the status of the town was upgraded to kaupstaður and renamed Egilsstaðabær, or the town of Egilsstaðir. In early 2011, the population was 2,257 and had increased by 41 percent from 2001, when 1,600 were registered there. On 7 June 1998 Egilsstaðabær was united with Vallahreppur, Skriðdalshreppur, Eiðahreppur and Hjaltastaðarhreppur under the name Austur-Hérað. Austur-Hérað then became Fljótsdalshérað in 2004. In 2020 it joined other municipalities to form Múlaþing. Climate Depending on isotherm Egilsstaðir has a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc) or a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) bordering very closely on a Tundra climate (ET). Winters there tend to be colder than other towns in the area, and summers tend to have daytime highs often exceeding , higher than most of Iceland, but at night it is colder than most towns with a similar climate. The town being at a relatively low elevation somewhat shielded from maritime winds enables warmer air to stay for longer than in coastal areas, although the effect of southerlies become negated by high mountains blocking such winds, and as a result Egilsstaðir still has a lot cooler summers than continental Nordic climates have on similar latitudes. Egilsstaðir being relatively close to the east coast also increased the maritime moderation both in summer and winter. With Central Iceland being at a highland tundra, the Egilsstaðir area is still the warmest for 1961–1990 summer maxima among Icelandic weather stations for populated areas. The figures here given for precipitation days and sunshine hours belong to Grímsárvirkjun and Hallormsstaður, which are and away from Egilsstaðir respectively and get around more precipitation than Egilsstaðir, so it is possible that Egilsstaðir has fewer days with precipitation and gets more sunlight than stated below. The highest temperature recorded is on 11 August 2004, recorded at Egilsstaðir Airport. The climate has significantly warmed in recent years, as seen in the climate averages for the 1991–2020 reference period. Points of interest Eiðar longwave transmitter Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Plant Hallormsstaðaskógur – the biggest forest in Iceland Hengifoss – a waterfall in Fljótsdalur Skriðuklaustur – the mansion of writer Gunnar Gunnarsson Öxi – mountain road between Egilsstaðir and Djúpivogur Notable natives Sveinn Birkir Björnsson – former editor of the Reykjavík Grapevine Sigmar Vilhjálmsson – Iceland TV host Hjálmar Jónsson – Iceland national team footballer Vilhjálmur Einarsson, triple-jump athlete, silver medal winner at the 1956 Olympic games Magnús Ver Magnússon, four times World's Strongest Man (1991, 1994, 1995, and