Where is Grímsey?
Iceland
Grimsey is the northernmost inhabited point of Iceland and the only part of the country that lies within the Arctic Circle. This small Icelandic island is only 3 miles (5 km) long and 5 sq km (2 sq mi) in total area. You can easily explore the entire island in one day.
How do I get to Grimsey Island?
The easiest way to get to Grimsey Island is by ferry from Dalvík village, in the summer time the ferry leaves daily (except saturdays) at 9:00 and the ride takes about 3 hours. You can also fly with Norlandair, which offers flights from Akureyri Airport in the summer time.
How many people live on Grímsey?
Grimsey is the northernmost inhabited territory in Iceland, with a population of approx. 85 people. It lies about 40km off the northern coastline of Iceland and is roughly 5 sq km in size.
Can you get to the Arctic Circle from Iceland?
Iceland may strike you as the most polar of countries, but in fact, the whole mainland lies south of the Arctic Circle, which misses its northern edge by just a couple miles. But the offshore island of Grímsey does straddle the line, providing a steady flow of tourists to the tiny fishing harbor of Sandvik.
Does anyone live on Grímsey?
Grímsey (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈkrimsˌeiː]) is a small Icelandic island, 40 kilometres (25 mi) off the north coast of the main island of Iceland, straddling the Arctic Circle. In January 2018 Grímsey had 61 inhabitants.
Is Kolbeinsey still there?
A basalt landform and devoid of vegetation, Kolbeinsey is subject to rapid wave erosion and is expected to disappear in the near future. Erosion rate data from 1994 suggested that this would happen around 2020. As of August 2020, two small skerries remain visible at low tide.
Is the Arctic Circle moving?
The Arctic Circle is defined by the tilt of the Earth toward or away from the sun, which is known to fluctuate up to 2.4 degrees every 40,000 years or so. Currently, the Arctic Circle is actually moving north from Iceland at a rate of about 48 feet per year.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
IcelandicIceland / Official languageIcelandic is a North Germanic language spoken by about 314,000 people, the vast majority of whom live in Iceland, where it is the national language. As a West Scandinavian language, it is most closely related to Faroese, extinct Norn, and western Norwegian dialects. Wikipedia
Are there polar bears in Iceland?
Polar bears in Iceland Polar bears are not native to Iceland, although they do occasionally turn up in Iceland and are thus classified as vagrants. Information exists on just over 600 polar bears recorded as having arrived in Iceland from the beginning of human settlement on the island to the present day.
Is there land in the Arctic Circle?
There’s no land at the North Pole Instead it’s all ice that’s floating on top of the Arctic Ocean. Over the past four decades, scientists have seen a steep decline in both the amount and thickness of Arctic sea ice during the summer and winter months.
What is the most northern part of Iceland?
Rifstangi
The northernmost point of Iceland is called Rifstangi.
Who owns the Arctic Circle?
So, who owns the Arctic? No one owns the North Pole, but every country with a border on the Arctic Ocean claims some of its waters. Because the North Pole is covered by an ice shelf and isn’t actually land, it is governed by the Law of the Sea, a 1982 U.N. treaty signed by more than 150 countries.
Where is the island of Grimsey?
Grimsey is located 41 km off the North coast of Iceland and it crosses the Arctic Circle.
What was the Battle of Grímsey?
The Sturlunga Saga tells of a Viking battle here in Grímsey island back in 1222 when Bishop Guðmundur Arason the Good fled to the island after his men had killed Tumi Sighvatsson. Sighvatur, Tumi’s father, and Sturla, Tumi’s brother, sailed to the island with their army of men to seek revenge.
What is the climate like in Grimsey?
Despite the remote northern location of Grimsey, the climate here is surprisingly mild because of the warm Gulf Stream waters. The maximum temperature recorded in Grimsey is even higher than in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, which is way farther south. However, don’t forget that Iceland’s weather is highly unpredictable.
What is Grímsey famous for?
Grímsey is famous for the Arctic Circle cutting through the island. There are some 60 bird species to be found in Grímsey – but we were mainly interested in seeing the puffins. Less than 60 inhabitants on the island live on fishing, farming and they also catch birds and gather eggs.