Iceland is quickly becoming a favorite tourist attraction for many people. It has many great attractions for tourists (even if some of them do require travel insurance) like glaciers and volcanoes.
Glaciers and Landforms
Iceland is considered a “glaciated country†where around 11% of the entire country is covered by glaciers. Most of the glaciers are wet-based and temperate, meaning that they are right at melting point throughout the whole year. Glaciers are slow-moving masses of ice that are formed from highly compacted layers of snow. They form in places where a lot of snow and ice get accumulated.
The largest glaciers in Iceland can be found in the north and south, where it’s coldest. The glaciers come in all types. Iceland has small cirque glaciers as well as expansive glacier caps. Famous glaciers include the Vatnajokull, Myrdalsjokull, Tindfjallajokull, Langjokull, and Eyjafjallajokull glaciers.
Volcanoes
Iceland is also home to many famous volcanoes. In fact, Iceland has the greatest concentration of volcanoes in the world. They account for nearly a third of the world’s lava input. The most recent volcano to erupt, Surtesy, is actually considered more of a “volcanic island†and was formed when an underground volcano eruption began in 1963. The eruption continued until 1967, and by then the volcano had grown to 1 square mile. Iceland also boasts many other famous volcanoes that have actually erupted fairly recently: Hekla erupted in 2000 and GrÃmsvötn erupted in 2004. There’s also a volcano, Hverfjall, which erupted back in 500 BC!
Iceland’s volcanoes are so active because the island itself is situated right over two tectonic plates that are constantly shifting. Most volcanoes in Iceland are known as shield volcanoes and they’re so common in Iceland that the word “shield volcano†actually comes from the Icelandic word Skjaldbreiður, which means “broad shield.†Shield volcanoes are typically large with shallow sloping sides that resemble a shield. They are formed by lava flowing easily, and are typically so large they are sometimes mistaken for mountains.
Minerals and Rocks
Iceland also has many different types of rocks and minerals. Their leading mineral export in 2002 was a substance called diatomite. Iceland’s mineral map also has aluminum as well as something called ferrosilicon to produce its geothermal power, making it the country’s other most common mineral. It also has a lot of sand and gravel, pumice, salt, peat, scoria and hydraulic cement. Meanwhile, Iceland spar is a type of transparent calcite that was originally discovered in Iceland and found almost exclusively in the country.
Icelandic Words
Most travelers like to be prepared. They research hotels and places to eat, purchase travel medical insurance, and learn the language of the land. Learning a few common Iceland phrases can help you feel more connected to the island:
Traveling to Iceland will be a truly unique, exciting experience, especially if you take the time to seek out all of its truly amazing landmarks.