Iceland and its volcanoes
Aggiornato: 18 apr. 2025 23:52 GMT - aggiorna Iceland has the land area of Virginia and the population of Virginia Beach (about 260,000 people). The country has the highest literacy rate (100%) of any nation in the world. Its history has always been closely related to volcanoes and knowledge of many volcanic eruptions since the middle ages are preserved in accounts.
First settled by Vikings in the 9th century AD, Iceland established its own parliament in 930 and recorded its first historical volcanic eruption only a few years later. After a golden age of literature in the 12th and 13th centuries (when the sagas were written), natural history reporting reached a low around the 15th century. In the years 1707-09 a third of the population died from smallpox, and the 1783-84 Laki eruption killed a fifth of the remaining population by famine. Iceland gained sovereignty from Denmark in 1918 and complete independence in 1944.
Iceland is noted for subglacial and regional fissure eruptions related to the rifting process between the separating plates.
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(adapted from GVP/Smithsonian Institution)
Volcanoes of Iceland
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Eruzioni vulcaniche significative: Islanda
In historic times, at least 19 volcanoes have been active nella Islanda, including Svartsengi, Fagradalsfjall e Bardarbunga volcanoes. A total of 157 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since intorno 920 AD.
The table below lists the most recent volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events nella Islanda since around 1990.
Data | Vulcano | VEI | Regione | Deceduti | Danni |
2023 Dic 18 - in corso | Svartsengi Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm | 1 | Reykjanes peninsula, SW Iceland | | sconosciuto | Info |
2023 Dic 18 (eruzione 2023 Dic 18 - in corso) | Svartsengi | 0 | Reykjanes peninsula, SW Iceland | 1 | moderato | Info |
2023 Lug 10 - Ago 5 | Fagradalsfjall | 0 | Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2022 Ago 3 - Ago 21 | Fagradalsfjall | 0 | Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2021 Mar 19 - Set 18 | Fagradalsfjall | 0 | Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2014 Ago 29 - 2015 Feb 27 | Bardarbunga Holuhraun vent, 45 km NE | 0 | Central Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2011 Mag 21 - Mag 25 | Grímsvötn SW part of the caldera | 4 | Northeastern Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2010 Mar 20 - Giu 23 | Eyafjallajökull ENE flank (Fimmvörduháls) and summit | 4 | South Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2010 Mar 31 (eruzione 2010 Mar 20 - Giu 23) | Eyafjallajökull | 2 | South Iceland | 2 | sconosciuto | Info |
2004 Nov 1 - Nov 4 | Grímsvötn SW and east sides of caldera | 3 | Northeastern Iceland | | sconosciuto |
2000 Feb 26 - Mar 8 | Hekla SW flank | 3 | South Iceland | | sconosciuto |
1998 Dic 18 - Dic 28 | Grímsvötn South caldera wall | 3 | Northeastern Iceland | | sconosciuto |
1996 Set 30 - Nov 6 | Grímsvötn Gjálp (fissure N of caldera rim) | 3? | Northeastern Iceland | | sconosciuto |
1996 Set 30 (eruzione 1996 Set 30 - Nov 6) | Grímsvötn | 3 | Northeastern Iceland | | leggero | Info |
1991 Gen 17 - Mar 11 | Hekla Summit, SW, SE & NE flank fissures | 3 | South Iceland | | sconosciuto |
Remark:Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.
Islanda FAQ
+When was the last volcanic eruption nella Islanda?
The last volcanic eruption nella Islanda was from Svartsengi volcano. It began in 2023 and is continuing (as of April 2025).
+When was the first documented volcanic eruption nella Islanda?
The first historically documented eruption occurred intorno 920 AD from Katla volcano.
+How often do volcanoes nella Islanda erupt?
Since 920 AD, Islanda has seen at least 157 historically documented eruptions. This means that a volcano erupts on average every 7 years.
+How active are the volcanoes nella Islanda?
Islanda is volcanically relatively active: Since 1900, at least 13 volcanoes nella Islanda have been active.Since 1900, Islanda has had 47 volcanic eruptions from 13 individual volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions have been recorded erupted during 49 years out of 126 as of now. This means, at least one volcano nella Islanda has been in eruption in one in 2.6 years on average. The latest eruption from Svartsengi volcano volcano is still continuing at present.
+When was the largest volcanic eruption nella Islanda?
The largest eruption nella Islanda in historic times was from Bardarbunga volcano. It occurred in 1477 AD. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 6 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.
Ultimi sismi: Iceland
Negli ultimi 7 giorni, Iceland ha avuto 2 sismi di magnitudo 4.0 o superiore, 4 sismi di magnitudo 3+ e 17 sismi di magnitudo 2+. C'erano anche 826 sismi piccoli sotto magnitudo 2.0 que normalmente non si sentono.
Un Grandezza 1.7 sismo si è verificato in Iceland: 9.0 km NW of Akureyri .
Data e ora | Mag / Prof. | Vulcano più vicino / Posizione | |
15 apr 07:59 (Reykjavik) | 4.0 14 km | 15 km SE da | Iceland I FELT IT | Info | |
15 apr 01:43 (Reykjavik) | 4.5 10 km | 6 km SO da | 121 km WNW of Höfn, Iceland I FELT IT | Info | |
15 apr 01:43 (Reykjavik) | 3.1 1.1 km | 10 km E da | Iceland: 10.4 km E of Bárðarbunga I FELT IT | Info | |
15 apr 01:41 (Reykjavik) | 3.0 1.1 km | 7 km E da | Iceland I FELT IT | Info | |
lunedì, 14 aprile 2025 GMT (1 sismo) |
14 apr 16:50 (Reykjavik) | 3.4 13 km | 27 km E da | Iceland Region I FELT IT | Info | |
domenica, 13 aprile 2025 GMT (1 sismo) |
13 apr 03:17 (Reykjavik) | 3.3 5.4 km | 7 km N da | 27 km a sud ovest da Reykjavik, Regione della capitale, Islanda I FELT IT | Info | |
Vedi sismi recenti
Terremoti significativi nella Islanda dal 1900
Questo era il 6° terremoto più disastroso mai avvenuto nella Islanda.
11 case e altri edifici furono distrutti e 11 danneggiati.
Fonte: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database.
doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
Carta
Sismi più vecchi (fino a 1960) mostrati in giallo, quelli più recenti (2000 e dopo) in rosso.
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Terremoti significativi nella Islanda FAQ
+Qual è stato il terremoto che ha causato più danni nella Islanda dal 1900?
Il terremoto che ha provocato i maggiori danni è stato the magnitude 6.5 earthquake nella
Islanda, South on giugno, 17, 2000. Ha causato no known fatalities e stimati $20 milioni di dollari americani (l'equivalente odierno) di danni economici totali.
+Quanti danni hanno causato i terremoti nella Islanda dal 1900?
In questo periodo ci sono stati 4 terremoti dannosi che hanno causato perdite economiche per ca. $38 milioni di dollari americani combinato.

Location of Iceland and the North Atlantic mid-ocean ridge where the American and Eurasian plates separate

Simplified map of Iceland showing its active volcanoes
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