Akureyri

Akureyri
Municipality
An aerial view of downtown Akureyri
Coat of arms
Nickname:  "Capital of North Iceland"[1]
Location of the Akureyri Municipality
Country	Iceland
Region	Northeastern Region
Constituency	Northeast Constituency
Government
• Mayor	Ásthildur Sturludóttir
Area
• Total	138 km2 (53 sq mi)
Population  (2025)[2]
• Total	20,050
• Density	145/km2 (380/sq mi)
Postal code(s)	600, 601, 602, 603, 611, 630
Municipal number	6000
Website	akureyri.is

Akureyri (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈaːkʏrˌeiːrɪ], locally [ˈaːkʰʏrˌeiːrɪ] ^ⓘ) is a town in northern Iceland, the country's fifth most populous municipality (under the official name of Akureyrarbær [-ˌeiːrarˌpaiːr̥], 'town of Akureyri') and the largest outside the Capital Region. The municipality includes the town's neighbourhood at the head of Eyjafjörður and two farther islands: Hrísey at the mouth of Eyjafjörður and Grímsey off the coast.

Nicknamed the "Capital of North Iceland",^[1] Akureyri is an important port and fishing centre. The area where Akureyri is located was settled in the 9th century, but did not receive a municipal charter until 1786.^[3] Allied units were based in the town during World War II. Further growth occurred after the war as the Icelandic population increasingly moved to urban areas.

The area has a relatively mild climate because of geographical factors, and the town's ice-free harbour has played a significant role in its history.