kjördæmi

kjördæmi is an Icelandic term that translates to electoral district or constituency. It refers to a geographical area within Iceland that is used for the purpose of electing representatives to the Althing, the national parliament. Iceland is divided into several kjördæmi, each of which elects a specific number of members of parliament (MPs). The number of MPs allocated to each district is determined based on its population.

The primary purpose of establishing kjördæmi is to ensure a relatively proportional representation of the population in the Althing. While the system aims for proportionality, there is also an element of geographical representation, meaning that less populated areas still have a voice in parliament. The distribution of seats is periodically reviewed to reflect changes in population distribution across the country.

Currently, Iceland is divided into six constituencies: Reykjavík North, Reykjavík South, Southwest, Northwest, Northeast, and South. Each constituency has a varying number of seats, with the larger urban areas typically having more representatives due to their higher population density. The electoral system in Iceland combines elements of proportional representation and a compensatory mechanism to adjust for any discrepancies between the popular vote and the seat distribution across the districts. This ensures that while districts are the basis for election, the overall outcome aims to be representative of the national vote.