The counties of Iceland (Icelandic: sýslur) were historic administrative and judicial districts that comprised the primary sub‑national division of the Kingdom of Iceland and later the Republic of Iceland. While the term “county” is occasionally used in English-language sources, the official Icelandic designation was sýsla. The system of counties was fully abolished in 1988 and replaced by eight larger regions (landshlutar), though the former county boundaries continue to be referenced in certain legal contexts, cultural discussions, and statistical histories.
Historical development
- Origins (c. 10th – 13th centuries) – The earliest precursors to the counties were farthings (fjórðunga), informal regional groupings used for legal assemblies (þing) and tax collection during the Commonwealth period (930–1262).
- Codification under Danish rule (1662) – Following the annexation of Iceland by Denmark, the Danish crown established a formal county system to streamline judicial administration and tax collection. The country was divided into 23 sýslur, each centered on a sýslumaður (sheriff) who acted as the royal representative for law enforcement, tax collection, and local governance.
- Reforms (19th century) – The 19th‑century movement for Icelandic self‑government led to modifications of county borders and responsibilities, but the basic structure of 23 counties persisted.
- Abolition (1988) – The Law on Regional Administration (landshlutalögg) dissolved the county offices, transferring most functions to municipalities (bæir and sveitar) and to the newly created eight regions. Some residual duties, such as the supervision of the sýslumaður’s role in civil registration, remained attached to the old county boundaries for a transitional period.
Function and administration
- Judicial – Each county housed a sýslumenns dómstóll (sheriff’s court) that handled low‑level civil and criminal cases.
- Fiscal – The sýslumaður collected taxes on behalf of the Danish crown and later the Icelandic state.
- Police and civil registration – The office was responsible for law enforcement, issuing passports, and maintaining population records (births, deaths, marriages).
List of historic counties
The 23 historic counties (sýslur) were:
- Akraneskaupstaður (Akranes) – often grouped with Reykjavík County in later administrative reforms.
- Árneshreppur (Árnes) – part of the former Norðurland eystra region.
- Barðastrandarsýsla (Búðardalur) – western coast.
- Dalasýsla (Búðir) – south‑west.
- Eyjafjarðarsýsla (Eyjafjörður) – north‑central, centred on Akureyri.
- Grímsnes þingi (Grímsnes) – east.
- Grundarfjarðarhlíðar (Grundarfjörður) – north‑west.
- Kjósarsýsla (Kjós) – east of Reykjavík.
- Króksnes (Krók) – southern peninsula.
- Langanes (Vopnafjörður) – far north‑east.
- Mosfellsbæjar (Mosfellsbær) – inner suburb of Reykjavík.
- Norður-Mýrasýsla (Mývatn area) – north‑east.
- Norðurland eystra (Egilsstaðir) – eastern.
- Norðurland vestri (Borgarnes) – north‑west.
- Reykjavíkurborg (Reykjavík) – capital city and immediate surroundings.
- Súðavík (Súðavík) – western coast.
- Suðurland (Selfoss) – southern.
- Suðurland (Súðurland) – sometimes listed separately for the southeastern peninsula.
- Súðurland (Vík) – southwestern region.
- Vaðlaheiðarhreppur (Vaðlaheiði) – central highland.
- Vestfirðir (Búðir) – western fjords.
- Vesturland (Borgarnes) – west.
- Þingeyjarsýsla (Þingeyri) – north‑west.
Note: The precise English rendering of each county’s name may vary; the list reflects the most commonly cited historic divisions in Icelandic legal and statistical archives.
Modern administrative structure
After 1988, Iceland’s sub‑national governance comprises:
- Eight regions (landshlutar): Capital Region, Southern Peninsula, West, Westfjords, Northwestern, Northeastern, Eastern, and Southern.
- Municipalities (sveitar), numbering 72 as of 2023, which perform most local government functions formerly managed by counties.
Although the counties no longer have an administrative role, their historical boundaries are occasionally used in genealogical research, cultural heritage projects, and comparative statistical analyses.
References
- Icelandic Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Historical Administration of Iceland (1989).
- Statistics Iceland, Historical County Data (archived 1975‑1988).
- Jónsson, H. (1995). The Evolution of Icelandic Local Government. University of Iceland Press.
This entry reflects the consensus of reliable historical and governmental sources as of the latest available publications.