A land formed by fire
Iceland is one of the most volcanically active countries on the planet. Here, fire bubbles continuously beneath the earth. And when it bursts—often violently—to the surface, it can change the very form of our landscape.
But the volcanoes you’ll discover across our country don’t just transform our physical world. They have an enduring human impact too.
What are volcanoes?
Volcanoes are ruptures or holes in the surface of the Earth that release lava, gases, ash, or other material into the air. The name appropriately comes from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
The eruptions of volcanoes are formed by heat and pressure in the planet’s core. The Earth’s surface or crust is made of plates that move on top of molten rock known as magma. But in areas of weakness in the crust, that magma can burst out onto the surface.
As you’ll see, there are many processes that cause volcanic eruptions to happen. But while they’re typically known as highly destructive events, they can be very creative processes too.
The science of Iceland’s volcanoes
With over 130 separate volcanic systems, Iceland is a particularly volcanically active place. This is due to two main processes which have been shaping the world beneath our feet for thousands of years.
Most crucially, Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Here, two tectonic plates—the Eurasian and the North American plates—are moving apart. Due to the forces this motion creates, the Earth’s crust ruptures and cracks, allowing gas and magma through to the surface. You can see these processes in action on the Reykjanes peninsula.
Alongside this volcanic rift, Iceland also sits on a mantle plume, an area of particularly intense heat beneath the Earth’s surface. As a result, the Land of Fire and Ice has some of the most diverse forms of volcanoes anywhere in the world.
The human history of eruption
From the mighty geysers of the Golden Circle to the lava fields of the south coast, Iceland is littered with the signs of volcanic activity. But our country’s frequent eruptions have a human impact too.
Back in 1783, Iceland was a poor agricultural nation that survived on the food it could grow. But in June that year, Laki erupted—and it didn’t stop erupting for eight months. Due to the clouds of ash it produced, much of Iceland’s livestock perished, and it’s thought that as many as a quarter of Iceland’s population died.
Less tragically, those of you who are old enough may remember the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010. This event caused air traffic across Europe to be grounded for five days, affecting millions of people.
Yet the impact of volcanoes is not always negative. The same geological processes that cause eruptions enable us in Iceland to heat our homes, power our industry, and enjoy geothermal pools such as the Blue Lagoon.
Iceland’s most famous volcanoes
With so many separate volcanic systems in Iceland, we won’t be able to name them all here. But here are some of the country’s best known—and most disruptive—volcanoes.
Eyjafjallajökull
Probably the most famous (although most difficult to pronounce) of Iceland’s volcanoes, Eyjafjallajökull gained notoriety in 2010 with its enormous ash cloud that disrupted international travel. By its own historical standards, though, this was a small eruption!
Katla
Katla is one of Iceland’s largest volcanoes. It’s erupted about 20 times over the last five millennia, but it’s still very much active and it’s under constant scientific observation. You can see its peak above Vík í Mýrdal, on Iceland’s south coast.
Hekla
Hekla’s mediaeval nickname as the “Gateway to Hell” should give you an impression of this volcano. It’s highly active and when it erupts it tends to be highly explosive. For a sense of its power, it’s thought to have produced the largest amount of lava of any volcano worldwide in the last thousand years.
Laki
While Laki (or Lakagígar, to give its full name) is part of the most active volcanic system in Iceland, Grímsvötn, it’s best known for its 1783 eruption. This changed the climate of the entire planet, caused crops to fail across Europe, and may even have helped to cause the French Revolution.
Svartsengi
In recent years, the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of Iceland has seen a large number of eruptions. Most dramatically, the eruption of Svartsengi in early 2024 caused the evacuation of the nearby town Grindavík.
Visiting the volcanoes of Iceland
The beauty of Iceland is that it’s possible to see real volcanic processes and landforms across the country, easily and safely.
In the Golden Circle, you can witness geysers and mudpots that bubble and steam with volcanic gases. At Þingvellir National Park, you can walk in the tectonic trench of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. And across the country you can explore lava fields, craters, and deserts of volcanic ash, and even climb to the tops of volcanoes.
It’s possible to see active volcanoes in Iceland too—but you’ll have to be lucky. Historical studies show that there are roughly 25 eruptions every century here, or about one every four years.