"Surtsey Surtsey (""Surtr's island"" in Icelandic, ) is a volcanic island located in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago off the southern coast of Iceland. At , Surtsey is the southernmost point of Iceland. It was formed in a volcanic eruption which began below sea level, and reached the surface on 14 November 1963. The eruption lasted until 5 June 1967, when the island reached its maximum size of . Since then, wave erosion has caused the island to steadily diminish in size: , its surface area was . The most recent survey (2007) shows the island's maximum elevation at above sea level."
"Kolbeinsey Kolbeinsey (or, Kolbeinn's Isle, Seagull Rock, Mevenklint, Mevenklip, and Meeuw Steen) is a small islet off the northern coast of Iceland, north-northwest of the island of Grímsey. The island is the northernmost point of Iceland and lies north of the Arctic Circle. A basalt landform, devoid of vegetation, it is subject to rapid wave erosion and is expected to disappear in the near future, probably around the year 2020, based upon current rates of erosion. The original size of the island is unknown. When it was first measured in 1616, its size was from north to south and east"
"Finland and Sweden, the extensive volcanic and geothermal activity of Iceland, and Greenland, which is the largest island in the world. The southernmost point of the Nordic countries is Gedser, on the island of Falster in Denmark. The northernmost point is Kaffeklubben Island in Greenland, which is also the northernmost point of land on Earth. The largest cities and capitals of the Nordic countries are situated on the southern parts of the region, with the exception of Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm are all close to the same latitude as the southernmost point of Greenland, Egger"
"in Iceland, having operated since 1906. Weather observations began at the lighthouse in 1921, which since 1940 have been conducted at night too. Stórhöfði Stórhöfði is a peninsula and the southernmost point of Heimaey, the largest island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. It is claimed to be the windiest place in Europe, and holds the record for the lowest on land observation of air pressure in Europe. The name means ""great cape"" and was also the name of a street in Reykjavik's Höfði industrial area until 2015 when it was renamed Svarthöfði (""black cape""), which is the Icelandic term for Darth"
"Southern Peninsula. The majority of Reykjavik is located on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula. Mount Esja, at 914 m (2,999 ft), is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Reykjavík. Several natural harbours exist, and provide good fishing grounds. Located in the western portion of the island and north of the Capital Region. In Hvaljörður fjord rests the tallest waterfall in Iceland, Glymur. West is also home to Borgarfjörður, a fjord with volcanic activity such as Deildartunguhver- a powerful hotspring. The 804 metre Hafnarfjall Mountain rises over the landscape. The southern portion of Iceland contains some of its most notable volcanoes such"
"Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxa Bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a population of around 123,300 (and over 216,940 in the Capital Region), it is the heart of Iceland's cultural, economic and governmental activity, and is a popular tourist destination. Reykjavík is believed to be the location of the first permanent settlement in Iceland, which, according to Ingólfr Arnarson, was established in AD 874. Until the 19th century, there"
"large piece of rock separated from the rest of the island. Kolbeinsey may disappear completely much sooner than originally expected. Kolbeinsey Kolbeinsey (or, Kolbeinn's Isle, Seagull Rock, Mevenklint, Mevenklip, and Meeuw Steen) is a small islet off the northern coast of Iceland, north-northwest of the island of Grímsey. The island is the northernmost point of Iceland and lies north of the Arctic Circle. A basalt landform, devoid of vegetation, it is subject to rapid wave erosion and is expected to disappear in the near future, probably around the year 2020, based upon current rates of erosion. The original size of"
"number of international tournaments. Iceland won the world bridge championship (the Bermuda Bowl) in Yokohama, Japan, in 1991 and took second place (with Sweden) in Hamilton, Bermuda, in 1950. Iceland Iceland ( ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of and an area of , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised"
"the ridge. Many fjords punctuate Iceland's 4,970-km-long (3,088-mi) coastline, which is also where most settlements are situated. The island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland, is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand, mountains, and lava fields. The major towns are the capital city of Reykjavík, along with its outlying towns of Kópavogur, Hafnarfjörður, and Garðabær, nearby Reykjanesbær where the international airport is located, and the town of Akureyri in northern Iceland. The island of Grímsey on the Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland, whereas Kolbeinsey contains the northernmost point of Iceland. Iceland has three national parks: Vatnajökull National"
"coast. The coastline is marked by numerous fjords as its name suggests. The peninsula contains Iceland's northernmost glacier, Drangajökull. The Southern Peninsula, also known as the Reykjanes Peninsula, is located in the southwestern corner of Iceland. The area contains little vegetation due to active volcanism and large lava fields. There are hot springs and sulphur springs in the southern portion of the peninsula, in the Kleifarvatn lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal area. Home to Iceland's capital, Reykjavík, the Capital Region is the most densely populated area in Iceland. It is located on the southwest coast of the island near the"
"the north coast in 1969. The climate varies between different parts of the island. Generally speaking, the south coast is warmer, wetter, and windier than the north. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of the country. Low-lying inland areas in the north are the most arid. Snowfall in winter is more common in the north than the south. The highest air temperature recorded was on 22 June 1939 at Teigarhorn on the southeastern coast. The lowest was on 22 January 1918 at Grímsstaðir and Möðrudalur in the northeastern hinterland. The temperature records for Reykjavík are on 30 July 2008,"
"entirety of mainland Iceland lies south of the Arctic Circle. Due to long-term oscillations in the Earth's axis, the Arctic Circle currently shifts northward by about 14.5 metres per year, though varying substantially from year to year due to the complexity of the movement. The true position of the Arctic Circle in the early 21st century is already close to the northern tip of the island, and by about the middle of the 21st century, it will no longer cross Grimsey at all. Originally a fixed monument to the Arctic Circle was placed at a conventional location. In 2017 a"
"Grímsey Grímsey is a small Icelandic island, off the north coast of the main island of Iceland, straddling the Arctic Circle. In January 2011 Grímsey had 86 inhabitants. Until a vote in 2009 to amalgamate with Akureyri, it constituted the ""hreppur"" (municipality) of Grímseyjarhreppur. The only settlement is Sandvík. Grímsey is the northernmost inhabited Icelandic territory; the rapidly disappearing islet of Kolbeinsey lies some 60 km farther north, but is uninhabitable. The closest land is the island of Flatey, Skjálfandi, to the south. The Arctic Circle currently runs through the island, a feature of interest to many visitors, while the"
"Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The main island is entirely south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small Icelandic island of Grímsey off the main island's northern coast. The country lies between latitudes 63 and 68°N, and longitudes 25 and 13°W. Iceland is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland (), an island of North America. Iceland is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic and practical reasons. Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates. The closest bodies of land in Europe are the Faroe Islands"
"Cape Farewell, Greenland Cape Farewell (; ) is a headland on the southern shore of Egger Island, Nunap Isua Archipelago, Greenland. As the southernmost point of the country, it is one of the important landmarks of Greenland. Located at this cape is the southernmost extent of Greenland, projecting out into the North Atlantic Ocean and the Labrador Sea on the same latitude as St Petersburg, Oslo and the Shetland Islands. Egger and the associated minor islands are known as the Cape Farewell Archipelago. The area is part of the Kujalleq municipality. King Frederick VI Coast stretches from Cape Farewell to"
"the Katla volcano in Mýrdalsjökull, gathered so much sand and gravel that it was now not at the shore but surrounded by the mainland and the fjord was filled. After the eruption of Katla in 1918, a tongue of land, Kötlutangi, led out into the sea so far that it was regarded as the southernmost point of Iceland. Meanwhile, however, the sea eroded it to the point that this title again belongs to the peninsula of Dyrhólaey. By 1936 there was a farm of the same name on the mountain. After the outbreaks of Katla in 1660 or 1721 it"
"Snæfellsjökull Snæfellsjökull (, ""snow-fell glacier"") is a 700,000-year-old glacier-capped stratovolcano in western Iceland. The name of the mountain is actually Snæfell, but it is normally called ""Snæfellsjökull"" to distinguish it from two other mountains with this name. It is situated on the most western part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. Sometimes it may be seen from the city of Reykjavík over Faxa Bay, at a distance of 120 km. The mountain is one of the most famous sites of Iceland, primarily due to the novel ""Journey to the Center of the Earth"" (1864) by Jules Verne, in which the"
"ferry connects the island three days a week with the mainland. Grímsey Grímsey is a small Icelandic island, off the north coast of the main island of Iceland, straddling the Arctic Circle. In January 2011 Grímsey had 86 inhabitants. Until a vote in 2009 to amalgamate with Akureyri, it constituted the ""hreppur"" (municipality) of Grímseyjarhreppur. The only settlement is Sandvík. Grímsey is the northernmost inhabited Icelandic territory; the rapidly disappearing islet of Kolbeinsey lies some 60 km farther north, but is uninhabitable. The closest land is the island of Flatey, Skjálfandi, to the south. The Arctic Circle currently runs through"
"Vík í Mýrdal The village of Vík (; or Vík í Mýrdal in full) is the southernmost village in Iceland, located on the main ring road around the island, around by road southeast of Reykjavík. Despite its small size (291 inhabitants as of January 2011) it is the largest settlement for some around and is an important staging post, and thus it is indicated on road signs from a long distance away. It is an important service center for the inhabitants of and visitors to the coastal strip between Skógar and the west edge of the Mýrdalssandur glacial outwash plain."
"Geography of Iceland Iceland ( )is an island country at the confluence of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle, atop the constructive boundary of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge about from Scotland and from New York City. One of the world's most sparsely populated countries, Iceland's boundaries are almost the same as the main island – the world's 18th largest in area and possessing almost all of the country's area and population. It is the westernmost European country with more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe. Island"
"Snæfellsnes The Snæfellsnes () is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western Iceland. It has been named ""Iceland in Miniature"", because many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446 m, it is the highest mountain on the peninsula and has a glacier at its peak (""jökull"" means ""glacier"" in Icelandic). The volcano can be seen on clear days from Reykjavík, a distance of about 120 km. The mountain is also known as the setting of the novel ""Journey to"
"Southern Peninsula (Iceland) Southern Peninsula () Reykjanesskagi (pronounced ) or Reykjanes Peninsula is a region in southwest Iceland. It was named after Reykjanes, the southwestern tip of Reykjanesskagi. The region has a population of more than 22,000 and is one of the more densely populated parts of the island. The administrative centre is Keflavík, which had 7,000 residents when it merged with the nearby town of Njarðvík several years ago to create Reykjanesbær, which is the second largest settlement outside the Greater Reykjavík area; on 1 January 2013 the town had a population of 14,231. The region is the location"
"Faxa Bay Faxa Bay (sometimes Faxe Bay or Faxi Bay, ), is a bay in southwest Iceland, between the peninsulas of Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes. The capital of the island, Reykjavík, is situated on its southern shore. From Reykjavik it is possible to see the peninsula of Akranes in the northeast and even the Snæfellsjökull at a distance of about 120 km (75 mi). This bay has few islands and the ones it does have are close to land, in particular contrast to the bay directly north of it, Breiðafjörður, which has the most islands of any bay in Iceland. Faxa"
"run regular guided walks during the season. To reach the true summit requires technical ice climbing. Snæfellsjökull Snæfellsjökull (, ""snow-fell glacier"") is a 700,000-year-old glacier-capped stratovolcano in western Iceland. The name of the mountain is actually Snæfell, but it is normally called ""Snæfellsjökull"" to distinguish it from two other mountains with this name. It is situated on the most western part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. Sometimes it may be seen from the city of Reykjavík over Faxa Bay, at a distance of 120 km. The mountain is one of the most famous sites of Iceland, primarily due to"
"at the same position as the northern promontory of Newfoundland, which was one of the factors that encouraged successful archaeological investigations in 1960 at L'Anse Aux Meadows, which is located at . Skálholt Skálholt (Old Icelandic: Skálaholt) is a historical site in the south of Iceland, at the river Hvítá. Skálholt was, through eight centuries, one of the most important places in Iceland. From 1056 until 1785, it was one of Iceland's two episcopal sees, along with Hólar, making it a cultural and political center. Iceland's first official school, Skálholtsskóli (now Reykjavík Gymnasium, MR), was founded at Skálholt in 1056"
"difficult. Bjargtangar lighthouse The Bjargtangar lighthouse () is a lighthouse located on the cliffs of Látrabjarg in northwestern Iceland. It marks the westernmost point of Iceland and is the westernmost building of Europe. The Bjargtangar light station was established in 1913. The present tower was built in 1948. It is two stories high, built of concrete, and painted entirely white. The lantern house is on the second floor and faces the sea. Because the lighthouse is on a high cliff, the light's focal plane is above the sea. The site (but not the tower) is open to visitors, although access"
"and Stykkishólmur. Near Hellissandur is the tallest structure in western Europe, the Longwave Radio Mast at Hellissandur. In June 2008, the people of Snaefellsnes reached certification status as an EarthCheck community, becoming the first EarthCheck-certified area in Iceland and in Europe, and only the fourth in the world. Snaefellsnes has been committed to the EarthCheck programme since 2003 and has been successfully benchmarked for the past five consecutive years. Snæfellsnes The Snæfellsnes () is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western Iceland. It has been named ""Iceland in Miniature"", because many national sights can be found in"
"mantle plume that sustains the Iceland hotspot. In other scientific work regarding the path of the Iceland hotspot, no such westward track toward Canada (where the aforementioned older igneous rocks exist) can be detected, which implies that the older igneous rocks found in the Northern Atlantic may not have originated from the hotspot. Although the exact path of the Iceland hotspot is debated, a preponderance of geophysical evidence such as the geothermal heat flux over Greenland shows that the hotspot likely moved below Greenland from ~80-50 mya. Around ~60-50 mya when Iceland was located near the eastern coast of Greenland"
"primarily of basalt, a low-silica lava associated with effusive volcanism as has occurred also in Hawaii. Iceland, however, has a variety of volcanic types (composite and fissure), many producing more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite. Iceland has hundreds of volcanoes with about 30 active volcanic systems. Surtsey, one of the youngest islands in the world, is part of Iceland. Named after Surtr, it rose above the ocean in a series of volcanic eruptions between 8 November 1963 and 5 June 1968. Only scientists researching the growth of new life are allowed to visit the island. On 21 March"
"Iceland Iceland ( ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of and an area of , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a"
"1996 has improved that situation. The cliffs at Látrabjarg comprise the longest bird cliff in the northern Atlantic Ocean and are at the westernmost point in Iceland. The Drangajökull glacier is located in the north of the peninsula and is the fifth-largest of the country, but the only glacier of the region. The lack of flat lowlands in the area limits the potential for agriculture, which is mostly restricted to low-intensity sheep grazing near the fjords. Good natural harbors in many of the fjords and their proximity to fishing areas are vital for the local economy. The Westfjords are very"
"second largest), and several eruptions beneath ice caps, which have generated devastating glacial bursts, most recently in 2010 after the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. Iceland's location astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American Plates are moving apart, is partly responsible for this intense volcanic activity, but an additional cause is necessary to explain why Iceland is a substantial island while the rest of the ridge mostly consists of seamounts, with peaks below sea level. As well as being a region of higher temperature than the surrounding mantle, it is believed to have a higher concentration of water. The"
"Westman Islands Golf Club The Westman Island Golf Club is a golf club located on the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar in Icelandic), on the island of Heimaey off the southern coast of Iceland. The club was established in 1938 as a nine-hole course. The course was expanded to 18 holes in the early 1990s by Hannes Thorsteinsson. It is the southernmost golf course in Iceland and is located in the remnants of an extinct volcano. Golf Monthly ranks it as one of the top 200 golf courses in Europe. The current course is par 70 and 5,820 yards in length. The"