Hvalfjarðarsveit | |
|---|---|
 View ofHvalfjörður | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of Hvalfjarðarsveit | |
| Country | Iceland |
| Region | Western Region |
| Constituency | Northwest Constituency |
| Established | 1 June 2006 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Björgvin Helgason |
| Area | |
• Total | 494 km2 (191 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 612 (1 december 2,013) |
| • Density | 1.24/km2 (3.2/sq mi) |
| Postal code(s) | 301 |
| Municipal number | 3511 |
| Website | www |
Hvalfjarðarsveit (Icelandic pronunciation:[ˈkʰvalˌfjarðarˌsveiːt]ⓘ) is a municipality inVesturland, Iceland. The municipality derives its name from the fjordHvalfjörður, which forms its southern border.
The municipality formed on 1 June 2006, by the union of the former municipalities ofHvalfjarðarstrandarhreppur,Innri-Akraneshreppur,Leirár- og Melahreppur andSkilmannahreppur.[1]
The shores ofHvalfjörður,Faxaflói andBorgarfjörður form the region's southern and western borders. Hvalfjarðarsveit additionally borders the municipalities ofKjósarhreppur in the south,Akranes in the west,Borgarbyggð andSkorradalshreppur in the north, andBláskógabyggð in the highlands to the east.[2]
The largest settlement in the municipality isMelahverfi with a population of 111 in 2016.[3]
Prominent mountains in Hvalfjarðarsveit (from west to east) includeAkrafjall,Hafnarfjall,Skarðsheiði andBotnssúlur. Notable lakes (from west to east) include Eiðisvatn,Hólmavatn,Eyrarvatn,Glammastaðavatn,Geitabergsvatn andHvalvatn. Iceland's second-tallest waterfall,Glymur, forms part of the riverBotnsá that runs from Hvalvatn into the eastern bottom of Hvalfjörður.[2]
Some 30 km (19 mi) of theRing Road pass through Hvalfjarðarsveit, between theHvalfjörður Tunnel in the south andBorgarnes in the north.
Although the region is mostly rural and scarcely populated,Grundartangi industrial area contains a significant part ofIceland's heavy industry, and one of the country's largest ports. The port of Grundartangi opened in 1978, is operated byFaxaflóahafnir[4] and owned by some of the neighbouring municipalities.[5]
Aferrosilicon plant began operations in 1979 and is now the world's second largest producer,[6] operated byElkem, a subsidiary ofChina National Bluestar Group.[7] Analuminium plant began operations in 1998, operated byNorðurál, a subsidiary ofCentury Aluminum.[8]Silicor Materials is currently planning to construct asolar silicon plant at Grundartangi.[9]
Pollution in the region caused bysulphur dioxide andfluorine emissions from the industrial area is controversial.[10]
64°17′45″N21°55′30″W / 64.2959°N 21.9251°W /64.2959; -21.9251
