In the southern part of Iceland’s Westfjords (Vestfirðir), Vesturbyggð stretches across valleys and fjords where small towns stand on the shoreline. Covering 1,512 square kilometres, this municipality brings together historic settlements and scenic rural communities.
From separate districts to unified municipality
Vesturbyggð took its current form on 19 May 2024. That date marked the unification of Vesturbyggð and the neighboring Tálknafjarðarhreppur, after residents in both areas voted in October 2023 to join together. Before this, Vesturbyggð’s boundaries were drawn in 1994 when four municipalities, Barðastrandarhreppur, Rauðasandshreppur, Bíldudalshreppur, and Patrekshreppur, merged to create Vesturbyggð. A merger proposal with Tálknafjarðarhreppur was initially rejected, but later community support led to the unification. This process made Vesturbyggð the only municipality on the southern edge of the Westfjords.
The area that now forms Vesturbyggð once included six separate districts: Barðastrandarhreppur, Ketildalahreppur, Patrekshreppur, Rauðasandshreppur, Suðurfjarðahreppur, and Tálknafjarðarhreppur. Today, Vesturbyggð extends over the southern fjords of the Westfjords region, from Arnarfjörður to Kjálkafjörður. It includes a mix of established communities and remote areas shaped by land and sea.
Towns, rural communities and transport
The main urban centres within Vesturbyggð are Patreksfjörður (with 721 inhabitants), Tálknafjörður (261 inhabitants), and Bíldudalur (238 inhabitants), with the smaller settlement of Krossholt home to 19 people. Rural villages and districts include Birkimelur on Barðaströnd, Breiðavík, Hænuvík, Kollsvík, Ketildalir, Látrar, Rauðisandur, and Suðurfirðir. These towns and countryside communities together make up the municipality’s social and economic fabric.
Vesturbyggð is accessible by air through Patreksfjörður Airport and Bíldudalur Airport, serving residents and visitors alike. Over the years, the municipality’s population has remained relatively steady, with official figures showing 1,581 inhabitants in 1998, 1,602 in 1999, 1,596 in 2000, and 1,529 in 2001.
International ties and local governance
Once connected to several Nordic towns through sister-city agreements, Vesturbyggð ended all twinning arrangements in 2018. Previous twin towns included Nordfyn (Denmark), Svelvik (Norway), Vadstena (Sweden), and Naantali (Finland).
The official website of Vesturbyggð lists information about governance, community meetings, and current projects. For the most recent details about services, local administration, and other practical matters, the website remains the best resource.
Sources
Image: Rob Oo from NL / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
Facts last reviewed 24 October 2026. Published 24 October 2026.
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