''The Republic of Iceland (
/ˈaɪslənd/ (help·info)) (Icelandic: Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland (names of Iceland); IPA: [ˈislant]) is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean.[2] It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km².[3] Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to some two-thirds of the national population. Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is volcanically and geologically active on a large scale; this defines the landscape. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many big glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, Iceland has a temperate climate relative to its latitude and provides a habitable environment and nature. According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in AD 874 when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norwegian settler on the island.[4] Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the next centuries, people of Nordic and Celtic origin settled in Iceland. Until the 20th century, the Icelandic population relied largely on fisheries and agriculture, and was from 1262 to 1918 a part of the Norwegian, and later the Danish monarchies. In the 20th century, Iceland's economy and welfare system developed quickly, and in recent decades the nation has implemented free trade in the European Economic Area, diversifying from fishing to new economic fields in services, finance and various industries. Iceland is a free market economy with low taxes compared with other OECD countries.[5] The country maintains a Nordic welfare system providing universal health care and post-secondary education for its citizens.[6]
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