Iceland

(is'land,) a large island of the N. Atlantic Ocean, and a dependency of Denmark, pow considered as belonging to the W. Hemisphere, bet. N. Lat. 63° 30 and 66° 40', W. Lon. 16-23°. It is heart-shaped, has an extreme length E. to W. of 301 m., by a breadth of 200 m., and occupies an area of 39,696 Eng. sq. m. Its coast-line is much indented by bays and fiords, presenting in general deep and secure harbors, but difficult of approach owing to the rocky islets which fringe them. On the N.W. a peninsula, connected with the main island by a narrow isthmus, juts out into the ocean for a considerable distance. The interior of I. exhibits on the whole a mere aspect of utter desolation, the island being wholly of volcanic formation, and more or le in a chronic state of terrestrial agitation. Mount Hecla | (q. v.) is the principal volcanic peak; the Geysers (q. v.) present remarkable physical phenomena; and basaltic caves are found, little inferior to the famous one of Staff a, in Scotland. The climate is, on the average of years,comparatively mild and healthy, the mean temperature for the year being 40°; vegetation is limited to gra and vegetables; stunted trees, or rather shrubs,are occasionally met with. Horses, reindeer, cattle, and sheep are reared in large numbers, and, with the products of the fisheries, form the chief wealth of the in hab. The leading exports consist of wool, sulphur, leather, Iceland mo , fish, and seal-oil. The natives are of pure Scand in avian stock, speak the old Norse language, and, though poor, are very generally well educated, belong to the Protestant Church, and are enthusiastically attached to their country. Reikiavik is the C., and pp. port. Pop. 66,987. [s. 474]