Iceland ⁱ/ˈaɪslənd/ (Icelandic: Ísland, IPA: [ˈislant])^[4] is a Nordic European island country situated at the confluence of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.^[5] The country has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km² (40,000 sq mi), which makes it the most sparsely populated country in Europe.^[6] The capital and largest city is Reykjavík,^[7] with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country being home to two-thirds of the country’s population. The nation’s capital is the most northern capital in the world. Iceland is volcanically andgeologically active. The interior consists mainly of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.