Book 12, Question 55
Why Is Iceland So Volcanic?
Iceland is a land of volcanoes and hot springs! It sits where two plates are pulling apart and also on top of a hotspot, and both make lots of melted rock. That is why Iceland is still growing, bit by bit, even today.
More fun facts
- Iceland sits on the boundary between two plates that are spreading apart.
- The North American Plate moves west and the Eurasian Plate moves east.
- Iceland also sits above a plume of hot material welling up through the mantle.
- The hot spot boosts the amount of molten rock beneath the island.
- The Norse settled Iceland during a period of intense volcanic activity in the late 800s.
- Some Icelandic volcanoes, like Bardarbunga, lie hidden under glaciers.
Sources: National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Why does Iceland have so many volcanoes?
It sits where two plates pull apart and on top of a hot spot.