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216 Europe

Figure 14.7 Surtsey World Heritage Region
Source: Oscar Friðriksson
from Vestmannaeyjar early on the morning of 14 which was tuff and 30 per cent lava. Only 9 per
November 1963. They had laid their fishing lines cent was above sea level but formed a 2.8km
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7km west of Geirfuglaskeri, which at that time island.
was the southern-most island in the Vestmannaeyjar The Surtsey eruption is one of the best
archipelago and consequently the southern-most documented submarine eruptions of all time.
point of Iceland. They described what they saw as Because of erosion, the island has now been
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though the sea was ‘on fire’. Over the next four reduced to 1.5km . Vegetation was found on the
years the island grew in size due to continuous island quite soon after the eruption with the first
eruptions, which only stopped for short periods. plant being discovered there in 1965. By 1990
By April 1964 the island had grown to about over 20 different types of plants had been found
one square kilometre and now the lava began to and five species of birds have also established their
run from the crater in a similar fashion to that of homes on the island. Surtsey is a protected area
eruptions on land. Streams of lava exploded 50 to and travel to the island is only allowed for scientific
100 metres into the air and rivers of hot molten reasons and with special permission. Because the
lava streamed down into the sea. In this way island is an area where the natural evolutionary
formations of rock were created from the thin processes have been able to act without any kind
layers of lava. The lava ran out over the edge of the of human impact, scientists have been able to
crater and also through long tunnels into the ocean. gather invaluable information in this unusual
These tunnels of streaming lava made the many natural ‘science laboratory’.
caves that exist on Surtsey today. When the Surtsey As a result of this unique situation, the island
eruption ceased in June 1967, the volcano had was added to UNESCO’s world heritage list in
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produced 1.1km of material, 70 per cent of 2008 for its major role in studies of succession and

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