Iceland [Portrait edition]

A hotspot in the North Atlantic, Iceland is one of the world’s most unusual countries. It is Europe’s second largest island but its most sparsely populated country. Sitting astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, linking the North Atlantic plate with the Eurasian plate, it is closer to Greenland than Europe. It lies just south of the Arctic Circle, but, warmed by Gulf Stream waters, has a temperate climate. It has fiery volcanoes and freezing glaciers, striking black sand beaches and hot geysers – the word geyser itself comes from Icelandic. And a geologically young landmass, Iceland is still taking shape: a volcanic eruption in 1963 caused the formation of the new island of Surtsey. Iceland is a fascinating exploration of this most beautiful island. From volcanoes and lava flows to geysers and geothermal pools, from bird life to whale-watching, from national parks, verdant valleys to inland tundra, and from how waterfalls are used for hydro-electric power to Reykjavik’s city life, the book is packed with 200 spectacular colour photographs. Presented with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Iceland is a stunning collection of images celebrating the world’s most curious island.