Geography of Iceland
Iceland (local name, Ísland) is an island country in Northern Europe between the Greenland Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic. It is south of the Arctic Circle, northwest of the United Kingdom, and east of Greenland. It is located in a contact zone between the Eurasian plates to the east and the North American one. In its central area are the Highlands, with some peaks, volcanoes, geysers and large glaciers, including Vatnajökull, the second largest on the continent. Its rivers are formed by the melting of the snow in that sector. Its channel follows a direction that goes from the center of the island towards the coast, with rugged routes and colorful waterfalls. Especially to the north and west, the coast is rugged, with bays and fjords.
Physical geography
Iceland consists of eight geographical regions, Höfuðborgarsvæðið (Capital District), Suðurnes (South-West), Vesturland (Western), Vestfirðir (Western Fjords), Norðurland Vestra (North-West), Norðurland Eystra (North-East), Austurland (Eastern) and Suðurland (southern). 20 percent of the land is used as pasture, and only 1 percent is cultivated. Iceland lost most of the forests that covered the territory, but an ambitious reforestation plan is being developed. Pollen from fossilized trees and descriptions by early settlers indicate that before the first settlements around the year 800, trees covered between 30 and 40 percent of the island. Today, however, there are only small patches of the original birch forest, the most notable of which are at Hallormsstaðaskógur (740 ha) and Vaglaskógur (300 ha).
Iceland has 36 islands. The longest river is the Þjórsá, 230 km long. There are three national parks, Vatnajökull, Snæfellsjökull and Þingvellir. The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southeast, while the highlands are uninhabited. The territory basically consists of a plateau intersected by mountains, ice fields, and a coastline deeply indented by bays and fjords.
Relief
Its relief reveals an underwater orographic knot between the Reykjavík Ridge, to the southwest, and the West Jan Majen Ridge. Both are northern segments of the Mid-Atlantic and are the contact zone of the Eurasian plates to the east and the North American plates to the west.
The rift continually separates a few millimeters every century based on plate tectonics. The separation is noted by the valleys of the rivers Thjórsá (in the southwestern half) and Skjálfandafljót (in the northwestern half). The island is also on a gigantic magmatic caldera.
Most of the territory is a plateau with some mountain peaks, glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, and rugged coastlines with bays and fjords. The Highlands of Iceland cover half of the territory, a vast mountainous desert of lava that is mostly uninhabitable, as rains quickly infiltrate the terrain and do not allow plants to grow.
Hvannadalshnjúkur, in the northeast of the Öræfajökull volcano, is the highest point in Iceland with a height of 2109.6 ms. no. m. It is part of the Skaftafell National Park, in the eastern region of Austurland.
Coastline
The Icelandic coastline has multiple accidents. Among its bays, those of Faxaflói, Skjálfandi and Vaðlavík stand out.
Its main peninsula is Vestfirðir, which in turn constitutes one of the country's administrative regions. It includes the northwestern part of the island.
Also in the Arctic Ocean are the Skagi and Vatnsnes peninsulas, in the Norðurland Vestra region, and the Melrakkaslétta and Langanes peninsulas, in the Norðurland Eystra region, in the north-eastern part of the country. The border between the two regions passes through Tröllaskagi, between the Eyjafjörður and Skagafjörður fjords.
Its coastline is dotted with fjords, particularly in the Austurland regions, where Álftafjörður, Borgarfjörður and Hornafjörður are, and in Vestfirðir, where Arnarfjörður, Ísafjarðardjúp and Jökulfirðir meet. In Norðurland Eystra is Eyjafjörður, and in Norðurland Vestra is Skagafjörður.
Volcanoes
Iceland is one of the countries with the most volcanic activity. There are around 200 post-glacial volcanoes, of which at least 30 have erupted since the country was established in the 9th century.
On average an eruption takes place every five years and is divided by tectonic plates. Volcanic eruptions melt the ice and cause large vulcano-glacial phenomena, called jökulhlaup.
The most famous Icelandic volcano is Hekla, known in the Christian world in the Middle Ages as the Abode of the Damned. Since its first recorded eruption in 1104, which destroyed vast areas including the village of Þjórsárdalur, Hekla has erupted 17 times, causing extensive damage to the surrounding countryside.
At the beginning of its eruption in March 1947, the column of fire and ash rose to 30,000 m and there were new eruptions in 1980, 1981 and 2010[citation needed].
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The most recent and dramatic eruption occurred during the night of January 23, 1973 on the only inhabited island of the Vestmann group, Heimaey.
The entire population of some 5,300 people was evacuated to the mainland in a matter of hours without any accidents, in an astonishing operation.
The eruption lasted until May and half the city was engulfed by lava, while the rest was covered by thick layers of ash. The port and the most important fish processing plant were saved by Icelandic scientists who boldly resorted to using sea water to cool the moving lava and then stop it.
The last submarine eruption, near the Westman Islands, began visibly on November 14, 1963, forming three islands; one of which has stood the test of time and was named Surtsey with an area of almost 4 km². The eruption lasted for more than two years, attracting scientists and tourists from all over the world.
The most important linear volcano in the world, Laki, is in Iceland with an extension of about 25 km in length with more than a hundred craters. It arose from a fissure in the Grímsvötn volcano, during an eruption that began in 1783 and lasted 8 months, until 1784. It is the second deadliest in all of history. This killed 9,000 Icelanders1 and over 50% of the island's livestock.
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Geysers and Geothermal Heat
Iceland is richer in italic springs and geothermal areas than any other country in the world. It is characterized by steam wells, mud pools, and sulfur precipitates. The main areas of high temperatures are Torfajökull east of the Hekla volcano and Grímsvötn on the Vatnajökull glacier.
There are about 250 geothermal areas of this type with a total of approximately 800 hot springs. Some are springs with significant jets or geysers; the most famous of these is the Great Geysir at Haukadalur in southern Iceland, from which the word geyser derives. Another famous geyser close to the Great Geysir is the Strokkur.
Another geothermal area of tourist importance is a lagoon near Reykjavík called Bláa lónið ("Blue Lagoon").
Glaciers
Among the most distinctive features of Iceland are the glaciers. They cover 11,800 km² or 11.5% of the total land area of the country. During recent decades the glaciers have reduced their thickness considerably due to a milder climate and some of the smaller ones have disappeared.
The largest ice cap is Vatnajökull in the southeast of the country with a surface area of 8,400 km², which equals the extension of all the glaciers on the European continent. It reaches a thickness of 1,000 m and a volume of 3,100 km³. It is divided between the regions of Austurland, Norðurland Eystra and Suðurland.
Other important glaciers are Langjökull and Hofsjökull, both with an area of over 900 km². The first is divided between the Vesturland and Suðurland regions, and the second between the Norðurland Vestra and Suðurland regions.
Myrdalsjökull is located in Suðurland and is the fourth largest glacier, with 596 km². Its summit reaches 1,493 m s. no. m. Another major glacier is Drangajökull, on the Hornstrandir peninsula in Vestfirðir, with an extension of 160 km².
Other glaciers between 50 and 19 km² in area are Tungnafellsjökull, Þórisjökull, Eiríksjökull, Þrándarjökull, Tindfjallajökull, Torfajökull and Snæfellsjökull.
Many ice fields and glaciers in Iceland lie on top of volcanoes, such as Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga, near Vatnajökull.
Hydrography
Rivers
Rivers in Iceland are numerous and relatively large due to significant rainfall and large amounts of glacial meltwater, but none of them are navigable due to rapid currents.
Many of the rivers originate from glaciers in the central Highlands of the island. Consequently, they load themselves with detritus. They are cloudy and often have a yellowish-brown hue.
The longest river, the Þjórsá in the south, is 230 km long and has an average discharge of 385 m³ per second. Other important rivers in the south are the Hvitá, the Ölfusá, the Skeiðará and the Skógá.
To the west are the Fossá, the Hvitá and the Norðurá. In the region of Vestfirðir are the Dynjandi and the Staðará
Waterfalls
Characteristic of the Icelandic landscape are the many waterfalls, of which the most famous are Gullfoss, the 32-metre "golden waterfall" on the Hvitá River; the Skogafoss, 60 meters, in the Skógá; and the Dettifoss, 44 meters, in the Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The first two are in the Suðurland region and the last one, in the Jökulsárgljúfur national park, in the Norðurland Eystra.
Other important waterfalls are Goðafoss, Hafragilsfoss, Seljalandsfoss and Selfoss.
Lakes
Lakes are plentiful in Iceland, but most of them are quite small. Some of these lakes have been formed by land subsidence (Þingvallavatn, Kleifarvatn), others fill depressions produced by glacial erosion (Jökulsárlón, Logurinn, Skorradalsvatn, Mývatn). Some are heavily lava filled (Þórisvatn, Mývatn).
The five largest lakes are Þingvallavatn (83 km²), which is 109 m deep; the Þórisvatn (68 km²), the Logurinn (52 km²); the lake-lagoon Hóp (45 km²), and the Mývatn (38 km²). Lake Mývatn is known worldwide for its fascinating view and rich variety of birds.
Climate
In the Köppen climate classification, Iceland's climate is oceanic, cold near the coast, and tundra inland in the highlands. The location of the country in the border zone between two different air currents influences, one of polar origin and the other tropical (separated by the polar front).
The weather in Iceland is generally quite changeable. It depends on the course of atmospheric depressions that cross the North Atlantic.
There is an area of constant low pressure near Iceland, aptly called the Icelandic Trough that lies between Iceland and Greenland. This zone affects the amount of air that is brought from the Arctic to the east, and the amount of air that goes from the Arctic to the west. This zone is part of a larger pressure system known as the North Atlantic Oscillation.
Two ocean currents also influence Iceland's climate. The first of these, the North Atlantic, which runs along the southern and western coasts, makes the island's climate milder than would be expected considering its latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. The second, the Irminger current, reinforces this effect and helps to temper the temperature of the island.
Winter is relatively mild for its latitude. The southern plains of the island have temperatures around 0 °C in winter, while in the highlands it tends to be around −10 °C. The lowest temperatures in the northern part of the island are between −25 and −30 °C. The lowest recorded temperature is −39.7 °C.
The average temperature in July in the southern part of the island is between 10 and 13 °C. Hot summer days can reach 20-25°C. The highest recorded temperature was 30.5 °C in the East Fjords in 1939. The average annual sunshine hours in Reykjavik are around 1,300, which is similar to cities in Scotland and Ireland.
The prevailing wind direction is east. Those in the west are very rare. Generally speaking, the speed tends to be higher in the highlands, but topographical features can aggravate the winds and cause strong gusts in the plains.
Wind speed often reaches 18 meters per second; on stormy days, it reaches 50 meters per second. Intense dust storms can be found with strong glacial winds.
Up to 10 tons of material can be in motion per transect and hour. These storms are very frequent in early summer in the arid highlands north of the Vatnajökull glacier.
Storms are extremely rare in Iceland, with less than five storms a year in the southern part of the island. They are common especially in late summer. They may be caused by warm air masses coming from the mainland, or low pressure coming from the southwest in winter. Lightning can usually be seen in connection with the ash plumes coming from the island's volcanoes.
The Northern Lights can often be seen especially in autumn and early winter. For two or three months in the summer there is continuous daylight in Iceland and in the early spring and towards the end of the autumn there are long twilights. The really dark period (three to four hours of daylight) lasts from about mid-November to the end of January.
In Reykjavik, about 800 mm of rain falls per year, well distributed throughout the year, with a minimum of 45 mm in May and 10 days of precipitation, and a maximum of 85 mm in October with 15 days of precipitation. Since the temperatures are very mild, evapotranspiration is relatively low and the light rains are well distributed. Temperatures range from -2.oC minimum to 2.oC for January high, and the 9.oC for minimum and 14.oC maximum July and August. The hours of sunshine are very few, oscillating between zero hours in December and six hours between May and July. The sea temperature ranges between 5 and 10.oC.
In Akureyri, in the north of the island, protected from the humid southwesterly winds, rainfall is much less, about 485 mm per year, with a minimum of 20 mm and 5 days of rain in May, and a maximum of 60 mm and 11 days of rain in October. Since it is located in a protected fjord, the temperatures are mild and the sea does not freeze over in winter. The means range from -4.oC to 2.oC in January, and between 9.oC and 15.oC in July.
Environment
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Surtsey, a natural heritage site declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2008, stands out in its natural heritage. 58,970 hectares are protected as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, in three Ramsar sites: Grunnafjördur, part of the region Mytvan-Laxá and Thjörsárver.
Since 2008, Iceland has the national parks of Thingvellir, in southern Iceland, founded in 1928; Snæfellsjökull, in the west, founded in 2001; and Vatnajökull, in the southeast, founded in 2008.
There used to be four national parks in Iceland; that year Jökulsárgljúfur and Skaftafell were merged and integrated into the Vatnajökull National Park, which is also the largest national park in Europe. Ásbyrgi is a canyon with forested areas that lies in the north, about two hours to the east from Akureyri, in the Norðurland Eystra region.
Iceland's natural hazards are earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Environmental problems are water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate waste water treatment.
Flora
In Iceland we can find only a quarter of the total surface that has a continuous layer of vegetation. This is mainly due to unfavorable weather, volcanic activity, glacial movements, and access to grazing for livestock.
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The vegetation has suffered great deterioration during the eleven centuries of human occupation, in addition to significant soil erosion. Extensive birch forests were destroyed by indiscriminate felling and grazing, so that only a few remnants of them still survive.
On the occasion of the celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Iceland as a Nation, the Althing (assembly-parliament) met in Þingvellir on July 27, 1974, and passed a resolution allocating a significant sum of money to stop the erosion of the island and for the recovery of what had already been lost.
Since then, large areas have been protected from grazing, and large-scale coniferous reforestation experiments have been carried out. The largest trees are now found in the birch forests of Hallormsstadarskógur in the east and Vaglaskógur in the north, rowans and poplars grow in some parts.
In general, the vegetation in Iceland is subarctic in nature and is distinguished by an abundance of grasses, sedges and related species. Meadows, marshes and bogs are also abundant, and there are many areas of moorland and heather. But throughout the country and especially on the uninhabited plains there are vast expanses of bare rock, stony deserts, sandy wastelands, and lava fields.
Economic geography
Iceland's natural resources include fishing, hydropower, geothermal, and diatomite.
Just 0.07% of the land is arable and there are no permanent crops. 23% of the territory is dedicated to permanent pastures. Shrimp and lobster fishing has lately become a lucrative activity in some parts of the country.
Iceland is one of the oldest democracies in the world. In 2016 Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson was elected president, while Katrin Jakobsdottir has been prime minister since 2017 and president of the Left-Green Movement. Iceland's economy was affected in 2019 by a poor fishing season and a contraction in tourism due to the bankruptcy of the low-cost airline Wow Air. Iceland, with a population of 340,000 in 2020 and a per capita income of 55,917 dollars, he applied to enter the EU in 2009, due to the crisis, but in 2015 he withdrew his candidacy. However, it enjoys free trade in capital, workers, goods and services with the EU.
Historically, Iceland's prosperity had depended on abundant fishing and energy resources, coupled with investment and services. In the years prior to the 2008 crisis, the main sectors were financial and construction. In 2010, the crisis led to prioritizing domestic demand and tourism. Services represent 70% of GDP. Fishing, was in 2015, 8.3% of GDP and the largest export, but declined in recent years in favor of tourism. The export of manufactured goods represented 12% in 2015 and construction 6% of GDP.
Iceland's Protected Areas
In Iceland there are 128 protected areas that occupy 19,952 km², 19.5% of the country's 102,302 km², and 2,864 km² of marine areas, 0.38% of the corresponding marine surface, 752,784 km². These areas are distributed among 3 national parks, 38 nature reserves, 42 natural monuments, 2 conservation areas, 23 recreational areas and 4 protected habitats. At the regional level, there are 9 marine protected areas, in addition to 1 world heritage site and 6 Ramsar sites.
National Parks
- Vatnajökull National Park, 14 000 km2. In the southeast. It includes the former national parks of Jökulsárgljúfur, with the famous Dettifoss waterfall, which appears in the film Prometheus, and Skaftafell, with the famous Svartifoss waterfall, surrounded by black basaltic columns.
- National Park Τingvellir, 228 km2. In the southwest.
- Snæfellsjökull National Park, 170 km2. West. Culmina in the Snæfellsjökull volcano, 1446 m high.
World Heritage Site
- Surtsey Island, 33.7 km2. South Iceland, which was established in 1963.
Ramsar Sites
In Iceland there are 6 Ramsar sites with an area of 1287 km².
- Gudlaugstungur Nature Reserve, 402 km2
- Protected habitat of Andakill, 31 km2. Nature reserve in the estuary of the Borgarfjörður, with two rivers.
- Snaefell and Eyjabakkar Nature Reserve, 264,5 km2. In the Snæfellsjökull National Park, north of the Eyjabakkajökull Glacier
- Grunnafjördur, 14,7 km2. Estuary in western Iceland.
- Thjörsárver o Thjórsá, 375 km2. It's the longest river in Iceland.
- Myvatn-Laxá Region, 200 km2. Myvatn is a shallow water lake supplied by the Laxá River.