Iceland
[ ahys-luh nd ]
/ ˈaɪs lənd /
noun
a large island in the N Atlantic between Greenland and Scandinavia. 39,698 sq. mi. (102,820 sq. km).
a republic including this island and several smaller islands: formerly Danish; independent since 1944. Capital: Reykjavik.
Related forms
Ice·land·er [ahys-lan-der, -luh n-der] /ˈaɪsˌlæn dər, -lən dər/, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for iceland
British Dictionary definitions for iceland
Iceland
/ (ˈaɪslənd) /
noun
an island republic in the N Atlantic, regarded as part of Europe: settled by Norsemen, who established a legislative assembly in 930; under Danish rule (1380–1918); gained independence in 1918 and became a republic in 1944; contains large areas of glaciers, snowfields, and lava beds with many volcanoes and hot springs (the chief source of domestic heat); inhabited chiefly along the SW coast. The economy is based largely on fishing and tourism. Official language: Icelandic. Official religion: Evangelical Lutheran. Currency: króna. Capital: Reykjavik. Pop: 315 281 (2013 est). Area: 102 828 sq km (39 702 sq miles)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Culture definitions for iceland
Iceland
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.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.