
Southern Peninsula (, ) is an administrative unit and part of Reykjanesskagi (pronounced ), or Reykjanes Peninsula, a
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
in southwest
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
. It was named after
Reykjanes, the southwestern tip of Reykjanesskagi.
The region has a population of 30,933 (2024) and is one of the more densely populated parts of the island.
The administrative centre is
Keflavík, which had 7,000 residents when it merged with the nearby town of
Njarðvík and
Hafnir in 1995 to create
Reykjanesbær, which is the largest settlement outside the
Greater Reykjavík area; in 2018, the region had a population of 17,805. The region is the location of
Keflavík International Airport, the major point of entry for Iceland. Some fishing towns, such as
Grindavík,
Njarðvík and
Sandgerði, are situated on the peninsula.
The peninsula is marked by active
volcanism under its surface and large
lava
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
fields, allowing little vegetation. There are numerous
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...
s in the southern half of the peninsula, around the
Kleifarvatn lake and the
Krýsuvík geothermal area. There is a
geothermal power station at Svartsengi. Near the power station, a luxury spa and pool area has been installed. Using the hot and mineralized water coming down from the power station; the spa is known as the "
Blue Lagoon" (''Bláa Lónið'').
The Bridge Between Continents spans the Álfagjá
rift valley ( wide and deep) near Grindavík, which is promoted to tourists as marking the boundary between the
Eurasian and
North American tectonic plates. It was built in 2002 and previously named Leif the Lucky bridge in honor of Icelandic explorer
Leif Eriksson who traveled from Europe to America nearly 500 years before
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...
.
A great deal of volcanic unrest was occurring in this part of the Reykjanes Peninsula from 2020 onward, after nearly 800 years of inactivity. After the eruption of the
Fagradalsfjall volcano started on March 19, 2021,
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
's experts predicted that this "may mark the start of decades of volcanic activity". The eruption was small, leading to a prediction that this volcano was unlikely to threaten "any population centers". In November 2023, a
new bout of seismic activity occurred around Grindavík, prompting the town's evacuation and the declaration of a state of emergency over the threat of an imminent volcanic eruption, culminating in the
2023-2024 Sundhnúkur eruptions.
Reykjanes volcanic belt
The Southern Peninisula contains the south western portion of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, where the continuation of the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mid-ocean ridge (a Divergent boundary, divergent or constructive Plate tectonics, plate boundary) located along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, and part of the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest mountai ...
and its submarine Reykjanes Ridge with the transitional
Eldey volcanic system, rise above sea level. Depending on the author, the Reykjanes volcanic belt has between three and six volcanic systems; see map for six-system on land classification of the
Reykjanes,
Svartsengi,
Fagradalsfjall,
Krýsuvík,
Brennisteinsfjöll, and
Hengill volcanic systems. These are closely spaced en-echelon fissure systems, extending across the Reykjanes Peninsula.
). Each volcanic system on the peninsula consists of (volcanic and tectonic) fissures and faults directed mostly NE-SW and may have other features such as
lava field
A lava field, sometimes called a lava bed, is a large, mostly flat area of lava flows. Such features are generally composed of highly fluid basalt lava, and can extend for tens or hundreds of kilometers across the underlying terrain.
Morp ...
s and postglacial
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
ic crater rows. Only the
Hengill volcanic system, the most eastern system, has an additional
central volcano, but this is outside the Southern Peninsula.
Tephra
Tephra is fragmental material produced by a Volcano, volcanic eruption regardless of composition, fragment size, or emplacement mechanism.
Volcanologists also refer to airborne fragments as pyroclasts. Once clasts have fallen to the ground, ...
deposits from offshore explosive
Holocene
The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
eruptions have been preserved on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy in the Reykjanes Peninsula is a significant part of Iceland's energy landscape, rooted in the peninsula's unique geological setting as a trans-tensional plate boundary where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge comes onshore. This tectonic environment, characterized by segmented volcanic systems, creates favorable conditions for geothermal activity. Some areas of the Peninsula are home to temperatures of 100 degrees Celsius at 0.5 meters deep.
Gallery
Image:Bridge across continents iceland.jpg, Leif the Lucky Bridge spanning the Álfagjá rift valley
Image:Reykjanesvirkjun.JPG, Reykjanesvirkjun geothermal power plant
File:Iceland (1), Grindavík.JPG, Grindavík
File:Iceland, Grindavíkurbær (08), Kleifarvatn, beach.jpg, Black beaches of Lake Kleifarvatn
Image:Krisuvik.jpg, Krýsuvík
File:2006-05-27-082806 Iceland Keflavík.jpg, Keflavík International Airport
File:Litli-Hrútur eruption 2023.jpg, Litli-Hrútur eruption 2023. View from an airplane
File:Iceland, Grindavíkurbær (02), Road 42, Vatnshliðarhorn.jpg, Road 42 approaching the Vatnshliðarhorn
See also
*
Krýsuvík (volcanic system)
*
Brennisteinsfjöll
References
External links
Reykjanes Reykjanes South Peninsula Private Tour
; Photography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sudurnes
Peninsulas of Iceland
Lava fields