Central Idea

A volcanic eruption occurred near Iceland’s capital between Sýlingarfell and Hagafell, near the town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Iceland: ‘Land of Fire and Ice’

Geographical Location: Iceland is situated just south of the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Tectonic Setting: The country lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, marking the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Unique Landscape: Iceland’s landscape features geysers, glaciers, mountains, volcanoes, and lava fields, housing 33 active volcanoes – the highest number in Europe.
Historical Settlement: The first human settlement in Iceland dates back to 874 by Norsemen from Scandinavia, leading to the founding of Reykjavik.

Historical Dormancy: The Reykjanes Peninsula had not experienced volcanic eruptions for 800 years until recently.
Recent Eruptions: The current eruption is the fourth in less than three years on the peninsula, indicating a potential new era of volcanic activity.
Eyjafjallajokull Eruption: The last major volcanic event in Iceland that gained global attention was the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull.
Eruption Timeline and Impact: The volcano erupted twice in March and April 2010, spreading an ash cloud across continents and disrupting air traffic on the North Atlantic route for six days – the longest disruption since World War II.