1. ICELAND
The land of fire and ice

4. Iceland is situated near the polar circle,
white nights are quite common here in summer.

5. Midnight sun in the north
of the country

6. Iceland is truly an island of
extremes and contrasts,
where large glaciers dwell in
the vicinity of some of the
most active volcanoes in the
world, creating an unusual
harmony of fire and ice.
The most famous and active
volcano in Iceland is mount
Hekla, which has erupted 18
times since 1104, the last
time in the year 2000.

7. There are over hundred volcanoes on Iceland’s central
plateau, most of which have not erupted in the past
thousand years.
However, between 30 and 40 are still active,
meaning that they have erupted within last
few centuries. 18 volcanoes have erupted
since the settlement of Iceland.

8. Surtsey is an volcanic island
and is called a stratovolcano.
It is made from many layers
of ash, lava, and other
particles. It is interesting that
it just popped out of the ocean
in 1963.

9. The Surtsey Volcano

10. In two years the eruptions stopped but near its shores
a new island appeared – Sirtlingur.

11. Askja is a very complex volcano made up of three calderas. The volcano has mostly erupted
basaltic material over its recent history. The calderas are formed by passive sinking of the
land surface, much like we see in Hawai’i. However, at Askja, it appears that the calderas
are formed more violently due to explosive eruptions out of the ring fractures bounding the
calderas. The most recent activity at Askja was in 1961. That caldera-forming eruption in
1875 was large enough that ash and tephra fell as far away as Norway and Sweden.

12. Pseudocrater

13. The Lake Mivatn

14. Iceland is a geological "hot spot", causing the huge number of hot springs and
spouting geysers around the country. Iceland is packed with warm springs, pools,
fumaroles, mud pots, colourful soil and, of course, spouting geysers. The Geysir
area in Haukadalur valley is Iceland's most famous geothermal area, with the
world famous Geysir and Strokkur springs spouting regularly.
Historically, geothermal power has been limited to areas near tectonic plate
boundaries. Iceland, which lies on the mid-Atlantic Ridge, was basically formed
by the drifting apart of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates and therefore
creating the perfect settings for the usability of geothermal heat.

15. Fumaroles and mud pots

17. Solfatara –
a jet of sulfur dioxide
and hydrogen sulfide
with an admixture of
water vapors, carbon
dioxide, and other
gases. Solfataras are
emitted from lava and
other pyroclastic flows
and through vents and
fissures in the walls
and bottoms of craters
and on the slopes of
volcanoes. Their
temperature ranges
from 100° to 300°C.

18. Fumarolas -
emission of gases and
vapours from a
volcanic conduit or a
lava flow

19. Area of thermal fields in
Krisuvik

20. A geyser is a hot spring that periodically erupts,
throwing water into the air. The word geyser comes
from the Icelandic verb geysa, "to gush".

21. Iceland uses geothermal
energy for a diverse area
of services, including
electricity production,
spas, home heating, fish
farming, and industrial
process heat. More than
95% of Iceland’s urban
population heat their
homes and buildings
with geothermal energy.

22. It’s possible to swim
in some rivers even in
the cold weather. The
water temperature is
about 37 C.

23. Geothermal waters are being used as bathing areas.

24. Not only people use the
Earth’s heat.
Hundreds of gulls seat on
the warm soil of the
geothermal areas in the
south part of island.

25. Streams of lava

26. Basalt cliffs of Skagafjordur

27. Beautiful volcanic
landscapes

29. Differential weathering
destroys volcanic area
creating fanciful relief
forms

30. Basaltic sculptures

31. Basaltic island

32. Basaltic bridge
The gorge Elgjya at
the river Skauta (the
south of the island)

33. The rivers create
beautiful cascades and
bridges in the basaltic
rocks

34. The icelandic rivers are full of
rises and waterfalls
The river Jokjulsau-a-Fielljum
flows through basaltic areas
creating rises and gorges

35. Eruptive landscape of Iceland

36. Solid volcanic masses

37. Thawed waters of the
Skaftafell glacier

38. Destructive activity of the
rivers.

39. The river Jokjulsau-a-Felljum

40. The river Skeidra in
the south of the
island starts at the
glacier
Vatnajokjudl

41. The longest gorge within
Iceland is located in the
National Park
Jokjulsaurljuvjur in the
north-western part of the
island.

42. The waterfall Detifoss
at the river Jokjulsau-
a-Fiodljum is
considered the
biggest one among
european countries.

43. The bright rainbow
above Detifoss
waterfall.

44. Skagafoss waterfall

45. Godafoss waterfall
at the river
Skjyalfandaflet

46. Impressive waterfall Gullfoss
at the river Hvita in the south
of the island

47. Selgafoss waterfall is one of the
highest at the island.

48. The lake is situated in the
crater of the volcano Askja in
the north-east of the glacier
Vatnajökull. Its name simply
means the lake of Askja. It
was created by an enormous
volcanic eruption in 1875.
On July 10, 1907, two German
scientists, Walter von Knebel
and Max Rudloff disappeared
while exploring the lake in a
small boat.

49. Vatnajokull is the biggest glacier in Europe. It covers about 8%
of the country and the average thickness is 400m.

50. Skaftafedl glacier in the south-west of Vatnajokull glacier

51. Icebergs split off the glaciers

53. Any visitor of Iceland will admire the beauty of the rugged
landscapes of Iceland.

54. Today only 1 or 2 percent of the island's surface is covered by
downy birch trees

55. A typical plant that
generally grows all over
Iceland in poor conditions
but is quite conspicuous in
these regions is the Moss
campion.

56. Among the few
flowers in Iceland
one mark beautiful
orchids

57. Viola

58. Cotton grass is a typical
flower in the black bog soil

59. Typical Icelandic
landscape – volcanic
mountains and bog soils

60. Stadasveit area

61. Nootka Lupin and Lyme grasses are seemed to be the only species that prevent
the slope erosion.

62. Atlantic Puffin – is the
symbol of Iceland.
These birds have
bright- coloured beaks
and legs, very often
they are called “North
Parrots”. The Atlantic
Puffin likes to eat fish,
squid, and
crustaceans.

63. Iceland is one of the
main breeding
grounds for
waterfowl in Europe.
There are no fewer
than 16 species of
duck known to nest
in Iceland, including
two American
species; Barrow's
Goldeneye and the
Harlequin Duck.

64. The severe nature of the
island attracts by its beauty
and extravagance.
The tourists travel around
Iceland alone and in groups.
.

65. One of the oldest
churches on the island
(XVIII century).

66. The modern church in
Reykjavík.