Iceland's Rivers
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Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, the rivers are short in length. None of the rivers are important as a means of navigation due to the impracticality of settlements in the
Highlands of Iceland The Highland (Icelandic language, Icelandic: ''Hálendið)'' or The Central Highland is an area that comprises much of the interior land of Iceland. The Highland is situated above and is mostly uninhabitable. The soil is primarily volcanic as ...
where they originate.


South

* Hvítá * Krossá *
Kúðafljót The Kúðafljót () is a river in the south of Iceland. It is one of the largest glacier rivers in the country. Name The ''Landnámabók'' reports that the name is from the ship of Vilbald, one of the first settlers in Skaftátunga. The name of ...
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Markarfljót Markarfljót () is a river in the south of Iceland. It is approximately long and has had in pre-history jökulhlaups which would be potentially catastrophic, if a similar sized one was to happen in the future. Geography The Markarfljót rises ...
* Mustafl *
Ölfusá The Ölfusá () is a river in Iceland. It begins at the junction between the Hvítá, Árnessýsla, Hvítá and Sog River, Sog rivers, just north of the town of Selfoss (town), Selfoss, and flows for 25 km into the Atlantic Ocean. It is Ice ...
(the Icelandic river with the greatest flow) * Rangá *
Skaftá The Skaftá () is a river in South Iceland. It is primarily glacial in origin and has had its course modified by volcanic activity; as a result of both, it often floods because of glacial melting. Course The river's primary source is two subglac ...
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Skeiðará Skeiðará () is a relatively short glacier river (about 30 km long). It has its source on the glacier Skeiðarárjökull, one of the southern arms of the Vatnajökull in the south of Iceland. In spite of its short length, this river has a ...
* Skógá * Sog *
Þjórsá Þjórsá () is Iceland's longest river at . It is in the south of the island. Þjórsá is a glacier river and has its source on the glacier Hofsjökull. It flows out through narrow gorges in the highlands of Iceland. Further downstream, a ...
(the longest river in Iceland, 230 km) *
Tungnaá The Tungnaá () is a river in the southern Highlands of Iceland. It flows from the western edge of Vatnajökull to the reservoir Sultartangalón, where it joins the Þjórsá. The river has been used extensively for hydroelectricity, with power ...


West

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Fossá Fossurin í Fossá is one of the highest waterfallsBestu karmar við Fossá
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* Hvítá * Kjarrá–Thervá * Norðurá


Westfjords

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Dynjandi Dynjandi (, also known as Fjallfoss ) is a waterfall located in Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords region of Iceland. It is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords and has a total height of . Below it are five other waterfalls: Háifoss, Úðafoss, ...
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Kolbeinsá Kolbeinsá () is a farm and river about 10 km long in Westfjords, Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America a ...
* Staðará


North

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Blanda The Blanda () is a river in Iceland which flows northwards from the northwest side of the Hofsjökull glacier into Húnaflói bay at Blönduós. The Blanda is one of the longest rivers in the country, with a length of about 125 km, and has a ...
* Eyjafjarðará * Eystri Jökulsá * Fnjóská *
Glerá The Glerá (, "glass river") is a river in northern Iceland. It originates from glaciers in the mountains of the Tröllaskagi peninsula and also draws from some freshwater springs on its way down Glerá Valley. It runs through the town of Akur ...
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Grafará river is a spring creek in Höfðaströnd named after the farm Gröf in Skagafjörður, Iceland. The river runs along the bottom of Deildardalur valley, where it is called ( river), then continues between Óslandshlíð and Höfðaströn ...
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Gönguskarðsá Gönguskarðsá river is a spring creek in Skagafjörður, Iceland that flows to the ocean in the Gönguskörð estuary in Sauðárkrókur (a little inlet on the shore directly north of the town) off of the north part of Sauðárkrókur. It is s ...
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Heiðará is a spring creek that runs westward through Öxnadalsheiði plateau in Skagafjörður, Iceland and later flows into the Norðurá river where it descends into Norðurárdalur valley. The river originates in Kaldbaksdalur valley, which runs s ...
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Héraðsvötn Héraðsvötn (), whose name is often shortened to Vötn or Vötnin (and was called Jökulsá in previous centuries) is a glacier river in Iceland. It is formed by the confluence of Austari-Jökulsá and Vestari-Jökulsá. The Héraðsvötn is ...
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Hjaltadalsá Hjaltadalsá is a river in Hjaltadalur valley in Skagafjörður, Iceland. It originates from Hjaltadalsjökull glacier and runs the full length of the valley, before many tributaries and lakes flow into it. Further down the river there are lots o ...
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Hofsá (Skagafjörður) The Hofsá river is a spring creek in Höfðaströnd in Skagafjörður, Iceland. The river originates from Unadalur where it is called the Unadalsá river. When it leaves the mouth of the valley, its name changes to Hofsá. It leads up to flat m ...
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Hofsá (Vesturdalur) Hofsá is a river that runs through Vesturdalur in Skagafjörður, Iceland and joins the Vestari-Jökulsá where it flows out of Hofsdalur valley at , a short distance from the church site Goðadalir. Description The river is a spring creek t ...
* Hörgá *
Jökulsá á Fjöllum Jökulsá á Fjöllum (; "glacial river in the mountains") is the second longest river in Iceland (206 km). Its Source (river or stream), source is the Vatnajökull glacier. It flows into the Greenland Sea. Jökulsá á Fjöllum streams over ...
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Kolka (Kolbeinsdalsá) Kolka or Kolbeinsdalsá (literally: Kolbeinn's valley river; also formerly or "Kolbeinn's river") is a river that originates in the Tungnahryggsjökull glacier and is therefore often glacier-colored. Near its source, the river splits into two b ...
* Laxá * Norðurá *
Sauðá The Sauðá river is a spring creek on the western side of Skagafjörður, Iceland, and Sauðárkrókur takes its name from the river. Background Sauðá originates from Molduxi mountain, south of Sauðárkrókur, and runs through the town i ...
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Skjálfandafljót The Skjálfandafljót River () is situated in the north of Iceland. Skjálfandafljót is long, and is the fourth longest river of Iceland. It has its source at the northwestern border of the icecap Vatnajökull on the Highlands of Iceland. From ...
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Svartá The Svartá river ("Black River") is a spring creek on the inner, western side of Skagafjörður, Iceland. A considerable amount of spring water runs in the river up to the highland where it then begins to resemble a direct run-off river as it f ...
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Sæmundará The Sæmundará river is a spring creek on the western side of Skagafjörður, Iceland. It originates in Vatnsskarð pass, in lake and Valadalur dalur, curving to the north as it descends from the mountain pass, and running along the full length ...
* Vatnsdalsá


East

* Hamarsá *
Hofsá Hofsá (, "shrine river") is a river in Vopnafjörður in the Northeastern part of Iceland. It is long and is a productive salmon river. Salmon fishing The average annual catch between 1974 and 2013 was 1,119 salmon. The maximum catch during t ...
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Jökulsá á Dal Jökulsá á Dal, (, ) also called Jökulsá á Brú or Jökla, is a river in the northeast of Iceland. Of its original length of 150 km (making it the longest river in Iceland's Eastern Region), 25 km are now part of the artificial ...
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Jökulsá í Fljótsdal Jökulsá (literally ''glacier river'') is the name of several rivers in Iceland. * Jökulsá á Dal, also known as ''Jökulsá á Brú'' or ''Jökla'' * Jökulsá á Fjöllum, the second longest river in Iceland * Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi * ...
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Jökulsá í Lóni Jökulsá (literally ''glacier river'') is the name of several rivers in Iceland. * Jökulsá á Dal, also known as ''Jökulsá á Brú'' or ''Jökla'' * Jökulsá á Fjöllum, the second longest river in Iceland * Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi ...
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Lagarfljót Lagarfljót () also called Fljótið is a river situated in the east of Iceland near Egilsstaðir. Its surface measures and it is long; its greatest width is and its greatest depth . The 27 MW Lagarfossvirkjun hydropower station is located at ...
* Selfljót


See also

*'''' {{List of rivers of Europe
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
Rivers A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it ru ...