Route 1 (Iceland)

Route 1 shield}}
Route 1
Þjóðvegur 1
The Ring Road of Iceland (as of 2004) and some towns it connects: (1) Reykjavík; (2) Borgarnes; (3) Blönduós; (4) Akureyri; (5) Egilsstaðir; (6) Höfn; (7) Selfoss
Route information
Maintained by Icelandic Road Administration (Vegagerðin)
Length1,322 km[1] (821 mi)
Existed1974–present
Location
CountryIceland
Highway system

Route 1 or the Ring Road (Icelandic: Þjóðvegur 1 or Hringvegur pronounced [ˈr̥iŋkˌvɛːɣʏr̥] ) is a national road in Iceland that circles the entire country. As a major trunk route, it is considered to be the most important piece of transport infrastructure in Iceland as it connects the majority of towns together in the most densely populated areas of the country. Economically, it carries a large proportion of goods traffic as well as tourist traffic. The total length of the road is 1,322 kilometres (821 mi), making it the longest ring road in Europe.

The road was completed in 1974, coinciding with the 1,100th anniversary of the country's settlement[2] when the longest bridge in Iceland,[3] crossing the Skeiðará river in the southeast, was opened. Previously, vehicles intending to travel between southern settlements, e.g. Vík to Höfn, had to travel north of the country through Akureyri, making the opening a major transport improvement to the country.

Many popular tourist attractions in Iceland, such as the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Dyrhólaey cliffs, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, as well as Mývatn lake, Dettifoss and Goðafoss waterfalls in the north are easily accessible from the Ring Road. The road passes through almost all areas of the country (everywhere apart from the Westfjords), making it a popular itinerary to take for tourists and vacationing locals alike in Iceland.

  1. ^ "Vegalengdir (Distances between places)" (in Icelandic). Icelandic Road Administration. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Iceland: Milestones in Icelandic History". Iceland.vefur.is. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  3. ^ The Road System - 2012. Icelandic Road Administration, ICERA.