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Location:
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Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
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Geographic coordinates:
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65 00 N, 18 00 W
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Map references:
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arctic region
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Area:
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total: 103,000 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Kentucky
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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4,988 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
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Terrain:
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mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
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Natural resources:
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fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes and volcanic activity
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note:
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strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
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