Geography & Climate

Iceland is the second largest island in Europe, located between latitude 63°24´N and 66°33´N and between longitude 13°30´W and 24°32´W, close to the Arctic Circle. Iceland is about midway between New York and Moscow. Iceland has a total area of 103,000 square km (39,756 square miles). From north to south the greatest distance is about 300 km (185 miles), from west to east about 500 km (305 miles). The coastline is about 6,000 km (3,700 miles) and the shortest distances to other countries are 286 km (180 miles) to Greenland, 795 km (495 miles) to Scotland and 950 km (590 miles) to Norway. There are numerous islands around the coast, some of them inhabited. The largest being is the Westman Islands in the south, Hrísey in the north, and Grímsey on the Arctic Circle.

Iceland is a very young country, geologically, and the process of its formation is still going on. Iceland's interior consists entirely of mountains and high plateaus, devoid of human habitation. Its average height is 500 m above sea-level, the highest point being is Hvannadalshnúkur in the Öræfajökull glacier in south east Iceland, reaching a height of 2,119 m (6,950 feet).

The Climate
Iceland cannot be considered a warm place by any normal standards. Thanks to the Gulf Stream temperatures however, it is usually moderate all year round. Average temperatures in July are about 12 degrees centigrade in Reykjavik; it is usually a bit warmer in the north and east of Iceland. It doesn't snow as much in Iceland as you may think either, especially in Reykjavik, where there is usually very little snow to be seen, even in winter. However in the north and east of Iceland and the West Fjords, there is more snow in the winter. The biggest factor regarding the Icelandic weather is its unpredictability. You never know what is going to happen next. A beautiful day can suddenly be struck with wind and rain or vice versa. You can expect to see every type of weather condition imaginable over the course of a couple of days in Iceland, especially in late autumn and early spring, so be prepared for anything!

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