RICHARD WILLIAMS
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
"Iceland: Dynamic Land of Ice and Fire"
Iceland was first settled in 874 A.D., principally by
colonists from western and southwestern Norway, but also including immigrants
from the British Isles, Ireland, and other Nordic countries. The
population in 1999 totals about 280,000, more than half of whom are concentrated
in and around the capital city of Reykjavik in southwestern Iceland.
Iceland is a land of great contrasts, especially in its physical geography
and geology. Glaciers and volcanoes abound in this geologically dynamic
land that sits astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; 11 percent of the land is
covered with glaciers, and more than 150 volcanic eruptions have been documented
since settlement. Using slides and satellite images acquired during
33 years of geologic and geographic research in Iceland, Dr. Williams will
discuss this unique land of ice and fire, with emphasis on its geology
and geography.