Keflavík
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Keflavík is a town of around 10,200 inhabitants in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland ().
It has now merged with Njarðvík and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesbær.
Founded in the 16th century, Keflavík developed due to its fishing and fish processing industry. Later its growth continued from flight operations at the Keflavík International Airport which was built by the US during the 1940s. The airport also holds a significant NATO military base.
During WWII and the Cold War, Naval Air Station Keflavik played an important role in monitoring marine and submarine traffic from the Norwegian and Greenland sea, into the Atlantic Ocean. During the Cold War, forces from the United States Air Force were added to provide radar monitoring, fighter intercept, in-flight refueling, and aerial/marine rescue. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, the base's role has been cast into doubt, as there is now little threat from Russian long-range bombers or from hostile submarines carrying SLBMs passing through the North Sea into the Atlantic.
In Iceland, the town was renowned as a rich source of musicians during the 1960s and 70s, and is therefore also known as bítlabærinn or "The Beatle Town".
The local geography is dominated by fields of basalt rubble, interspersed with a few hardy plants and mosses. On a clear day, one can see Reykjavík across the bay, some 50 km away.
In fiction
The NATO military base is used as a setting for an important story line in Tom Clancy's novel Red Storm Rising. However, Clancy's descriptions of the base, the geography, local flora, and the station equipment were largely inaccurate.See also
- Keflavík International Airport
- Cod War
- Iceland Defense Force, headquartered in Keflavík
External links
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