Keflavik

The population is 8169 inhabitants ( 2007 ). Since 1994, the city ​​has been part of the united municipality of Reykjanesbyr , where 13,256 people live ( 2007 ).

Keflavik is located 30 km west of the country's capital Reykjavik (about 50 km by road), the city has a harbor , and the international airport of the same name is near the city. Until 2006, the city was the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iceland .

The settlement was founded in the XVI century and for a long time the basis of the economy was fishing .

The Keblavik football club, a four- time national champion known for playing in European competitions, is known among the city’s sports teams.

The city of Gardur is located 10 km south of Keflavik.

From the 1940s, US troops were based in Keblavik, who from 1941 took the defense of Iceland and received the right to build military bases, provided that at the end of the war all foreign troops left the country. In 1946, the US government asked the Icelandic government for a long-term lease of bases in Keblavík and other places. Olav Thors, then prime minister, was actively negotiating with the Americans to cancel the 1941 defense agreement and replace it with a new one, according to which the Americans would undertake to withdraw troops from the island within a year and a half and transfer the Keblavik airfield to Iceland. At the same time, they were allowed to use the airfield and keep their attendants there while the US forces were busy in Germany. This contract was supposed to be concluded for 5 years. Despite the opposition of the Icelandic public, especially the trade unions, it was ratified by 32 votes in parliament against 19.

In 1950, in connection with the outbreak of the Korean War and the aggravation of the international situation, the United States began to put pressure on the Icelandic government to obtain consent for the deployment of its troops on the island territory under the auspices of NATO. As a result, on May 5, 1951, a defensive treaty was signed between Iceland and the United States of America in accordance with the NATO charter. Iceland provided the territory and the necessary infrastructure, and the United States of America took care of its military security. The new contract also provided that each party has the right to demand its revision, and if agreement is not reached after 6 months, the contract will be terminated after 12 months.

In 2006, due to the termination of the contract, the US troops left the Keblavik air base. The rest of the infrastructure was transferred to the Icelandic authorities.