Vatnajökull National Park is now a World Heritage Site

We are happy to welcome the Vatnajökull National Park (webpage) in the family of the Nordic World Heritage Association. During the 43th session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku (Azerbaijan) it has been decided to inscribe Vatnajökull National Park on the world Heritage List on the basis of criterion (viii) (link). This iconic volcanic region covers an area of over 1,400,000 ha, nearly 14% of Iceland's territory. It numbers ten central volcanoes, eight of which are subglacial. Two of these are among the most active in Iceland. The interaction between volcanoes and the rifts that underlie the Vatnajökull ice cap takes many forms, the most spectacular of which is the jökulhlaup – a sudden flood caused by the breach of the margin of a glacier during an eruption. This recurrent phenomenon has led to the emergence of unique sandur plains, river systems and rapidly evolving canyons. Volcanic areas are home to endemic groundwater fauna that has survived the Ice Age. We are looking forward to work closely with our new partner in Iceland.