Southern Peninsula (Iceland)

This article is about most of the Reykjanes Peninsula. For other uses, see Reykjanes (disambiguation).

Southern Peninsula (Icelandic: Suðurnes, Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsʏːðʏrˌnɛːs] ^ⓘ) is an administrative unit and part of Reykjanesskagi (pronounced [ˈreiːcaˌnɛsˌskaijɪ]), or Reykjanes Peninsula, a region in southwest Iceland. It was named after Reykjanes, the southwestern tip of Reykjanesskagi.^[2]

Southern Peninsula Suðurnes (Icelandic)
Region
The Suðurnes area
Coordinates: 63°54′N 22°15′W
Country	Iceland
Largest town	Reykjanesbær
Area
• Total	813 km2 (314 sq mi)
Population  (2024)[1]
• Total	30,933
• Density	38.05/km2 (98.5/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+00:00 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	(Not Observed)
ISO 3166 code	IS-2

Map of the Suðurnes region

The region has a population of 30,933 (2024) and is one of the more densely populated parts of the island.^[1] 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.^[3] The region is the location of Keflavík International Airport, the major point of entry for Iceland.^[4][5] 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 fields, allowing little vegetation. There are numerous hot springs in the southern half of the peninsula, around the Kleifarvatn lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal area.^[6] 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).^[7]

The Bridge Between Continents spans the Álfagjá [ˈaulvaˌcauː] rift valley (60 feet (18 m) wide and 20 feet (6.1 m) 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.^[8]

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,^[9] National Geographic'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".^[10] 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,^[11] culminating in the 2023-2024 Sundhnúkur eruptions.

Reykjanes volcanic belt

Reykjanes volcanic belt
The Reykjanes volcanic belt is almost completely covered by lava fields.
Highest point
Coordinates	63°52′18″N 22°33′48″W
Geography
Map of volcanic systems on the Reykjanes Peninsula. 1) Reykjanes, 2) Svartsengi, 3) Fagradalsfjall, 4) Krýsuvík, 5) Brennisteinsfjöll, and 6) Hengill
Location	Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
Parent range	Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Geology
Mountain type	fissure
Last eruption	2023 CE[12]

Main article: Geology of Reykjanes Peninsula

The Southern Peninisula contains the south western portion of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, where the continuation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge 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.^{[13][14][15][16]}). 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 fields and postglacial basaltic crater rows. Only the Hengill volcanic system, the most eastern system, has an additional central volcano, but this is outside the Southern Peninsula.^[17][18] Tephra deposits from offshore explosive Holocene eruptions have been preserved on the Reykjanes Peninsula.^[14]

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.^[19]

Gallery

• 
  Leif the Lucky Bridge spanning the Álfagjá rift valley
• 
  Reykjanesvirkjun geothermal power plant
• 
  Grindavík
• 
  Black beaches of Lake Kleifarvatn
• 
  Krýsuvík
• 
  Keflavík International Airport
• 
  Litli-Hrútur eruption 2023. View from an airplane
• 
  Road 42 approaching the Vatnshliðarhorn

See also

• Krýsuvík (volcanic system)
• Brennisteinsfjöll