Capital Region (Iceland) – where Iceland's settlement began
The Capital Region, Höfuðborgarsvæðið, surrounds Reykjavík, the place where, according to the Book of Settlement, Ingólfr Arnarson established Iceland's first permanent Norse farm around AD 870. From this starting point on the shores of Faxaflói bay, settlement gradually spread across the island.
For centuries the area remained rural, but over time Reykjavík and the neighbouring towns grew into Iceland's political, economic and cultural centre. Today the region consists of the capital and six surrounding municipalities. Although it covers just over 1,000 square kilometres, it is home to about two-thirds of Iceland's population. Do you have a story from your town, neighbourhood or family in the Capital Region? Share it with the community!