Akranes
Encyclopedia
Akranes is a port town and municipality located on the west coast of Iceland
.
It is the ninth most populous town in Iceland after Mosfellsbær
and Árborg
with a population of 6,623 people (January 1, 2011 est.). The area where Akranes is located was settled in the ninth century but did not receive a municipal charter until 1942.
but were of Norse
origin.
The town started to form in the mid 17th century as a fishing village, and in 1942, it was formally chartered and in the following years, experienced the biggest surge in population in its history.
Industry has been a big and growing employer: a cement plant has been operated in the town since the 1950s, and an aluminum smelting
plant has been in operation near the town since 1998.
The town is expected to grow further in the coming years because of growing industry and improvements of transportation to the Reykjavík
area, following the construction of the 5.57 km long Hvalfjörður Tunnel
which was opened in 1998, one of the world’s longest underwater road tunnel
s.
Akranes' has a strong football
tradition and the local team, ÍA, has for many years been among the best of the Icelandic football league. Former Sheffield Wednesday
and Arsenal
midfielder Siggi Jonsson was born in Akranes and had three spells as a player with IA.
Jón Óskar
(1921–1998).
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
It is the ninth most populous town in Iceland after Mosfellsbær
Mosfellsbær
Mosfellsbær is a town in south-west Iceland, situated some east of the country's capital, Reykjavík. It has a total area of and its population as of September, 2011 was 8,886....
and Árborg
Árborg
Árborg is the biggest municipality in southern Iceland.It was formed in 1998. The population of Árborg was 7,827 . The biggest town in the municipality is Selfoss, with a population of 6,512...
with a population of 6,623 people (January 1, 2011 est.). The area where Akranes is located was settled in the ninth century but did not receive a municipal charter until 1942.
Overview
Akranes was settled in the 9th century by the brothers Þormóður and Ketill, sons of Bresi. They came from IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
but were of Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
origin.
The town started to form in the mid 17th century as a fishing village, and in 1942, it was formally chartered and in the following years, experienced the biggest surge in population in its history.
Industry has been a big and growing employer: a cement plant has been operated in the town since the 1950s, and an aluminum smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
plant has been in operation near the town since 1998.
Current situation
The fishing industry remains the town’s most important source of employment, but commerce is also a significant employer as Akranes acts as a service center for a large rural region surrounding it.The town is expected to grow further in the coming years because of growing industry and improvements of transportation to the Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
area, following the construction of the 5.57 km long Hvalfjörður Tunnel
Hvalfjörður Tunnel
Hvalfjörður Tunnel is a road tunnel under the Hvalfjörður fjord in Iceland and a part of the Route 1 . It is 5,762m long and reaches depth of 165m below sea level. Opened on 11 July 1998, it shortens the distance from Reykjavík to the western and northern parts of the island by 45 km...
which was opened in 1998, one of the world’s longest underwater road tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
s.
Akranes' has a strong football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
tradition and the local team, ÍA, has for many years been among the best of the Icelandic football league. Former Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
midfielder Siggi Jonsson was born in Akranes and had three spells as a player with IA.
Notable people
Akranes was the birthplace of the Atom poetAtom Poets
The Atom Poets were a group of Icelandic modernist poets, the five most prominent of which were Einar Bragi, Hannes Sigfússon, Jón Óskar, Sigfús Daðason and Stefán Hörður Grímsson, who all began their careers in the 1940s and 1950s....
Jón Óskar
Jón Óskar
Jón Óskar was an Icelandic poet born in Akranes.Óskar is typically categorised as one of the Icelandic Atom Poets. In addition to his poetry he and his short stories, literary articles and a novel he also produced a multi-volumed biography. He was a musician and this influenced the sound of his...
(1921–1998).