Reykjavík
Reykjavík | |
|---|---|
Capital city and Municipality | |
Skyline from the Hallgrímskirkja Höfði Perlan Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík Alþingishúsið Reykjavík Cathedral Harpa Hallgrímskirkja | |
|
Flag Coat of arms | |
| Etymology: Old Norse: "Smoky bay" | |
| Nickname(s): | |
Location of Reykjavík | |
Reykjavík Reykjavík | |
| Coordinates: 64°08′45″N 21°56′33″W / 64.14583°N 21.94250°W | |
| Country | Iceland |
| Region | Capital Region |
| Constituency | Reykjavík Constituency North Reykjavík Constituency South |
| Market right | 18 August 1786[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Body | City Council |
| • Mayor | Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir (SDA) |
| • City Council President | Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir |
| • City Executive Council Chairman | Líf Magneudóttir |
| Area | |
| 244 km2 (94 sq mi) | |
| • Metro | 1,046 km2 (404 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[3] | |
| 135,714 | |
| • Density | 560/km2 (1,400/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 239,733 |
| • Metro | 249,054 |
| • Municipality[6] | 136,894 |
| Demonym(s) | Reykvíkingur, Reykvíkingar (Icelandic) |
| Time zone | UTC+00:00 (WET) |
| Postal code(s) | 101–155 |
| Municipal number | 0000 |
| Council | Reykjavík City Council |
| Website | reykjavik.is |
Reykjavík[a] is the capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state.[b] Reykjavík has a population of around 139,000 as of 2025.[8] The surrounding Capital Region has a population of around 249,000, constituting around 64% of the country's population.[9]
Reykjavík is believed to be the location of the first permanent settlement in Iceland, which, according to Landnámabók, was established by Ingólfur Arnarson in 874 AD. Until the 18th century, there was no urban development in the city location. The city was officially founded in 1786 as a trading town and grew steadily over the following decades, as it transformed into a regional and later national centre of commerce, population, and governmental activities.
Reykjavík is the centre of Iceland's cultural, economic, and governmental activity, and is a popular tourist destination among foreigners. It is among the cleanest, greenest and safest cities in the world.[10][11][12]
- ^ "Vísindavefurinn: Af hverju varð Reykjavík höfuðstaður Íslands?". Vísindavefurinn. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ^ "Natural Science Institute of Iceland - Administrational Boundary Map Viewer". atlas.lmi.is. National Land Survey of Iceland. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Reykjavík (Reykjavík, All Urban Settlements, Iceland)". Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Greater Reykjavik (Iceland): Settlements". Population Statistics, Charts and Map. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Population by regions, sex and age 1 January 1998-2025-PxWeb". PxWeb. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Reykjavík (Municipality, Iceland)". Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Reykjavik – definition of Reykjavik in English from the Oxford dictionary". www.oxforddictionaries.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ "Population by municipality, age and sex 1998-2025 - Division into municipalites as of 1 January 2025". statice.is. Statistics Iceland. 1 January 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Population by regions, sex and age 1 January 1998-2025". statice.is. Statistics Iceland. 1 January 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ Yunlong, Sun (23 December 2007). "Reykjavík rated cleanest city in Nordic and Baltic countries". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "15 Green Cities". Grist. 20 July 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "Iceland among Top 10 safest countries and Reykjavík is the winner of Tripadvisor Awards". TRAVELIO.net. 20 May 2010. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
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