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Iceland

Iceland is an island nation which is located between Europe and North America in the north Atlantic Ocean. It is known for its geothermal activity.

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All Content on this topic

A drone flies over the volcano spilling red lava

The volcano below: An Icelandic town's uncertain future

In Iceland, volcanoes are a fact of life. In 2023, an eruption near Grindavik forced the entire town to evacuate.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 17, 202428:34 min
Katrin Jakobsdottir and Halla Tomasdottir debate ahead of Iceland's presidential elections

Iceland: Tomasdottir reportedly wins tight presidential race

National broadcaster RUV declared Tomasdottir the winner with 32% of the votes.
PoliticsJune 1, 2024
A volcano near Grindavik, Iceland

Iceland: Grindavik volcano eruption prompts new evacuations

Authorities have declared a state of emergency but air traffic has not been significantly affected.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 29, 2024
Island Grindavik

Volcanic threat looms over Iceland

Volcanic activity in southern Iceland continues to threaten communities.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 21, 202406:46 min
DW Standbild Ukraine Krieg Tote Soldaten

Focus on Europe – Spotlight on People

Why specialized units are searching for fallen soldiers in Ukraine.
PoliticsMay 16, 202426:09 min
DW Euromaxx (Sendungslogo Composite)

Euromaxx - Lifestyle Europe

Travel like a local in Iceland, make spaghetti carbonara and meet a pony mayor.
CultureMay 10, 202426:06 min
DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

Inside Europe 18 April 2024

Crunch-time as the EU seeks a coordinated response to the Middle East conflicts, Turkey cracks down on trade with Israel, and after NatCon Brussels was shut down, we preview CPAC in Hungary. Also: Copenhagen’s historic Stock Exchange burns down, what the world can learn from Ukraine's DIIA app, why Icelanders disapprove of their new PM and we head to the International Festival of the Ocarina.
PoliticsApril 18, 202455:00 min
Billowing smoke and flowing lava pouring out of a volcanic fissure

Iceland's lava flows captured: Uncertain future for Grindavik

Near the coastal town of Grindavík, an approximately 3.5-kilometer-long fissure has opened up.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 18, 20247 images
An eruption takes place near Grindavik, Iceland.

Iceland: Volcano erupts for fourth time in 3 months

Iceland, located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, sits above a volcanic hot spot.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 17, 2024
Emergency crews are trying to stop lava from reaching a power plant in the town of Grindavik.

Erupting volcano closes Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon

Emergency crews are trying to stop lava from reaching a power plant in the town of Grindavik.
Nature and EnvironmentFebruary 9, 202401:55 min
Volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, Iceland

Iceland: Reykjanes volcano erupts, cuts off hot water

Lava fountains reached 80 meters high, and the volcanic plume rose about three kilometers above the fissure.
Nature and EnvironmentFebruary 8, 2024
Volcano spews lava, smoke while erupting on Reykjanes Peninsula on January 14, 2024

Iceland: Volcanic eruption reaches Grindavik village

Many residents of Iceland's most populated region have been evacuated. Some locals fear a new age of volcanic activity.
CatastropheJanuary 15, 20247 images
A police car blocks a road while billowing smoke from a volcanic eruption is seen in the background

Lava destroys buildings in Icelandic town

Return of Grindavik's residents uncertain as lava from a volcano that erupted on Sunday breaches protective barriers.
CatastropheJanuary 15, 202401:35 min
Island, Reykjavik | Vulkanausbruch nahe Grindavik

New volcanic eruption in Iceland near Grindavik

A volcano has erupted in southwestern Iceland, sending lava into the nearby fishing town of Grindavik.
Nature and EnvironmentJanuary 14, 202401:25 min
A volcano erupts on the Reykjanes Peninsula for the fifth time since 2021

Iceland: Reykjanes volcano erupts for 2nd time in weeks

A volcano erupted for the second time in less than a month in southwest Iceland, with thousands evacuated.
Nature and EnvironmentJanuary 14, 2024
DW Arts Unveiled (Sendungslogo Composite)

Icelandic piano star Víkingur Ólafsson

This gifted musician inspires audiences with unconventional interpretations of well-known composers.
CultureDecember 24, 202326:06 min
Scientist of the University of Iceland take measurements and samples.

Iceland volcano no threat to population for now, experts say

Scientists say there's no current threat that lava will reach a nearby town or power plants in the area.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 20, 202301:32 min
A volcano spews lava and smoke in Iceland

Orange skies: Iceland's volcano eruption up close

After weeks of intense seismic activity, a volcano has finally erupted in southwest Iceland.
CatastropheDecember 19, 20237 images
Lava coming from a volcano on Iceland

Iceland volcano erupts after weeks of activity

A volcano has erupted in Iceland after weeks of earthquake activity that forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 19, 202301:44 min
A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts in Grindavik, Iceland, December 18, 2023

Iceland: Volcano erupts after weeks of buildup

The Reykjanes volcano in southwest Iceland erupted late on Monday night, following weeks of intense earthquake activity.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 19, 2023
DW Tomorrow Today Sendungslogo Composite

Tomorrow Today — The Science Magazine

What scientific laws govern volcanic eruptions? That’s something researchers around the world are looking into.
ScienceDecember 16, 202326:06 min
A car drives toward a fissure in a road in the town of Grindavik, Iceland

Iceland prepares for volcanic eruption

The area around the fishing town of Grindavik has been evacuated, as a magma corridor winds its way toward the Atlantic.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 14, 20238 images
A resident of the town of Grindavik, Iceland, loads clothing into a van.

Iceland: Earthquake evacuees briefly return home

Authorities have permitted residents to gather essentials as the risk of a volcanic eruption remains high.
CatastropheNovember 14, 202301:43 min
A car next to a cracked road in Grindavik

Iceland braces for eruption as fissures emerge in Grindavik

Residents were allowed to return to Grindavik for a few minutes on Monday in order to collect their belongings.
CatastropheNovember 14, 2023
A red and white barrier stretches across a section of road, with a desolate rocky landscape visible behind it.

Iceland evacuates town over threat of volcanic eruption

Earthquakes have rocked the southern Icelandic town of Grindavik, forcing over 4,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 12, 202302:06 min
The access road to Blue Lagoon has been closed to avoid incidents in the area in the event of a possible volcanic eruption

Iceland declares emergency fearing volcanic eruption

In the face of an imminent volcanic eruption, Icelandic authorities have evacuated the Grindavik village.
CatastropheNovember 11, 2023
Protesters gather in Iceland's capital in support of women's rights

Iceland: Women hold all-day strike for gender equality

Iceland's prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir took part in the country's second all-day strike for gender equality.
PoliticsOctober 24, 2023
The harpoon ship Hvalur 9 is seen transporting two Fin whales on Hvalfjordur fjord near the village of Midsandur, Iceland, in August 2022

Whaling to resume in Iceland after temporary ban

The Icelandic government said whalers will face stricter conditions and increased supervision.
PoliticsAugust 31, 2023
A young woman dressed in a yellow rain jacket with a red hood stands near a waterfall, smiling and giving a thumbs up

Traveling Iceland's golden circle tourist route

Waterfalls, geysers, lakes and gorges: this one-day trip covers a gamut of natural spectacles.
TravelAugust 31, 202305:40 min
DW Euromaxx (Sendungslogo Composite)

Euromaxx - Lifestyle Europe

A typical German working day, Iceland‘s Golden Circle tourist route, brutalism in Prague.
SocietyAugust 26, 202326:06 min
Two people look up at a mobile phone on the street in Reykjavik, smiling for a selfie

Living like a local in Reykjavik

Euromaxx reporter Brant Dennis spent a day in Reykjavik living like a local, and learned a few things.
TravelAugust 14, 202305:48 min
Dozens of people dressed in traditional Viking clothing wield weapons and shields on a grassy field

In Iceland, fighting and celebrating like the Vikings

Iceland's Viking Festival attracts thousands of enthusiasts every summer who fight with historical weapons.
CultureJuly 26, 202304:45 min
DW Euromaxx (Sendungslogo Composite)

Euromaxx - Lifestyle Europe

Fast-food tip for the Netherlands, travel advice for Georgia, and a Viking festival in Iceland!
LifestyleJuly 22, 202326:06 min
Smoke is seen billowing from flowing lava during a volcanic eruption southwest of Reykjavik.

Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland

A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland, near the capital Reykjavik.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 11, 2023
DW Euromaxx (Sendungslogo Composite)

Euromaxx - Lifestyle Europe

For our 20th anniversary at Euromaxx, we bring you highlights from the past two decades.
LifestyleJune 23, 202326:06 min
A birds-eye view of a ski resort

Top 5: Favorite European travel destinations

Join us at Europe's highest train station, on the very best island and in the country with the highest beer consumption.
TravelJune 23, 202306:06 min
A protester holds an ''End the gender pay gap'' placard in Parliament Square, London

Germany up to 6th in gender equality list, Iceland stays top

The United States slipped to 43 on the list while most countries noted a slight uptick towards gender parity.
Human RightsJune 21, 2023
Employees prepare a whale for butchering at the whaling station in the village of Midsandur, Iceland

Iceland's whale hunt put on pause as season begins

The future of whale hunting in Iceland looks dim as the government hit it with a suspension.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 20, 2023
DW Sendung Fokus Europa | Italien gleichgeschlechtliche Eltern

Focus on Europe — Spotlight on People

Italy's right-wing government is putting pressure on gay couples with children.
PoliticsJune 15, 202326:05 min
Steam coming out of a geothermal power stating in Iceland

Can Iceland be a pioneer in trading geothermal energy?

Iceland is trying to ramp up geothermal energy exports to help out its economy at a time of great energy needs.
BusinessMay 29, 202302:51 min
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin

Council of Europe leaders seek to hold Russia accountable

The Council of Europe will set up a way of logging damage in Ukraine caused by Russian forces for compensation claims.
ConflictsMay 16, 2023
Island Kap Dyrholaey

Why Iceland is worth a visit

On December 10, the European Film Awards will be presented in Reykjavik. Here's what to see in Iceland.
TravelDecember 9, 202210 images
DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

Inside Europe 01.12.2022

Poland rejects German Patriot missiles to secure its airspace - Turkey finds common ground with Italy’s new far-right government - Rare Ukrainian artworks are spirited to safety - The Christmas Book Flood is underway in Iceland - And a special focus on the current difficulties of researching sea ice at the North Pole
PoliticsDecember 1, 202254:59 min
After Magus Carlsen (left) accused Hans Niemann of cheating, chess organizers are upping security

Chess: Niemann-Carlsen scandal prompts new security measures

Following the Niemann-Carlsen scandal, organizers of this week's World Fischer Random are introducing new measures.
SportsOctober 25, 2022
Gunnhildur Yrsa Jonsdottir in training for Iceland

NWSL scandal hangs over Iceland's biggest game

Iceland have long overachieved but a World Cup berth has so far eluded them. Tuesday's playoff could change that.
SoccerOctober 10, 2022
two men play chess at a table

Cold War on a chessboard

The 1972 "Match of the Century" saw Bobby Fischer of the US challenge the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky.
CultureAugust 31, 2022
People gather to see a volcano erupting in Iceland

Iceland: Land of ice and fire

Onlookers from all over the world have been coming to see yet another spectacular volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 14, 20228 images
Molten lava flowing from a fissure several hundred metres long on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula

Gases from Iceland volcano threaten village

Despite a warning to stay away, spectators are flocking to the site near the volcano to see the bubbling lava.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 5, 2022
Lava flows at the scene of the newly erupted volcano at Grindavik

Iceland: Volcano erupts near Keflavik airport

Officials warned tourists and locals to stay away from the Fagradalsfjall mountain near Reykjavik after a new eruption.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 3, 2022
Berglind Thorvaldsdottir misses a penalty vs. Belgium

Italy and Iceland take different paths to Euro 2022

Italy rely on domestic players while Iceland encourage their squad to play abroad, illustrating a wider football rift.
SportsJuly 14, 2022