Vatnajökull

Located south–east of the country, with an aggregate area of 7900 km2, Vatnajökull, which was earlier also referred to as Klofajökull, is the biggest icecap in Iceland and also Europe. Vatnajökull which means ‘glacier of lakes’ covers almost eight per cent of Iceland and has an ice cover of nearly a kilometer (950 meters) at some places, even as the average thickness is around 380 meters.

Located south-east of the country, with an aggregate area of 7900 km2, Vatnajökull, which was earlier also referred to as Klofajökull, is the biggest icecap in Iceland and also Europe. Vatnajökull which means ‘glacier of lakes’ covers almost eight per cent of Iceland and has an ice cover of nearly a kilometer (950 meters) at some places, even as the average thickness is around 380 meters.

Volcanologists are of the opinion that during the Ice Age several volcanic eruptions resulted in the creation of multiple subglacial eruptions and small water bodies and lagoons. The highest peak in Iceland, Hvannadalshnukur, which stands 2109.6 meters above sea level, is located within this region, in the southern periphery of Vatnajökull, close to Skaftafell. Vatnajökull, which has approximately 30 outlet glaciers, includes prominent glaciers like Dynjujökull towards the north and Skeiðarárjökull in the south. Over the centuries and even in recent times, volcanic eruptions continue below the glacial surface, which result in glacial floods or glacial run or ‘jökulhlaup’. One such jökulhlaup took place in 1934, where over 15 km3 was released in a few days.

Lake Grimsvotn too is said to be the result of another jökulhlaup in 1996. Vatnajökull National Park which was designated as a World heritage Site in 2019 possesses unmatched beauty and extraordinary terrain and besides tourists from all over, attracts various movie makers, film producers, musicians, artists and photographers.