It is about 12 miles (20 km) wide at the mouth and 37 miles (53 km) long. It branches to the north and south. The coastline of the northern branch, Jokulfiords, was inhabited like the northern shoreline of the main bay up to the middle of the 20^th century. Some of the remaining houses are maintained and used during the summer. Many more fiords, a few of which are still inhabited, branch to the south.

The westernmost one, Harpoon Bay, contains the largest community of the Westfiords as the northwestern peninsula is called. There are rich fishing grounds off the West fiords and not far to go to fetch good catches of various species of fish. When the weather gets extremely bad just south of the polar circle, the fishing vessels seek shelter in the bay. The main islands on the bay, Aedey and Vigur, are both inhabited.