Iceland, an isolated 103,000 km² island in the North Atlantic, is a volcanic hotspot with 4,145 named mountains amid a central plateau averaging 500 m. Hvannadalshnúkur on Öræfajökull reaches 2,110 m—the highest point. Formed by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rift 20 million years ago, it features active volcanoes like Eyjafjallajökull (1,651 m) and shield volcanoes up to 1,000 m. Glaciers cover 11% (11,200 km²), including Vatnajökull (8,100 km²)—Europe's largest—carving fjords and waterfalls like Gullfoss (32 m). The rugged coastline spans 4,970 km with black sand beaches. This dynamic geology, straddling tectonic plates, hosts geothermal areas and unique ecosystems with arctic terns.
