|
Counties Of Iceland
Iceland was historically divided into 23 counties known as ''sýslur'' (), and 23 independent towns known as ''kaupstaðir'' (). Iceland is now split up between 24 sýslumenn (magistrates) that are the highest authority over the local police (except in Reykjavík where there is a special office of police commissioner) and carry out administrative functions such as declaring bankruptcy and marrying people outside of the church. The jurisdictions of these magistrates often follow the lines of the historical counties, but not always. When speaking of these new "administrative" counties, the custom is to associate them with the county seats rather than using the names of the traditional counties, even when they cover the same area. Composition Independent towns (''kaupstaðir'') were first created in the 18th century as urbanisation began in Iceland; this practice continued into the 1980s. The last town that was declared an independent town was Ólafsvík in 1983. Since then, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dalvík
Dalvík () is the main village of the Icelandic municipality of Dalvíkurbyggð. Its population is approximately 1,400.Hagstofa Íslands ''Statistics Iceland'' Website The town's name means " ." Geography Dalvík is on the western shore of Eyjafjörður in the valley of[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauðárkrókur
Sauðárkrókur () is a Localities of Iceland, town on the Skagafjörður in northern Iceland. It is the seat of both the Skagafjörður (municipality), Sveitarfélagið Skagafjörður ('Municipality of Skagafjörður') and the Northwestern Region (Iceland), Northwestern Region. Sauðárkrókur is the largest town in Northwest Iceland and the second-largest town on the north coast of Iceland, with a population of 2,612. It is the centre for commerce and services in the district, and an important link in Iceland's food production. The population of Sauðárkrókur has grown steadily in recent years, and its economy is relatively diverse. Economic mainstays are fisheries, dairy production, light industry and broad-based services such as computer and engineering operations, financials, consulting, design and printing. The natural hot pool located north of Sauðárkrókur is mentioned in the ''Grettis saga''. Etymology Sauðárkrókur got its name from the creek that runs thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ólafsfjörður
Ólafsfjörður () is a town in the northeast of Iceland located at the mouth of the fjord Eyjafjörður. The town is connected to Dalvík on Eyjafjörður by the 3.5 km one-lane Múli tunnel (the '' Múlagöng'') and to Siglufjörður by the 11 km Héðinsfjörður Tunnels, opened in 2010. Fishing is the main industry in the town; several trawlers make their home in the town's harbor. The municipalities of Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður merged in 2006 to form the municipality of Fjallabyggð, which literally means ''Mountain Settlement''. History The town grew up around the herring industry that was very strong in the 1940s and 1950s, but the herring are gone now. Ólafsfjörður attained municipal status (''kaupstaðurréttindi'') on 31 October 1944 . The number of inhabitants amounted to 192 in 1910, to 336 in 1920, to 559 in 1930, to 736 in 1940, to 947 in 1950, to 905 in 1960, to 1.086 in 1970 and to 1.181 in 1979. In 1989 the town had 1.191 inhabitants. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Njarðvík
Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. The area is mentioned in the Icelandic Sagas, Njarðvík means "''bay of Njörðr''". Geography Njarðvík is located in the Reykjanes region of Reykjavík, adjacent to Keflavík. It consists of two parts: Innri Njarðvík and Ytri Njarðvík (inner and outer Njarðvík). In the old town is the Njarðvíkurkirkja Innri , a stone church built in 1886. Climate See also *Viking World museum *Ungmennafélag Njarðvíkur Ungmennafélag Njarðvíkur is an Icelandic multi-sports club based in Njarðvík, Reykjanesbær, on the south-west peninsula of Iceland. It is primarily known for its men's basketball team which has won the national championship 17 times. Its ... Notes and references External links Reykjanesbær municipal web ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neskaupstaður
Neskaupstaður () is a town located on the fjord Norðfjörður on the eastern side of Iceland. It is part of the municipality of Fjarðabyggð and, as of 2016, it has a population of 1,481. Neskaupstaður is the third largest town in Eastern Region. The town was originally built on a farm called "Nes", settled by Egill rauði ("the red"). The town was nicknamed "Little Moscow" in the 20th century due its strong socialist background. History Until 1949, the town was only accessible by boat. Then it was connected through a 626-meter long single-lane tunnel that passed through the Oddskard mountains called Oddskarðsgöng. Oddskarðsgöng was 632 meters above the sea level and was built between 1974-1977. Oddskarđsgöng is now closed. The town is now connected with a new 7.542-meter 2-lane tunnel called Norðfjarðargöng which was constructed between 2013-2017. The building of an aluminum smelter and a new hydroelectric power-plant in East Iceland in 2003 reinvigorated the l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kópavogur
Kópavogur () is a town in Iceland that is the country's second largest municipality by population. It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Capital Region. The name literally means ''seal pup inlet''. The town seal contains the profile of the church Kópavogskirkja with a seal pup underneath. Kópavogur is largely made up of residential areas, but has commercial areas and much industrial activity as well. The tallest building in Iceland, the Smáratorg Tower, is located in central Kópavogur. History Kópavogur is historically significant as the site of the 1662 Kópavogur meeting. This event marked the total incorporation of Iceland into Denmark–Norway when, on behalf of the Icelandic people, Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson and Árni Oddsson, a lawyer, signed a document confirming that the introduction of absolute monarchy by Frederick III of Denmark–Norway also applied to Iceland. Kópavogur is also one of Iceland's most prominent sites for Icelandic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keflavík
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 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður (pronounced , meaning ''ice fjord'', literally ''fjord of ices'') is a town in the northwest of Iceland. The oldest part of Ísafjörður with the town centre is located on a spit of sand, or ''eyri'', in Skutulsfjörður, a fjord which meets the waters of the larger fjord Ísafjarðardjúp. With a population of about 2,600, Ísafjörður is the largest settlement in the peninsula of Vestfirðir ( Westfjords) and the administration centre of the Ísafjarðarbær municipality, which includes—besides Ísafjörður—the nearby villages of Hnífsdalur, Flateyri, Suðureyri, and Þingeyri. History According to the Landnámabók (the book of settlement), Skutulsfjörður was first settled by Helgi Magri Hrólfsson in the 9th century. In the 16th century, the town grew as it became a trading post for foreign merchants. Witch trials were common around the same time throughout the Westfjords, and many people were banished to the nearby peninsula of Hornstrandir, now ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Húsavík
Húsavík () is a town in Norðurþing municipality on the north coast of Iceland on the shores of Skjálfandi bay with 2,307 inhabitants. The most famous landmark of the town is the wooden church Húsavíkurkirkja, built in 1907. Húsavík is served by Húsavík Airport. Overview Income is derived from tourism and fishing, as well as retail and small industry. Until recently, Húsavík was the export harbour for silica that was extracted from nearby lake Mývatn. According to the '' Landnámabók'' ("Book of Settlement"), Húsavík was the first place in Iceland to be settled by a Norseman. The Swedish Viking Garðar Svavarsson stayed there for one winter around 870 A.D. When he left the island in spring of 870, after a winter's stay, he left behind a man named Náttfari and two slaves, a man and a woman, and they established a farm here. The name of the town means "bay of houses", probably referring to Garðar's homestead, which may have been the only houses then in Ice ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarfjörður (), officially Hafnarfjarðarkaupstaður (), is a port town and municipality in Iceland, located about south of Reykjavík. The municipality consists of two non-contiguous areas in the Capital Region, on the southwest coast of the country. At about 30,000 inhabitants, Hafnarfjörður is the third-most populous city in Iceland after Reykjavík and Kópavogur. It has established local industry and a variety of urban activities, with annual festival events. Activities The town is the site of an annual Viking festival, where Viking culture enthusiasts from around the world display reconstructions of Viking garb, handicraft, sword-fighting and longbow shooting. It takes place in June each summer. Local industry Just two kilometres () outside of Hafnarfjörður is an aluminium smelter, run by Alcan. The smelter was originally built in 1969, and it has improved its cleaning process since then, especially regarding fluoride. Local elections were held in May 2006, where ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grundarfjörður
Grundarfjörður () is a town in the north of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west of Iceland. It is situated between a mountain range and the sea. The nearby mountain Kirkjufell forms a small peninsula. Overview The town received the right to do commerce in 1786. Around 1800, French merchants came to Iceland and lived in Grundarfjörður, where they constructed a church and a hospital of their own. The town became wealthy through the fishing industry, and this wealth shows in the style of the original, luxurious houses being built. The road to nearby Stykkishólmur crosses a lava field called ''Berserkjahraun'' . The name of the lava field comes from the Eyrbyggja saga, according to which two '' Berserkers'' were slain here by their master, because one of them fell in love with his master's daughter. Twin town * Paimpol, Brittany. Grundarfjörður and Paimpol in Brittany in northwest France have strong historical connections. Between 1852 and 1935, Breton sailors from Pai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.svg "Click for more on -> Neskaupstaður")
