[ahys-luh
nd] 
| 1. | a large island in the N Atlantic between Greenland and Scandinavia. 39,698 sq. mi. (102,820 sq. km). |
| 2. | a republic including this island and several smaller islands: formerly Danish; independent since 1944. 272,550. Capital: Reykjavik. |
[ahys-lan-der, -luhn-der] , noun Ice·land (īs'lənd)  (click for larger image in new window) An island country in the North Atlantic near the Arctic Circle. Norse settlers arrived c. 850-875, and Christianity was introduced c. 1000. Iceland passed to Norway in 1262 and, with Norway, to Denmark in 1380. In 1918 it became a sovereign state still nominally under the Danish king, until Icelanders voted for full independence in 1944. Reykjavík is the capital and the largest city. Population: 302,000. Ice'land·er n. |
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.
Note: Iceland proclaimed its independence from Denmark in 1944.
Note: It is a member of NATO.
Note: A unique combination of glaciers and plate tectonics has resulted in an unusual land surface, dominated by a rugged coastline, hot springs, geysers, and volcanoes.