GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
POSITION AND SIZE 
Iceland is a large island in the North-Atlantic, close to the Arctic 
circle, and comprises an area of about 103,00C square kilometres, with 
its extreme northern point (the Rifstangi) lying in latitude 66° 32' 
north and its most southerly point (Dyrhélaey, Portland) in latitude 
63° 24’ north, not including the islands north and south of the land; 
if these are counted in, the country extends from 67° 10’ N. (the 
Kolbeinsey) to 63° 19’ N. (Geirfuglasker, one of the Westman 
Islands). With longitudinal direction E.—W. it stretches from 13° 30' 
W. of Greenwich (the Gerpir) to 24° 32" W. of Greenwich (Létrabjarg). 
The skerry Hvalbakur (The Whaleback) lies 13° 16’ W. of Greenwich, 
or a little farther east than the Gerpir. 
COAST AND SURFACE 
The west, north and east coasts are very irregular and abounding 
in good harbours, while the south coast is remarkably free from in- 
dentations and has no safe harbour except at the Westman Islands. 
There are comparatively few islands round the coasts of Iceland, with 
a very small area as compared with that of the main island. Breida- 
fiordur (DBroadfirth) on the west coast embraces, however, a great 
number of islets. 
Iceland is essentially a mountainous country; the most prominent 
lowlands are in the south, where they form a pretty long and, in parts 
a broad, stretch along the coast. There is also a number of valleys, 
branching out from the many firths and bays in other parts of the 
country. The whole of the interior is filled with plateaux and moun- 
tains, the highest peaks of which are to be found in the south-east, 
where Orzfajékull and Snzfell (the Snowfell) rise to an altitude of 
2119 metres and 1975 metres respectively.