The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, unlike the other cities of Europe is placid and least affected of the hustle and bustle of the country life. With urbanization peeping in, Reykjavik has become a hot spot for the surrounding nations and an economical, financial and governmental hub for the country as well. Visitors enjoy the beauty of the wide stretching glaciers, sheer mountains, pleasant city life and the tranquil ambience.

Though Iceland as a whole gets largely affected by the Greenland polar current, yet Reykjavik enjoys a moderate climate throughout the year. All around the year the average maximum and minimum temperature of Reykjavik is 14oC and -2oC respectively. The city enjoys such temperate climate mainly due to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The coastal region of the city gets fundamentally affected by the strong winds and gales during the winter season. Due to the geographical location and climatic condition the rainfall in Reykjavik remains low. On an average the rainfall received by Reykjavik is 780 mm in a year. Spring experiences few sunny days in between.

The capital city of Iceland, Reykjavik encompasses an area of 274.5 km² of the nation. It has latitude of 64°08' N and is located in the southwestern part of Iceland. Just at the south most shore of the Faxafloi Bay lays this beautiful city. The coastland of Reykjavik is full of coves, islands, peninsulas and straits.

A perfect blend of traditional and international ingredients provides a unique taste to the delicacies of Reykjavik. Influence of the international dishes is becoming common in today’s life in Reykjavik. The capital city of Iceland has been always renowned for her mouth watering cuisines and great wine. Coffee with snacks and variety of soups is always the favorite of the residents of Reykjavik. Varied dishes of lamb, duck, oysters, lobsters and so forth are a must for the locals as well as the tourists. Tourists enjoy the menus of the fast food restaurants as well. Burger King, Subway, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), McDonalds are some of the fast food stores prevailing in Reykjavik.

Around 870, the first permanent settlement in Iceland by the Nordic clan led to the establishment of Reykjavík by Ingólfur Arnarson. In the 18th century there was the first beginning of urban concentration in Reykjavík with the introduction of wool industry under the Danish crown. In 1786 the Danish ruler abolished monopoly trade and granted exclusive trading charter to Reykjavík, so this year is regarded as the foundation year of the city. In 1845 Althing, the general parliament in Iceland was reestablished in Reykjavík and in 1874 Iceland got a constitution for them. In 1904 the ministry for Iceland was founded in Reykjavík. In the year 1944 the first president was elected and the republic of Iceland was founded. The cabinet, which is appointed after the general elections by the president, is usually done by the political party leaders. In the republic period the government of Iceland had always been coalition government. The parliamentary government in Althing is a coalition between the right wing Independence Party and the social democratic Alliance after the elections of May 2007.

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