Iceland: Where Continents Divide

Iceland is one of the most spectacular countries in the world and if you are a geographer... it's as near to heaven as you'll get. 

Iceland lies in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, just south of the Arctic circle, east of Greenland and North West of the UK.  It is a volcanic island created by the dividing North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. While it is correct to say it "lies on the mid-Atlantic ridge" it has actually been created by the mid-Atlantic ridge. Iceland is the only part of the ridge that is above sea level. Scientists believe Iceland rose from the sea floor about 20 million years ago. 

As you can see on the map, the mid-Atlantic ridge forks in Iceland before continuing south through the Atlantic on the 'left' fork. The famous (or infamous) Eyjafjallajoekull volcano that erupted in 2010 and grounded air traffic for weeks in Europe can be found on the map on the 'right' fork. The continuous spreading of the plates, accompanied by eruptions also widens the country by about one inch per year!

Þingvellir (Thingvellir)

You can visit the mid-Atlantic ridge and see evidence of rifting at Þingvellir National Park. It's a must do if you visit Iceland!  

A Rifting Valley

Massive Rift on the Eurasian Plate