COASTAL AREAS 



The coasts of Iceland are of two distinct types. That of the 

 northern two-thirds of the island is rocky, deeply penetrated by 

 fiords, and marked by high seaward-facing cliffs. Shallow deltas 

 have been formed at the heads of the fiords and along their sides 

 where tributary streams reach the sea. Characteristically these 

 deltas have been altered by marine action, and bars with shallow 

 lagoons have been formed. 



The southern coast is smooth in outline and has many stretches 

 of sand and shingle shore. Lagoons and offshore bars are com- 

 mon. The character of this coast is probably due to the debris- 

 laden melt waters from nearby glaciers. There are few harbors 

 along this coast. 



Occasionally the ice-drift from the north approaches the north- 

 ern Icelandic coasts. When it does it not only constitutes a hazard 

 to navigation and the f sheries, but it has a marked effect on the 

 weather conditions throughout the island. The irregularity with 

 which the ice appears makes it difficult to predict its occurrence. 

 There have been long periods that were relatively free of ice. In 

 those years when the ice appears, it is usually in sufficient quantity 

 by April or May to hinder navigation. The ice is first seen off 

 the northwest peninsula in December. It is carried along the 

 north coast by the prevailing eastward current. Ice is rare on 

 the southeast, south, and west coasts. 



The coasts of Iceland offer many good natural anchorages espe- 

 cially in the fiords of the west, north and east coasts. The south- 

 ern coast has few indentations and no anchorages of importance. 

 The chief port is Reykjavik which handles most of Iceland's 

 foreign trade. It acts as the collecting and distributing center. 

 Nearby is the port of Hafnarfjoraur. There are six other ports 

 which can be considered of major importance: Siglufjoraur, Vest- 

 mannaeyjar, Akureyri, Neskaupstaour, Seyoisfjorour, and Isaf- 

 jorour. Most of the other harbors are fishing ports and stations. 



TOPOGRAPHY 



The lack of harbors along the southern coast seems to be related 

 to the heavy sedimentation from the glacial waters. About one- 

 eighth of Iceland is covered by glaciers, of which Vatnajokull in 

 the southeastern section of the island is the largest. 



The land surface shows a marked contrast between the features 

 developed on the older rocks of the northwestern and eastern sec- 

 tions and those on the younger rocks of the central part of the 



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