imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 2 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5

2025-11-06T09:08:41Z

Rescuing 2 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5

New page

{{More citations needed|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Akraneskaupstaður
| settlement_type = [[Municipalities of Iceland|Municipality]]
| image_skyline = Akranes loftmynd.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| image_caption = July 2008 aerial view of Akranes.
| image_shield =
| shield_size = 85px
| image_map = Akraneskaupstaður Loc.svg
| map_caption = Location of the municipality
| mapsize = 250px
| pushpin_map = Iceland
| coordinates = {{coord|64.3158059|N|22.09466|W|display=title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Iceland
| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Iceland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Western Region (Iceland)|Western Region]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Constituencies of Iceland|Constituency]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Northwest Constituency]]
| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name = [[Haraldur Benediktsson]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_total_km2 = 9
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Population by municipalities, sex and age 1 January 1998-2019 - Current municipalities |url=https://px.hagstofa.is/pxen/pxweb/en/Ibuar/Ibuar__mannfjoldi__2_byggdir__sveitarfelog/MAN02001.px/table/tableViewLayout1/?rxid=4c3205aa-7374-49d0-aab7-8eb2f0273f08 |website=PX-Web |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713062845/https://px.hagstofa.is/pxen/pxweb/en/Ibuar/Ibuar__mannfjoldi__2_byggdir__sveitarfelog/MAN02001.px/?rxid=4c3205aa-7374-49d0-aab7-8eb2f0273f08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| population_as_of = 2024
| population_total = 8,452
| population_density_km2 = 823.44
| postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in Iceland|Postal code(s)]]
| postal_code = 300, 301, 302
| code1_name = Municipal number
| code1_info = 3000
| website = {{URL|akranes.is}}
}}
[[File:Langisandur6.jpg|thumb|250px|Langisandur in Akranes]]

'''Akranes''' ({{IPA|is|ˈaːkraˌnɛːs|audio=Akranes pronunciation.ogg}}) is a port town and municipality on the west coast of [[Iceland]], around {{Convert|50|km|abbr=on}} north of the capital [[Reykjavík]].

The area where Akranes is located was settled in the 9th century; however, it did not receive a municipal charter until 1942.

==History==
Akranes was settled in the 9th century by the brothers Þormóður and Ketill, sons of Bresi, who came from [[Ireland]]. The town started to form in the mid-17th century as a fishing village. In 1942, it was formally chartered, and in the following years it had the biggest surge in population in its history.

Industry has been a big and growing employer: a cement plant has been operated in the town since the 1950s, and an [[aluminium smelting]] plant has been in operation near the town since 1998.

==Economy==
The fishing industry remains the town's most important source of employment. Akranes also acts as a service center for the large rural region surrounding it.

The town is expected to grow in the coming years because of an increase in industrial activity and improvements in transportation to the [[Reykjavík]] area. The {{Convert|5.77|km|4=-long|abbr=on|adj=mid}} [[Hvalfjörður Tunnel]], opened in 1998, is one of the world's longest underwater road [[tunnel]]s.

==Notable people==
Akranes was the birthplace of the [[Atom Poets|Atom poet]] [[Jón Óskar]], the writer [[Eva Björg Ægisdóttir]] and footballers [[Ríkharður Jónsson]], [[Arnór Sigurðsson]] and [[Hakon Arnar Haraldsson]].

==Sport==
Akranes has a strong [[Association football|football]] tradition. The local team, [[Íþróttabandalag Akraness]] (ÍA), which currently plays in the [[Úrvalsdeild karla (football)|Úrvalsdeild karla]], has for many years been among the best of the [[Icelandic football league system]]. [[Ríkharður Jónsson]], who was born in the town, is often considered to be one of Iceland's finest footballers. He both played for and managed ÍA. Former [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] and [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] midfielder [[Siggi Jónsson]] was also born in Akranes and had three seasons as a player with ÍA. The town is also home to second division club [[Knattspyrnufélagið Kári]].

==Climate==
Akranes has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfc''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Eolo''), with temperatures rising above {{Convert|10|C}} only in July and August.
{{Weather box
|location = Akranes, 1961–1990 normals, extremes 1965–1987
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high C = 10.0
|Feb record high C = 9.0
|Mar record high C = 9.9
|Apr record high C = 13.9
|May record high C = 16.9
|Jun record high C = 17.9
|Jul record high C = 24.1
|Aug record high C = 21.3
|Sep record high C = 19.4
|Oct record high C = 14.5
|Nov record high C = 12.2
|Dec record high C = 10.7
|year record high C = 24.1
|Jan high C = 2.2
|Feb high C = 2.7
|Mar high C = 2.9
|Apr high C = 5.4
|May high C = 8.8
|Jun high C = 11.4
|Jul high C = 13.0
|Aug high C = 12.7
|Sep high C = 10.0
|Oct high C = 6.9
|Nov high C = 3.6
|Dec high C = 2.3
|year high C = 6.8
|Jan mean C = -0.2
|Feb mean C = 0.5
|Mar mean C = 0.6
|Apr mean C = 3.0
|May mean C = 5.9
|Jun mean C = 8.8
|Jul mean C = 10.4
|Aug mean C = 10.1
|Sep mean C = 7.6
|Oct mean C = 4.7
|Nov mean C = 1.3
|Dec mean C = 0.1
|year mean C = 4.4
|Jan low C = -2.8
|Feb low C = -2.1
|Mar low C = -2.1
|Apr low C = 0.5
|May low C = 3.3
|Jun low C = 6.6
|Jul low C = 8.1
|Aug low C = 7.8
|Sep low C = 5.0
|Oct low C = 2.2
|Nov low C = -1.3
|Dec low C = -2.5
|year low C = 1.9
|Jan record low C = -20.0
|Feb record low C = -17.6
|Mar record low C = -18.0
|Apr record low C = -18.0
|May record low C = -7.7
|Jun record low C = -0.4
|Jul record low C = 2.5
|Aug record low C = -1.2
|Sep record low C = -3.6
|Oct record low C = -10.7
|Nov record low C = -11.8
|Dec record low C = -17.1
|year record low C = -20.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 67.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 74.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 76.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 70.9
|May precipitation mm = 44.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 56.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 54.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 85.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 72.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 95.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 85.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 81.7
|year precipitation mm = 865.3
|source 1 = [[Icelandic Meteorological Office]]<ref>{{Cite web
|url = https://www.vedur.is/Medaltalstoflur-txt/Stod_095_Akranes.ManMedal.txt
|title = Mánaðarmeðaltöl fyrir stöð 95 - Akranes
|publisher = [[Icelandic Meteorological Office]]
|language = is
|access-date = 17 November 2024
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241117084934/https://www.vedur.is/Medaltalstoflur-txt/Stod_095_Akranes.ManMedal.txt
|archive-date = 2024-11-17}}</ref>}}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Iceland}}

Akranes is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web|title=Vinabæir Akraness|url=https://www.akranes.is/mannlif/ahugavert/vinabaeir-akraness|website=akranes.is|publisher=Akranes|language=is|access-date=2020-02-12|archive-date=2022-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613082423/https://www.akranes.is/mannlif/ahugavert/vinabaeir-akraness|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*{{flagicon|NOR}} [[Bamble]], Norway
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Närpes]], Finland
*{{flagicon|GRL}} [[Qaqortoq]], Greenland
*{{flagicon|FRO}} [[Sørvágur Municipality|Sørvágur]], Faroe Islands
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Tønder Municipality|Tønder]], Denmark
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Västervik Municipality|Västervik]], Sweden
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[Akranes Museum Centre]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Puerto de Akranes, Vesturland, Islandia, 2014-08-14, DD 005.JPG|Akranes harbour
Montaña volcánica Akrafjall, Akranes, Vesturland, Islandia, 2014-08-14, DD 003.JPG|Akrafjall, located nearby
Balas de paja, Akranes, Vesturland, Islandia, 2014-08-14, DD 019.JPG|Straw bales near Akranes
Antiguo faro de Akranes, Vesturland, Islandia, 2014-08-14, DD 008.JPG|Old lighthouse of Akranes
Faros de Akranes, Vesturland, Islandia, 2014-08-14, DD 017.JPG|New lighthouse of Akranes
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|is}}

{{Cities and towns in Iceland}}
{{Municipalities of Iceland}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Akranes| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 9th century]]

{{Iceland-geo-stub}}

Akranes - Revision history

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 2 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5