With 155,000 residents, Iceland's capital Reykjavik is also the country's largest city, as well as the world's most northern national capital. The latitude is 64°08' N, close to the Arctic Circle. Reykjavik and surrounding regions receive only four hours of daylight per day in mid-winter. However, during the summer the nights are almost as bright as the days. The city is the heart of the Greater Reykjavík Area (population close to 200,000).
The first permanent settlement here is said to have been established by Ingólfur Arnarson around AD 870; this is described in Landnámabók (Book of Settlement.) Ingólfur Arnarson seems to have decided the location of his settlement using a traditional viking method; by dumping his high seat pillars (the Öndvegissúlur) in the ocean when he saw Iceland's coastline and then settled where the pillars came to shore. Steam from the hot springs seem to have inspired Reykjavik's name, as Reykjavik translates to "Bay of Smokes".
Cars are the most popular choice of transporation for Iceland's residents. Reykjavik's public transportation is a bus system (called 'Strætó bs) which is not very popular in this car friendly city. Route 1 (the Ring Road) runs by the city outskirts and connects it to the rest of Iceland. Reykjavik Airport, the second largest airport in the country, is positioned just south of the city centre. It is mainly used for domestic flights and flights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Reykjavik has two seaports, used by fishermen, cruise ships, and cargo transporters.
Many think that Reykjavik is a constantly frozen winter-wonderland. This is a myth. Average mid-winter temperatures are no lower than those in Toronto, Canada or the U.S. East Coast. This is because Iceland's coastal weather is moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The city's coastal location does make it prone to wind. Reykjavik is a very wet city, having an average of 213 rainy days every year.
Average temperatures in Reykjavik are:
- Jan - Mar: 35-40 F (2-4 C)
- Apr - Jun: 38-52 F (3-11 C)
- Jul - Sep: 47-60 F (9-14 C)
- Oct - Dec: 32-44 F (0-7 C)
- Find out more: Weather in Iceland
Because of the special geological situation in Iceland with the high concentration of volcanoes, geothermal energy is generally used. The energy is so inexpensive that in the wintertime, some sidewalks in Reykjavik and Akureyri are heated!
In Iceland, geothermal heating meets the heating and hot water requirements for around 87% of the nation's housing. In the year 2004, more than 17% of electricity generation in Iceland came from geothermal energy, 82.7% from hydro power.
Reykjavik has a lot to offer. You can find local festivities and events along with attractions and regional hotel/dining reviews in this helpful travel guide: Reykjavik Travel Guide or, 45 minutes away from the city, visit the Blue Lagoon (travel review).
