Keflavík (pronounced , meaning ''Driftwood Bay'') is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. It is included in the municipality of Reykjanesbær whose population as of 2016 is 15,129. In 1995, Keflavik merged with nearby Njarðvík and Hafnir to form the municipality of Reykjanesbær.

History

Founded in the 16th century, Keflavík developed on account of its fishing and fish processing industry,Cathy Harlow, ''Iceland'', Landmark Visitors Guide, 3rd ed. 2004, , p. 57. founded by

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

entrepreneurs and engineers. Later its growth continued from flight operations at the Keflavík International Airport which was built by the United States military during the 1940s. The airport used to hold a significant NATO military base and was a vital pre-jet refueling stop for trans-Atlantic commercial air traffic. It now serves as Iceland's main international hub. During World War II the military airfield served as a refueling and transit depot. During the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, Naval Air Station Keflavik played an important role in monitoring marine and

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

traffic from the Norwegian and Greenland seas into the Atlantic Ocean. Forces from the United States Air Force were added to provide radar monitoring, fighter intercept, in-flight refueling, and aerial/marine rescue. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, the base's role was cast into doubt. The base officially closed on 30 September 2006, when the United States withdrew the remaining 30 military personnel. In Iceland, Keflavík was renowned as a rich source of musicians during the 1960s and 70s, and is therefore also known as ''bítlabærinn'' or " The Beatle Town".

Geography

The local geography is dominated by fields of basalt rubble, interspersed with a few hardy plants and mosses. On a clear day, one can see Snæfellsjökull across the bay, some 115 km away.

Climate

The climate of Keflavík is

subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of humid continental regions and covering much of Alaska, Canada, Iceland, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and the Cairngorms. Generally, ...

( Dfc) with cool summers and moderately cold winters. There is no truly dry month but June is the month that gets the least amount of precipitation. Winter high temperatures average above the freezing mark, and summer high temperatures are cool to mild. The warmest month on average is July with an average high of and the coldest is January with an average high of .

Sport

The town is represented in sports by Íþrótta- og ungmennafélag Keflavíkur.

In popular culture

The former NATO military base Naval Air Station Keflavik is used as a setting for an important story line in Tom Clancy's novel '' Red Storm Rising''. Clancy speculated about the base, the geography, local flora, and the station equipment. NAS Keflavík is also a central setting in Icelandic writer Arnaldur Indriðason's 1999 mystery ''Napóleonsskjölin'', translated into English in 2011 as ''Operation Napoleon''.

References

External links

Satellite picture by Google Maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keflavik Populated places in Southern Peninsula (Iceland) Reykjanes Populated places established in the 16th century Defence of Iceland Populated coastal places in Iceland