What is the northernmost capital city?
Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, is the northernmost capital of a sovereign country, at about 64 degrees north. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, lies slightly farther north.
Reykjavík lies just south of the Arctic Circle on Iceland's southwest coast. It is home to about two-thirds of Iceland's population when the surrounding area is included. Despite its northern location, it has a relatively mild climate thanks to the Gulf Stream, with cool summers and winters that are often milder than in New York.
Nuuk, at about 64 degrees 10 minutes north, is a little farther north than Reykjavík. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, not a fully independent country. Other northern capitals include Helsinki in Finland and Oslo in Norway, both around 60 degrees north.
Light and dark
In midsummer, Reykjavík has almost 21 hours of daylight, and the sky never gets fully dark. In midwinter, there are only about four to five hours of daylight. These long winter nights make it a good place to see the northern lights.
Did You Know?
Reykjavík means smoky bay. Early settlers named it after the steam rising from hot springs in the area.