significantly colder in the mountains. Warm, windproof, and waterproof clothing are recommended, with lighter clothing for warmer weather.
Friendly Icelanders
Icelanders are generally friendly and polite. They are very approachable, well-educated, and generally fluent in foreign languages. They rely less on outside services for invitations to lunch or dinner than people in other European countries. An invitation to dinner usually means a home-cooked meal and an evening at home. The Icelandic personality is perhaps best described by the following sentence: "The average Icelander is somewhat shy but proud, unaware of class distinctions, and therefore behaves like an aristocrat."
The easternmost point of the country is Cape Gerpir (13°30' E), the northernmost is Hraunhafnartangi (66°32' N), the westernmost is Bjargtangar (24°32' E; also the westernmost point of Europe) and the southernmost is Kotlutangi (63°23' N).
The total area is approximately 103,100 km². Lakes occupy approximately 3% of the territory, deserts (including lava fields) – approximately 63%, glaciers – approximately 11%, and vegetation – 23%.
Europe's second largest island
Iceland is unlike most other countries. It is mountainous and located between Greenland and Norway. It is Europe's second-largest island and its westernmost point, with relatively sparse population. About 20% of its area is inhabited. The central highlands and some areas of the northwest are uninhabited.
A sudden change in weather
People should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and change their clothing accordingly. It's important to know the road network, rural roads, streets in populated areas, and roads in inland areas. It's crucial to familiarize yourself with off-road driving rules and regulations. It's also important to consider the vulnerable vegetation at this latitude and lava formations. The country's natural environment is harsh, and in addition to the weather (snowstorms, hurricane-force winds), there are other hazards to consider, such as rivers blocked by bridges, crevassed glaciers, volcanoes, geothermal zones, and merciless seas.
average temperature
Without the Gulf Stream, the entire country would be covered in ice. The average temperature in the warmest month is around 12°C (54°F), and in the coldest, around 0°C (32°F). It's usually significantly colder in the mountains. Warm, windproof, and waterproof clothing are recommended, with lighter clothing for warmer weather.
Friendly Icelanders
Icelanders are generally friendly and polite. They are very approachable, well-educated, and generally fluent in foreign languages. They rely less on outside services for invitations to lunch or dinner than people in other European countries. An invitation to dinner usually means a home-cooked meal and an evening at home. The Icelandic personality is perhaps best described by the following sentence: "The average Icelander is somewhat shy but proud, unaware of class distinctions, and therefore behaves like an aristocrat."
