Surtsey

Iceland · volcanoes · island formation · science observation

Born from the sea. Surtsey erupted from beneath the ocean 130 meters below the surface and broke through on November 14, 1963. The island grew and grew until the eruption finally stopped on June 5, 1967.

Shrinking over time. When Surtsey reached its biggest size, it covered 2.7 square kilometers, but waves have been slowly washing it away ever since. By 2012, it had shrunk to just 1.3 square kilometers.

A natural laboratory. Scientists visit Surtsey to watch how plants, animals, and insects discover and colonize a brand new island from scratch. It's like watching nature's reset button in real time.

Iceland's southern edge. Surtsey holds the record as the southernmost point of Iceland, sitting in the cold waters off the country's southern coast.

Tall but tiny. The island's highest point reaches 509 feet above sea level, making it a small but dramatic rocky outpost in the North Atlantic.