Where is Iceland?

by Lucky Byfleet

It’s not just you. Don’t feel silly. One of the top searched questions about Iceland is just that. Where is Iceland?

The easiest answer is that Iceland is in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. About 1816 km (1128 miles) from London to the North North West. From Quebec, Canada we are to the North East, 3673km (2282 miles) away.

We are the youngest country in Europe to be created by nature! Iceland sits on the Mid – Atlantic Ridge, which’s between two tectonic plates. Over millennia volcanoes have spewed out so much molten rock that Iceland grew to the land we know today. It is still growing, by about 2.5cm a year which is extremely fast, geologically speaking. If you want to see evidence of that go with our friends at Iceland Discover on their Golden Circle Tour, it stops at Thingvellir National park, where you can see the great stretchmarks as the land is literally pulled apart! Iceland is the only place where you can dive between tectonic plates – in crystal clear glacial water no less.

Another really common question is why is Iceland called Iceland and Greenland called Greenland, when Greenland is more ice-covered? It’s okay, we wondered that too! Find the incredible answer here.

The geological activity that formed the island is still bubbling away underneath, so we frequently have earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but we also have huge glaciers. About 11% of our land is covered by them! Because of this contrast, we are known as the land of fire and ice.

If you want to be more specific as to ‘where is Iceland?’ then our longitude and latitude are 64.9631° N, 19.0208° W, and our five closest neighbours are;

• Greenland.
• Faroe Islands.
• Norway.
• Sweden.
• Scotland.

But as we used to be colonised by Denmark we have a strong connection with them too, kids have to learn Danish at school even.

Now you know where is Iceland come and visit us!