Total area: 103,000 sq km (39,768 sq mi)
Population: 306,694
Capital and largest city: Reykjavik - 184,200 (metro. area)
Currency: Icelandic Króna
Languages: Icelandic (official), English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 86%
Time zone: GMT; Daylight Saving Time is not observed
Electricity: AC 230 V, plugs: 2 round pins (Europlug)
Iceland is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle. It lies about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 mi.) from New York and 830 kilometers (520 mi.) from Scotland.
About 79% of Iceland's land area, which is of recent volcanic origin, consists of glaciers, lakes, a mountainous lava desert (highest elevation 2,000 meters (6,590 ft.) above sea level, and other wasteland. About 28% of the land is used for grazing, and 1% is cultivated. The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southwest where about 60% of the population lives. Because of the Gulf Stream's moderating influence, the climate is characterized by damp, cool summers and relatively mild but windy winters.
