Iceland Protected Areas Interactive Map

PROTECTED AREAS

This conservation area has been established to protect arctic foxes and many bird species, including the harlequin duck, sandpiper, snow bunting, meadow pipit, sea eagles, falcons, and merlins.

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

This park is a UNESCO world heritage site known for Europe's largest glacier, waterfalls, ice caves, mountains, and geothermal rivers.

Vatnajökull National Park

This park is a popular hiking destination, with views of volcanoes, glaciers, and geothermal valleys. Visitors can find colorful mountains- The colour is due to the rhyolite and obsidian making the ground appear green, blue, pink, red and yellow.The park also contains lava valleys and hot springs, which visitors can bathe in.

Fjallabak Nature Reserve

These areas are known for their unique formations due to volcanic activity. The areas are protected to conserve the historic geologic formations and biodiversity. More duck species are known to live here than any other place on Earth!

Lake Mývatn and Laxá Area

The island, Surtsey, was formed in a volcanic eruption that most likely started as a submarine eruption at a depth of approximately 130 meters. It was first discovered at the ocean's surface in 1963. Surtsey is and always has been closed for tourism so that scientists have the opportunity to observe the development of the island and the colonization of organisms.

Surtsey Nature Reserve