Westfjords facts for kids
The Westfjords (also called West Fjords) is a large area in northern Iceland. Its name in Icelandic is Vestfirðir. This area is a big piece of land, like a giant finger, that sticks out into the ocean. This type of land is called a peninsula. The Westfjords are right next to the Denmark Strait and face the east coast of Greenland.
This region is full of tall mountains and deep, narrow inlets of the sea called fjords. Because of all the mountains and fjords, it's quite hard to build roads here. This makes traveling by land a bit tricky. The biggest town in the Westfjords is Ísafjörður, where about 4,000 people live.
The Westfjords are usually the coldest part of Iceland. This is because of a cold ocean current called the East Greenland Current that flows nearby.
In the year 1615, a sad event happened here. Thirty-two whalers from the Basque region (a part of Spain and France) were shipwrecked. Local people killed them. After this, a strange law was made. It said that any Basque person seen in the Westfjords could be killed. Luckily, this old law was finally ended in May 2015, after many centuries.
Towns and Villages
The Westfjords region has several towns and small villages. Many of these settlements are located along the coast, nestled within the fjords. These places are important for the people who live in this beautiful but rugged area.
Here are some of the main towns and villages you can find in the Westfjords:
|
|
Amazing Scenery
- Scenery of the Westfjords
The Westfjords are famous for their stunning natural beauty. The landscape is dramatic, with high cliffs, deep fjords, and wide-open spaces. It's a great place to see unique wildlife and enjoy the quiet of nature. Many people visit to hike, explore, and experience the wild side of Iceland.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
A map of the Westfjords
-
Westfjords
-
Dýrafjörður
-
Puffins in Látrabjarg
-
Oldest steel ship in Iceland
-
Suðureyri
See also
In Spanish: Región de Vestfirðir para niños
