Greater Reykjavík Area
Encyclopedia
The Greater Reykjavík Area ( or Höfuðborgarsvæðið, "the capital region") is a name used collectively for Reykjavík
and seven municipalities
around it.. The area is the largest urban area in Iceland. Each municipality has its independent elected council. With a population of 200,852, the Greater Reykjavík Area comprises over 60% of the population of Iceland in an area that is only just over 1% of the total size of the country. Municipal governments cooperate extensively in various fields; for example with waste policy, shared public transport, a joint fire brigade and police force. Unification of all or some municipalities in the region are discussed in politics.
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...
and seven municipalities
Municipalities of Iceland
The municipalities of Iceland are local administrative areas in Iceland that provide a number of services to their inhabitants such as kindergartens, elementary schools, waste management, social services, public housing, public transportation, services to senior citizens and handicapped people...
around it.. The area is the largest urban area in Iceland. Each municipality has its independent elected council. With a population of 200,852, the Greater Reykjavík Area comprises over 60% of the population of Iceland in an area that is only just over 1% of the total size of the country. Municipal governments cooperate extensively in various fields; for example with waste policy, shared public transport, a joint fire brigade and police force. Unification of all or some municipalities in the region are discussed in politics.
Size and population
Of the eight municipalities in the Greater Reykjavík Area, Reykjavík is by far the most populated with 118,427 inhabitants and Kjósarhreppur is the least populated with 195 inhabitants. Kjósarhreppur is however the largest of the eight with 287.73 km² (111.1 sq mi) of land and Seltjarnarnes is the smallest with 2.31 km² (0.891895986348756 sq mi).Municipalities | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) |
---|---|---|---|
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... |
118,427 | 277.10 | 427 |
Kópavogur Kópavogur Kópavogur is a city and Iceland's second largest municipality, with a population of 30,779.It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Greater Reykjavík Area. The name literally means seal pup bay... |
30,314 | 83.74 | 362 |
Hafnarfjörður Hafnarfjörður Hafnarfjörður is a port town and municipality located on the south-west coast of Iceland, about 10 km south of Reykjavík.... |
25,872 | 143.33 | 181 |
Garðabær Garðabær Garðabær is a municipality in the Greater Reykjavík area of Iceland.As of January 2011, its population was 10,909.... |
10,587 | 68.52 | 155 |
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.... |
8,527 | 193.66 | 44 |
Seltjarnarnes Seltjarnarnes Seltjarnarnes is an Icelandic township located within the Greater Reykjavík area.It took on its current political form shortly after the Second World War and was formally created as a township in 1947. It is the smallest Icelandic township by land .... |
4,406 | 2.31 | 1,907 |
Álftanes Álftanes Álftanes is a town, municipality and low-lying peninsula which extrudes from the eastern part of Reykjanes, located in Iceland's Greater Reykjavík Area.... |
2,524 | 5.85 | 431 |
Kjósarhreppur Kjósarhreppur Kjósarhreppur is a municipality in Iceland.According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 210 inhabitants. It is the most northern part of the Greater Reykjavík Area.-References:... |
195 | 287.73 | 0.7 |
Total | 200,852 | 1,062.24 | 189 |