RESOURCES 



Iceland is not especially rich in commercially important min- 

 erals. Only sulphur and Iceland spar are exported. The sulphur 

 is recovered from deposits on or near the surface as Krisuvik and 

 in the Myvatn district. The Iceland spar, which is a transparent 

 variety of calcite used in optical instruments to provide polarized 

 light, is found at Helgustaoir. The greater part of the v^orld 

 supply comes from this deposit. 



Small deposits of lignite, peat and bog iron ore are found, but 

 these are exploited only for local consumption. 



HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 



Almost all of the 120,000 people in Iceland live along the coasts, 

 while three-fifths of the island is uninhabited. About a third of 

 the total population live in or near the capital, Reykjavik. 



The chief occupation of the people is in the fishing industry. 

 Fishing grounds extend around the entire island. The produc- 

 tivity of the various grounds varies with the seasons, and causes 

 a certain amount of migration on the part of the fishermen. The 

 fishing grounds of the southwest and west are profitable in the 

 early months, those in the southeast and south in May and June, 

 and those in the north are fished in late summer and autumn. The 

 chief catch is cod, although considerable quantities of coal fish, 

 haddock and herring are obtained. 



Agriculture is of less importance in the national economy. Only 

 limited land of suitable quality is available. The rigorous climate 

 and the infertile soil combine to make farming a very restricted 

 activity, confined mainly to the valley bottoms along the coastal 

 areas. Hay production predominates, with some cultivation of 

 sturdy root crops such as potatoes and turnips. 



The main land use is in pastures. Sheep raising is widespread, 

 and cattle and horses are raised in large numbers. Of rather 

 unique economic importance is the eider duck farming which has 

 developed into quite an industry in Iceland. 



Because the inhabited areas of Iceland form a ring around the 

 coasts of the island and the central portion is devoid of people, the 

 transportation system has developed mainly along the coastal 

 plains and coastwise along the shores. Air transportation and 

 sea routes to Europe and England have been highly developed to 

 overcome the general isolation of Iceland. 



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