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Geography
Iceland located, in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 300 km east
of Greenland and about 1,000 km west of Norway. Iceland has an area
of 103,000 sq km (39,800 sq mi).
In shape Iceland is generally elliptic, and the coastline, with
a total length of 4,990 km (3,100) mi), is deeply indented, especially
in the west and north.
Climate
Iceland has a relatively mild and equable climate, despite its high
altitude and its proximity to the Arctic. Because of oceanic influences,
notably the North Atlantic Drift (a continuation of the Gulf Stream),
climatic conditions are moderate in all sections of the island.
The mean annual temperature at Reykjavνk is about 5° C (about 41°
F), with a range from -1° C (31° F) in January to 11° C (52° F)
in July. In the northwestern, northern, and eastern coastal regions,
subject to the effects of polar currents and drifting ice, temperatures
are generally lower.
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