List of volcanoes in Iceland

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This list of volcanoes in Iceland includes active and dormant volcanic mountains, of which 18 have erupted since human settlement of Iceland began around 900 AD.

List[]

Name Elevation Coordinates Last eruption VEI Notes
(m) (ft)
Askja 1516 4974 65°02′N 16°45′W / 65.03°N 16.75°W / 65.03; -16.75 (Askja) 1961 5
Bárðarbunga 2005 6515 64°38′N 17°34′W / 64.64°N 17.56°W / 64.64; -17.56 (Bárðarbunga) 2014–2015
Brennisteinsfjöll 626 2054 63°55′N 21°50′W / 63.92°N 21.83°W / 63.92; -21.83 (Brennisteinsfjöll) 1341 (± 1 year) 2
Eldfell 279 915 63°26′N 20°15′W / 63.43°N 20.25°W / 63.43; -20.25 (Eldfell) 1973 3 A volcanic cone on the island of Heimaey
Eldgjá ca 800 ca 2625 64°14′N 18°22′W / 64.24°N 18.37°W / 64.24; -18.37 (Eldgjá) 934 6 A large eruptive fissure in connection with Katla
Esjufjöll 1760 5774 64°16′N 16°39′W / 64.27°N 16.65°W / 64.27; -16.65 (Esjufjöll) 1927
Eyjafjallajökull 1666 5466 63°38′N 19°37′W / 63.63°N 19.62°W / 63.63; -19.62 (Eyjafjallajökull) 2010 4
Fagradalsfjall 385 1263 63°53′N 22°16′W / 63.89°N 22.27°W / 63.89; -22.27 (Fagradalsfjall) 2021 As of September 2021, ongoing eruption at Geldingadalir. Usually considered part of Krýsuvík.
Fremrinámur 939 3081 65°26′N 16°39′W / 65.43°N 16.65°W / 65.43; -16.65 (Fremrinámur) 800 BC (± 300 years)
Grensdalur 497 1631 64°01′N 21°10′W / 64.02°N 21.17°W / 64.02; -21.17 (Grensdalur) dormant Active during Pleistocene
Grímsnes 214 702 64°02′N 20°52′W / 64.03°N 20.87°W / 64.03; -20.87 (Grímsnes) ~3500 BC 3
Grímsvötn 1725 5659 64°25′N 17°20′W / 64.42°N 17.33°W / 64.42; -17.33 (Grímsvötn) 2011 4
Hekla 1491 4892 63°59′N 19°42′W / 63.98°N 19.70°W / 63.98; -19.70 (Hekla) 2000 3
Helgafell 227 745 63°26′N 20°16′W / 63.43°N 20.26°W / 63.43; -20.26 (Helgafell) 3950 BC (± 300 years) Vestmannaeyjar island of Heimaey
Hengill 803 2634 64°11′N 21°20′W / 64.18°N 21.33°W / 64.18; -21.33 (Hengill) 150 AD (± 75 years) 2
Herðubreið 1682 5518 65°11′N 16°20′W / 65.18°N 16.34°W / 65.18; -16.34 (Herðubreið) dormant Active during Pleistocene
Hofsjökull 1782 5846 64°51′N 19°32′W / 64.85°N 19.53°W / 64.85; -19.53 (Hofsjökull) dormant Active during Holocene
Holuhraun 778 2553 64°50′N 16°50′W / 64.84°N 16.83°W / 64.84; -16.83 (Holuhraun) 2015 Part of the Bárðarbunga fissure system
Hrómundartindur 540 1772 64°04′N 21°12′W / 64.07°N 21.20°W / 64.07; -21.20 (Hrómundartindur) 10,000 BC
Hveravellir 1360 4462 64°45′N 19°59′W / 64.75°N 19.98°W / 64.75; -19.98 (Hveravellir) 950 AD ± 50 years 6 Central volcano of the eastern Langjökull system
Hverfjall 420 1378 65°22′N 16°32′W / 65.36°N 16.53°W / 65.36; -16.53 (Hverfjall) ~500 BC Part of the Krafla fissure system
Jólnir 70* 230* 63°18′N 20°38′W / 63.30°N 20.63°W / 63.30; -20.63 (Jólnir) 1966 This vent of Surtsey has since eroded to below sea level
Katla 1512 4961 63°38′N 19°03′W / 63.63°N 19.05°W / 63.63; -19.05 (Katla)) 1918
Kerlingarfjöll 1488 4882 64°38′N 19°19′W / 64.63°N 19.32°W / 64.63; -19.32 (Kerlingarfjöll) dormant Active during Holocene
Kolbeinsey Ridge 5 16 66°40′N 18°30′W / 66.67°N 18.50°W / 66.67; -18.50 (Kolbeinsey) 1755[1]
Kollóttadyngja 1177 3825 65°13′N 16°33′W / 65.22°N 16.55°W / 65.22; -16.55 (Kollóttadyngja) unknown
Krafla 650 2133 65°44′N 16°47′W / 65.73°N 16.78°W / 65.73; -16.78 (Krafla) 1984 4
300 984 63°33′N 19°18′W / 63.55°N 19.30°W / 63.55; -19.30 (Krakatindur) unknown
Krýsuvík 379 1243 63°56′N 22°06′W / 63.93°N 22.10°W / 63.93; -22.10 (Krýsuvík) probably ~1340 2
Kverkfjöll 1920 6299 64°39′N 16°43′W / 64.65°N 16.72°W / 64.65; -16.72 (Kverkfjöll) 1968 1
Laki 1725 5606 64°04′N 18°13′W / 64.06°N 18.22°W / 64.06; -18.22 (Laki) 1783-84 6 Part of Grímsvötn fissure system
Loki-Fögrufjöll 1570 5151 64°29′N 17°48′W / 64.48°N 17.80°W / 64.48; -17.80 (Fögrufjöll) 1910
Ljósufjöll 988 3241 64°52′N 22°14′W / 64.87°N 22.23°W / 64.87; -22.23 (Ljósufjöll) 960 AD (± 10 years) 3
540+ 1772+ 64°52′N 23°15′W / 64.87°N 23.25°W / 64.87; -23.25 (Lýsuhóll) dormant Active during Holocene
Öræfajökull 2119 6952 64°00′N 16°39′W / 64.00°N 16.65°W / 64.00; -16.65 (Öræfajökull) 1727 5
Prestahnúkur 1386 4504 64°36′N 20°36′W / 64.60°N 20.60°W / 64.60; -20.60 (Prestahnúkur) 7550 BC (± 500 years) Central volcano of western Langjökull system
Reykjanes 230 755 63°53′N 22°30′W / 63.88°N 22.50°W / 63.88; -22.50 (Reykjanes) 1879
-80 -262 63°40′N 23°20′W / 63.67°N 23.33°W / 63.67; -23.33 (Reykjaneshryggur) 1970
Snæfellsjökull 1448 4751 64°48′N 23°47′W / 64.80°N 23.78°W / 64.80; -23.78 (Snæfellsjökull) 200 AD (± 150 years) 2
Surtsey 174 571 63°18′N 20°37′W / 63.30°N 20.62°W / 63.30; -20.62 (Surtsey) 1963 In the Vestmannaeyjar islands
Theistareykjarbunga
(Þeistareykjarbunga)
564 1850 65°53′N 16°50′W / 65.88°N 16.83°W / 65.88; -16.83 (Theistareykjarbunga) 750 BC (± 100 years)
Thórðarhyrna
(Þórðarhyrna)
1660 5446 64°07′N 17°00′W / 64.12°N 17.0°W / 64.12; -17.0 (Thordarhyrna) 1910 4
Thórólfsfell
(Þórólfsfell)
574 1883 63°43′N 19°40′W / 63.72°N 19.67°W / 63.72; -19.67 (Thórólfsfell) unknown
Thríhnákagígur
(Þríhnákagígur)
550 1804 63°59′N 21°42′W / 63.99°N 21.7°W / 63.99; -21.7 (Thrihnukagigur) 2 BC
Tindfjallajökull 1463 4800 63°47′N 19°34′W / 63.78°N 19.57°W / 63.78; -19.57 (Tindfjallajökull) dormant Active during Holocene
Torfajökull 1259 4131 63°55′N 19°10′W / 63.92°N 19.17°W / 63.92; -19.17 (Torfajökull) 1477 3
Trölladyngja 1468 4816 64°53′N 17°15′W / 64.89°N 17.25°W / 64.89; -17.25 (Trölladyngja) ~2980 BC
Tungnafellsjökull 1535 5036 64°44′N 17°55′W / 64.73°N 17.92°W / 64.73; -17.92 (Tungnafellsjökull) dormant Active during Holocene
Vatnafjöll 1235 4052 63°55′N 19°40′W / 63.92°N 19.67°W / 63.92; -19.67 (Vatnafjöll) 750 AD (± 1000[dubious ] years)

Volcanic zones and systems[]

Volcanism in Iceland

Iceland has four major volcanic zones surrounding an hypothetical hotspot:

  • the Reykjanes zone (RVZ), subdivided into the Reykjanes Ridge (RR) (the Mid-Atlantic Ridge South of Iceland) and the Reykjanes Volcanic Belt (RVB) (on the main island);
  • the West Volcanic Zone (WVZ);
  • the East Volcanic Zone (EVZ) (extended to the Westman Islands, South of the main island);
  • the North Volcanic Zone (NVZ).

The Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) connects them across central Iceland.

In Iceland's East Volcanic Zone (EVZ), the central volcanoes, Vonarskarð and Hágöngur belong to the same volcanic system; this also applies to Bárðarbunga and Hamarinn, and to Grímsvötn and Þórðarhyrna.[2]

North of Iceland, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is called Kolbeinsey Ridge (KR) and is connected to the North Volcanic Zone via the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ). Also the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is another fracture zone, which connects the East and West Volcanic Zones. Both fracture zones also include their own volcanic systems, smaller than those in the Mid-Iceland Belt.

Besides the hotspot area fragmenting the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, there are also two intraplate volcanic belts: Öræfajökull (ÖVB) on the Eurasian plate, and Snæfellsnes (SVB) on the North American plate.[3][4] It is proposed that the east-west line going from the Grímsvötn volcano in the Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) to the Snæfellsnes volcanic belt (SVB) shows the movement of the North American Plate over the Iceland hotspot.[5]

# Volcanic zone Volcanic system Name of central volcano
of the volcanic system
1 RVZ Reykjanes/Svartsengi
2 RVZ Krýsuvík
3 RVZ Brennisteinsfjöll void[clarification needed]
4 WVZ Hengill Hengill
5 WVZ Hrómundartindur Hrómundartindur
6 WVZ Grensdalur void
7 WVZ Grímsnes
8 WVZ Geysir
9 WVZ Prestahnúkur
10 WVZ Hveravellir
11 MIB Hofsjökull Hofsjökull
12 MIB Kerlingarfjöll
13 MIB Tungnafellsjökull Tungnafellsjökull/Hágöngur
14 EVZ Vestmannaeyjar
(Westman Islands)
void
15 EVZ Eyjafjallajökull Eyjafjallajökull
16 EVZ Katla Katla
17 EVZ Tindfjallajökull Tindfjallajökull
18 EVZ Hekla-Vatnafjöll Hekla
19 EVZ Torfajökull Torfajökull
20 EVZ Bárðarbunga-Veiðivötn Bárðarbunga/Hamarinn
21 EVZ Grímsvötn Grímsvötn/Thórdarhyrna
# EVZ (Central volcanoes, as well) (Vonarskard/Hágöngur)[2]
22 NVZ Kverkfjöll Austari Kverkfjöll
23 NVZ Askja Askja
24 NVZ Fremrinámur void
25 NVZ Krafla Krafla
26 NVZ
27 ÖVB Öræfajökull Öræfajökull
28 ÖVB Esjufjöll
29 ÖVB Snæfell Snæfell
30 SVB Ljósufjöll void
31 SVB Helgrindur
32 SVB Snæfellsjökull Snæfellsjökull

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Global Volcanism Program | Kolbeinsey Ridge". Archived from the original on 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  2. ^ a b T. Gudmundsson; Thórdís Högnadóttir (January 2007). "Volcanic systems and calderas in the Vatnajökull region, central Iceland: Constraints on crustal structure from gravity data". Journal of Geodynamics. 43 (1): 153–169. Bibcode:2007JGeo...43..153G. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2006.09.015.
  3. ^ T. Thordarson; G. Larsen (January 2007). "Volcanism in Iceland in historical time: volcano types, eruption styles and eruptive history". Journal of Geodynamics. 43 (1): 118–152. Bibcode:2007JGeo...43..118T. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2006.09.005.
  4. ^ H. Jóhannesson; K. Sæmundsson (1998). Geologic Map of Iceland, 1:500,000. Bedrock Geology. Reykjavík: Icelandic Institute of Natural History and Iceland Geodetic Survey.
  5. ^ W. Jason Morgan; Jason Phipps Morgan. Plate velocities in hotspot reference frame: electronic supplement (PDF). p. 111. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
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