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Volcanoes of Iceland

Askja | Bardarbunga | Blafell | Blafjall | Brennisteinsfjöll | Burfell | Eldey | Eríksjokull | Esjufjöll | Eyafjallajökull | Fjallgardar Ridge | Fremrinámar | Gaesafjoll | Geysir | Grensdalur | Grímsnes | Grímsvötn | Heiðarsporðar | Hekla | Helgrindur | Hengill | Herdubreid | Hlodufell | Hofsjökull | Hreppar | Hrómundartindur | Hrutfell | Hveravellir | Katla | Kerlingarfjöll | Kistufell | Kolbeinsey Ridge | Krafla | Krísuvík | Kverkfjöll | Lambafjoll | Langjökull | Ljósufjöll | Loki-Fögrufjöll volcano | Lyngdalsheidi | Lysuhóll | Ok | Öraefajökull | Prestahnukur | Reykjanes | Sellandafjall | Snaefellsjökull | Strutur | Theistareykjarbunga | Thordarhyrna | Thorisjokull | Tindfjallajökull | Tjörnes Fracture Zone | Torfajökull | Tungnaarfjoll | Tungnafellsjökull | Valdalda | Vatnafjöll | Vestmannaeyjar

Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland (4 volcanoes)

Brennisteinsfjöll | Fagradalsfjall | Krísuvík | Reykjanes
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Location of Iceland and the North Atlantic mid-ocean ridge where the American and Eurasian plates separate
Location of Iceland and the North Atlantic mid-ocean ridge where the American and Eurasian plates separate
Simplified map of Iceland showing its active volcanoes
Simplified map of Iceland showing its active volcanoes

Iceland and its volcanoes

Iceland has the land area of Virginia and the population of Virginia Beach (about 260,000 people). The country has the highest literacy rate (100%) of any nation in the world. Its history has always been closely related to volcanoes and knowledge of many volcanic eruptions since the middle ages are preserved in accounts.
First settled by Vikings in the 9th century AD, Iceland established its own parliament in 930 and recorded its first historical volcanic eruption only a few years later. After a golden age of literature in the 12th and 13th centuries (when the sagas were written), natural history reporting reached a low around the 15th century. In the years 1707-09 a third of the population died from smallpox, and the 1783-84 Laki eruption killed a fifth of the remaining population by famine. Iceland gained sovereignty from Denmark in 1918 and complete independence in 1944.
Iceland is noted for subglacial and regional fissure eruptions related to the rifting process between the separating plates.
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(adapted from GVP/Smithsonian Institution)
Latest news
Thu, 28 Mar 2024, 10:16

Reykjanes volcano update: eruption persists from three primary craters

The latest cloud-free satellite image showing three main crater vents and the lava flow (image: Sentinel-2)
The eruption continues at stable but at low-level values. ... Read all
Wed, 27 Mar 2024, 15:00

Reykjanes volcano (Reykjanes Peninsula) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 20 March-26 March 2024 (New Activity / Unrest)

According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), eruptive activity along the fissure that opened on 16 March began to stabilize on 20 March, with vents remaining in the same locations as previous days where cones had been built. The lava flows traveled S on top of older flows from the previous episodes in December 2023 and January-February 2024. Little or no change was observed at the flow fronts near Suðurstrandarvegur (the southern coast road) and Svartsengi. ... Read all