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 indentations
 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. Breidafiordur
 (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 mountains,
 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.