The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1927, Síða 9

kilometres, the extreme length from east to west
497 kilometres, and from north to south 316 km.,
while the coast-line is about 6.000 km. The dis-
tance from Greenland is 330 km., from Scotland
900 km., from Norway 950 km., and from North-
America 9.000 km. Of the area of Iceland about
13.000 sq. km. are glaciers, or plateaus covered
with perpetual ice, 71.500 sq. km. other highland,
11.500 sq. km. lava, and about 7.000 sq. km. low-
land. The highest mountains are Orwfajokull 2.119
metres, Snxfell 1.822 m., Eyjafjallajdkull 1.705 m.,
Vatnajokull 1.660 m. (area 8.300 sq. km.), Ilekla
1.557 m., and Snsefellsjokull 1.439 m. The longest
river is Thjorsa 200 km. Of the numerous water-
falls the largest are Dettifoss (height 107m.), Gull-
foss, and Godafoss; but there are many other big
waterfalls of 20.000—100.000 hp. capacity. Of lakes
Thingvallavatn, covering an area of 110 sq. km.,
and Myvatn, covering an area of 30 sq. km., are
the largest. Volcanoes are numerous and the best
known is Hekla, of which the common idea is,
however, rather exaggerated.
The coast of Iceland is greatly indented by large
bays, fjords and inlets, in many cases affording
excellent natural harbours. The population of the
country is now about a hundred thousand.
A Wonderland Half a century has now passed
where the sun since the greatest of modern
shines at mid- English writers, Thomas Hardy,
night. foresaw the possibility of „Iceland
becoming to the commonest tour-
ist what the vineyards and myrtle-gardens of
South Europe are to him now11. It is a matter of
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