There are numerous glaciers in Iceland as you can see on this map of Iceland. The glaciers cover 11.1% of Iceland's land area, which is approximately 11,400 square kilometers out of the total 103,125 square kilometers comprising Iceland. Most guided tours in Iceland include glacier sightseeing.
The glaciers in Iceland have a considerable impact on the landscape and give Iceland that typical rugged feel of prehistoric nature.
Many glaciers actually cover up Iceland's volcanoes, such as Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga (which lie under the largest glacier of Iceland, Vatnajökull.)
Grímsvötn's volcano opening is 100 square kilometers large, or 60 at Bárðarbunga. When volcanic activity occurs beneath the glacier, the resulting meltwater can lead to a sudden glacial lake outburst, similar to bursts simply caused by geothermal activity (geysirs).
In other cases, the meltwater of the glaciers in Iceland can cool lava so quickly that dangerous glass particles are created. This happened in the April 2010 eruption underneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in southern Iceland.
The Icelandic word for glacier is "Jökull".
Sorted from large to small, the glaciers in Iceland are:
The glaciers in Iceland have a considerable impact on the landscape and give Iceland that typical rugged feel of prehistoric nature.
Many glaciers actually cover up Iceland's volcanoes, such as Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga (which lie under the largest glacier of Iceland, Vatnajökull.)
Grímsvötn's volcano opening is 100 square kilometers large, or 60 at Bárðarbunga. When volcanic activity occurs beneath the glacier, the resulting meltwater can lead to a sudden glacial lake outburst, similar to bursts simply caused by geothermal activity (geysirs).
In other cases, the meltwater of the glaciers in Iceland can cool lava so quickly that dangerous glass particles are created. This happened in the April 2010 eruption underneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in southern Iceland.
The Icelandic word for glacier is "Jökull".
Sorted from large to small, the glaciers in Iceland are:
- Vatnajökull
- Langjökull
- Hofsjökull
- Mýrdalsjökull
- Drangajökull
- Eyjafjallajökull
- Tungnafellsjökull
- Þórisjökull
- Eiríksjökull
- Þrándarjökull
- Tindfjallajökull
- Torfajökull
- Snæfellsjökull
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