Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður
| Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður | |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern Region |
| Constituency | South Constituency |
| Mayor | Björn Ingi Jónsson |
| Area | 6,280 km2 (2,420 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,167 |
| Density | 0.35/km2 (0.91/sq mi) |
| Municipal number | 7708 |
| Postal code(s) | 780, 781, 785 |
| Website | hornafjordur |
Höfn or Höfn í Hornafirði (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhœpn i ˈhɔrtna fɪrðɪ]) is an Icelandic fishing town in the southeastern part of the country. It lies near Hornafjörður fjord.
The town, the second largest in the southeastern part of Iceland, offers scenic views of Vatnajökull (the largest ice cap in Europe by volume). The community was formerly known as Hornafjarðarbær between 1994 and 1998.
Höfn is located on a peninsula in the southeast of Iceland. The name Höfn means harbour and it is a fishing port surrounded on three sides by the sea, with beaches on a long shoreline to the southeast. Shoals and glacial rivers traverse this area with many shifting lagoons and sand reefs being formed. Höfn is surrounded by several small islands to the east of the town, the largest of which is Mikley, followed by Krókalátur and Hellir.
Höfn is one of very few harbours in the southern part of Iceland and it needs to be navigated with care due to the changing pattern of shoals. Dredging is an essential requirement to remove sand that has accumulated near the harbour so that ships can safely moor. The entrance channel to Höfn port has a minimum depth of 6–7 metres (20–23 ft). However, the depth at the entrance itself is 7–8 metres (23–26 ft). The harbour at Höfn is reported to freeze during periods of extremely cold weather.
Eagle Airways operates domestic flights from Höfn airport and the town is a major centre for visitors to the Vatnajökull Glacier. Höfn lies at the end of Road 99, which leaves Iceland's National Road 1 several kilometres north of the town. A tunnel is located near the town, measuring 1,300 metres in length, which is named Almannaskarðsgöng. It was opened in 2005.
Nearby areas include Suðursveit (the birthplace of Þórbergur Þórðarson), Öræfasveit, Lón, Mýrar and Nes. In Nes there is a small village called Nesjahverfi. Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, is about 458 kilometres (285 mi) from Höfn along the south coast.
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