The Capital Region[a] is a region in southwestern Iceland that comprises the national capital Reykjavík and six municipalities around it.[1][2] Each municipality has its own elected council. Municipal governments in the region cooperate extensively in various fields: for example waste policy, shared public transport and a joint fire brigade. The region is home to 64% of Iceland's population.
Capital Region
Höfuðborgarsvæðið (Icelandic) | |
|---|---|
Reykjavík from Perlan Rooftops from Hallgrímskirkja Reykjavík from Hallgrímskirkja Panorama from Perlan | |
 Map of Iceland with the Capital Region highlighted | |
| Coordinates: 64°08′N 21°56′W / 64.133°N 21.933°W | |
| Country | Iceland |
| Largest town | Reykjavík |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,046 km2 (404 sq mi) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 244,177 |
| • Density | 233.44/km2 (604.6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC 00:00 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | (Not Observed) |
| ISO 3166 code | IS-1 |
The region contains Iceland's largest urban area by far, Greater Reykjavík (Icelandic: Stór-Reykjavík), a conurbation that includes parts of six out of seven municipalities of the region (Kjósarhreppur is all rural).
Demographics
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 21,441 | — |
| 1930 | 33,854 | 4.67% |
| 1940 | 43,841 | 2.62% |
| 1950 | 65,080 | 4.03% |
| 1960 | 89,493 | 3.24% |
| 1970 | 109,238 | 2.01% |
| 1980 | 121,698 | 1.09% |
| 1990 | 145,980 | 1.84% |
| 2000 | 175,000 | 1.83% |
| 2010 | 196,916 | 1.19% |
| 2020 | 228,418 | 1.50% |
| 2024 | 244,177 | 1.68% |
| Source: Statistics Iceland | ||
As of 2024, there are 244,177 people residing the region, of whom 123,951 are male, 120,115 are female, and 111 are non-binary/other. The population density is of 233.44 inhabitants per square kilometre.[3]
Municipalities
editSeven municipalities make up the Capital Region with Reykjavík being the most populated by far with 136,894 inhabitants. Kjósarhreppur is the largest municipality by area (284 km2 (110 sq mi)) but is entirely rural and only has 269 inhabitants. Seltjarnarnes is the smallest municipality with an area of 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi).
| Municipalities | Population (1 January 2024)[3] | Area (km2)[4] | Density (Pop/km2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | 136,894 | 244 | 561.05 |
| Kópavogur | 39,335 | 110 | 357.59 |
| Hafnarfjörður | 30,616 | 174 | 175.95 |
| Garðabær | 19,088 | 46 | 414.96 |
| Mosfellsbær | 13,403 | 186 | 72.06 |
| Seltjarnarnes | 4,572 | 2 | 2,286 |
| Kjósarhreppur | 269 | 284 | 0.95 |
| Total | 244,177 | 1046 | 233.44 |
Urban areas
editStatistics Iceland has defined contiguous urban areas which ignore municipal boundaries. An urban area may straddle multiple municipalities and a single municipality may contain more than one urban area.
| Urban area | Population (1 January 2024)[5] | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Reykjavík | 239,733 | Reykjavík Kópavogur Hafnarfjörður Garðabær Mosfellsbær Seltjarnarnes |
| Álftanes | 2,487 | Garðabær |
| Grundarhverfi | 530 | Reykjavík |
| Mosfellsdalur | 267 | Mosfellsbær |
| Rural | 1,160 | |
| Total | 244,177 |
See also
edit- Akureyri – the largest town outside the Capital Region
- Krýsuvík (volcanic system)
- Regions of Iceland
Notes
edit- ^ Icelandic: Höfuðborgarsvæðið, lit. 'capital area'; pronounced [ˈhœːvʏðˌpɔrkarˌsvaiːðɪθ]
References
edit- ^ Association of municipalities in the Capital area English version Archived 2021-10-07 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 5. June 2010
- ^ Sigurður Guðmundsson. „Hvernig eru hugtökin dreifbýli og landsbyggð skilgreind hér á landi?“ The Icelandic Web of Science. 18.8.2000. Retrieved on 6. June 2010 (In Icelandic)
- ^ a b c "Population by municipalities, sex and age 1 January 1998-2024 - Division into municipalites as of 1 January 2024". www.hagstofa.is. Statistics Iceland. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ National Land Survey of Iceland. Náttúrufræðistofnun - Sveitarfélagasjá. Retrieved on 19 December 2024 (in Icelandic)
- ^ "Population by localities, sex and age 1 January 2001-2024". www.hagstofa.is. Statistics Iceland. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
External links
edit
Geographic data related to Capital Region (Iceland) at OpenStreetMap
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