Akureyri ([ˈaːkʏrˌeiːrɪ], locally [ˈaːkʰʏrˌeiːrɪ]) is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's fifth-largest municipality, after Reykjavík, Hafnarfjörður, Reykjanesbær and Kópavogur, and the largest town outside Iceland's more populated southwest corner. The area has a relatively mild climate because of geographical factors, and the town's ice-free harbour has played a significant role in its history.