ársfjórðungum

Ársfjórðungur is the Icelandic term for a quarter of the year, a three‑month interval that constitutes one of the four equal divisions of a calendar year. The term is formed from ár ("year") and fjórðungur ("quarter" or "one fourth").

In the standard calendar year, the four arsfjórðungar are commonly named fyrsti ársfjórðungur (January–March), annar ársfjórðungur (April–June), þriðji ársfjórðungur (July–September), and fjórði ársfjórðungur (October–December).

Ársfjórðungar are widely used in business, government, and statistics to report and compare data over time. Quarterly earnings, budgets, and indicators such as GDP, inflation, and climate data are often published by arsfjórðungur. When a company’s or government’s fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year, the arsfjórðungur definitions are adjusted to the fiscal year.

The concept allows time-based analysis and planning by dividing the year into manageable periods, facilitating seasonality studies, performance tracking, and reporting cycles. Related terms include fjórðungur, the general Icelandic word for a quarter.