Iceland is a country.
Iceland ( [ ˈaɪslənd ] [ ˈistlant ] ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean . Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population . In 2013 , it was ranked as the 13th most-developed country in the world by the United Nations ' Human Development Index . The country 's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine , Icelandic literature and medieval sagas .