Iceland

American  

[ahys-luhnd] / ˈaɪs lənd /

noun

1. a large island in the northern Atlantic between Greenland and Scandinavia. 39,698 square miles (102,820 square kilometers).

2. a republic including this island and several smaller islands: formerly Danish; independent since 1944. Reykjavik.

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Iceland British  

/ ˈaɪslənd /

noun

1. an island republic in the N Atlantic, regarded as part of Europe: settled by Norsemen, who established a legislative assembly in 930; under Danish rule (1380–1918); gained independence in 1918 and became a republic in 1944; contains large areas of glaciers, snowfields, and lava beds with many volcanoes and hot springs (the chief source of domestic heat); inhabited chiefly along the SW coast. The economy is based largely on fishing and tourism. Official language: Icelandic. Official religion: Evangelical Lutheran. Currency: króna. Capital: Reykjavik. Pop: 315 281 (2013 est). Area: 102 828 sq km (39 702 sq miles)

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Iceland Cultural  

1. Island republic in the north Atlantic Ocean, just south of the Arctic Circle, west of Norway and southeast of Greenland. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavik.

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Discover More

A unique combination of glaciers and plate tectonics has resulted in an unusual land surface, dominated by a rugged coastline, hot springs, geysers, and volcano es.

It is a member of NATO.

Iceland proclaimed its independence from Denmark in 1944.

Other Word Forms

• Icelander noun

Example Sentences

The world champions knocked five goals past Ukraine before England battled with Iceland on Saturday night.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

In regions like Iceland, where glaciers are shrinking quickly, surges may largely disappear.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026

Cape Verde, meanwhile, are the third-smallest nation after Curacao and Iceland to reach the World Cup.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Some of the most coveted expert-led cruises, such as HX Expeditions’ 17-day sailing to Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard, are sold out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The RJF members called virtually every member of parliament to lobby for citizenship: full, permanent citizenship, not just a temporary permit to live in Iceland.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady