Towns & Villages

The population centres in West Iceland are as varied as they are many. Ten places have over 50 residents and Akranes is the most densely populated with 6,500 inhabitants.

Most towns are situated by the seaside where basic industry has developed around the fishery sector. Other areas have developed around services related to the agricultural and farming industry, such as Borgarnes and Buðardalur, and Hvanneyri and Bifrost have developed on account of dynamic education institutions like The Agricultural University of Iceland and Bifrost University.

The five communities of Snaefellsnes peninsula, Eyja- and Miklaholtshreppur, Grundarfjarðarbaer, Helgafellssveit, Snaefellsbaer and Stykkisholmsbaer, along with Snaefellsjokull National Park, received the Green Globe Community Certification in 2008 and an update in July 2010 now named EarthCheck Certifacation. The area was the first community in Europe to receive such certification and the fourth to receive it worldwide.

All of the larger communities put ever-increasing emphasis on dynamic tourism where a wide selection of recreation and services are offered.