VOLCANOES: A CASE STUDY

ICELAND A COUNTRY MADE BY VOLCANOES

INTRODUCTION:

 Iceland is a country of fire and not snow as its name would suggest. It is an island nation
in northern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean.
 It is nearly half the size of Britain with a population of about 330 thousand
people.
 It has over 30 active volcanoes, because the country itself is a volcanic island
sitting on the Mid-Atlantic Oceanic Ridge.

Map of the world showing location of Iceland

Iceland A Volcanic Island: How it was made

 Iceland sits on the border between the Eurasian and North American plates which are
pulling away from each other.
 The crack has allowed lava to constantly flow out under the sea. The cooled lava forms
rock which is known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
 In some parts the Mid-Atlantic Ridge has risen above the ocean surface to form islands
and Iceland is one such islands.
 The islands that form Iceland are always increasing in size and in fact new ones appear
above the water surface from time to time.
 A Map of Iceland showing its active volcanoes.

Eruptions in Iceland and They Affect The World

 The Eyjafjallajokull Volcanic Eruption in 2010

 The volcanic eruptions in Iceland have usually affected the world beyond.
 In 1783 the Laki volcano erupted continuously for 8 months killing 9000 people
in Iceland, 8000 in the UK due to freezing temperatures and millions of people
around the world.
 In 2010, the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull disrupted trans-Atlantic and
European air traffic. Volcanic ash can damage plane engines.

Some Benefits of Volcanoes in Iceland

 The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is a tourist resort because of its
hot springs and geysers which provide for a natural Spa

A lava field in Iceland. The lava cooled and hardened as it flowed.

 Iceland has some of the world’s most beautiful views; the mountains, lava fields, geysers,
hot springs, lagoons, crater lakes and many more.
 Iceland is one of the world’s leading geothermal energy (using heat from magma)
producers. This is green energy and it is cheap to run.
 They use steam and hot water to heat up homes in harsh winters.
 The soil is fertile for growing crops like wheat, rye and other cereals.