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Temperatures on the southern part of the ice cap are almost always below zero in winter and can reach -20 °C or -30 °C. High winds and storms are common, and therefore wind-chill has to be taken into account as the wind can have a substantial effect on outdoor comfort, even when the ambient
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During the summer, national park rangers offer short walks with an emphasis on nature interpretation. From mid-June to mid-August, rangers guide daily interpretive walks at Ásbyrgi and
Skaftafell. In the highlands, most ranger stations offer daily interpretive walks from early July until mid-August.
456:
The weather can vary considerably in an area as extensive as that covered by the
National Park with its wide range of elevations. Precipitation in low-lying areas south of the Vatnajökull ice cap is considerable, ranging from 1,000 mm a year to 3,000 mm per year. Temperatures range between
622:
conduct patrols and provide educational services in the park's highland areas. The opening times of the stations vary from area to area, with the first rangers arriving when the relevant highland roads are opened, soon after the middle of June, and the last rangers leaving at the end of
September.
472:
Southerly winds generally mean little or no precipitation in the north, along with higher temperatures. Northerly winds bring clouds, with cool and possibly wet weather in the north of the country, while the south is brighter and milder. The same applies to westerly or south westerly winds, which
468:
Further north beyond the ice cap, annual precipitation decreases. North-east of the ice cap it drops to between 350 and 450 mm per year, the lowest in
Iceland. Precipitation increases closer to the north coast and in parts of the highlands such as at Askja. Temperatures can fall quite low in
460:
In the mountains and on the ice cap itself, annual precipitation can reach to between 4,000 and 5,000 mm, for the most part in the form of snow. The depth of snow on Öræfajökull after a high-precipitation winter is between 10 and 15 m. Some of the snow will melt, while the rest forms glacial
615:
The visitor centre in
Skaftafell is open all year round. The visitor centres in Ásbyrgi and Skriðuklaustur are open from the beginning of May throughout September, but can be opened during winter on appointment. Most of the national park's highland area is however inaccessible during the winter.
218:
477:. Humid, rather cool air rises as it nears the highlands; condensation then falls in the highlands as rain while warmer, drier air flows down to lower ground on the other side. The difference in temperature can be 10 °C or greater.
317:
largest glacier outside the arctic, with a surface area of 8,100 km. Generally measuring 400–600 m in thickness and at the most 950 m, the glacial ice conceals a number of mountains, valleys and plateaus. It even hides some active
391:
The south side of Vatnajökull is characterised by many high, majestic mountain ridges, with outlet glaciers descending between them onto the lowlands. The southernmost part of the glacier envelops the central volcano
334:
glacier, does more precipitation fall or more water drain to the sea than on the south side of Vatnajökull. In fact, so much water is currently stored in Vatnajökull that the
Icelandic river with the greatest flow,
473:
bring warmer weather in the east. The reverse is true of easterly winds, which bring coolness and precipitation in the east and dry, better weather in the west of
Iceland. This is the result of the phenomenon of
452:
is located near the center of
Iceland, on mountain track F26. Snowfall can be expected there any time of the year, so travelers must be well prepared and check the weather forecast before driving up there.
246:
The unique qualities of Vatnajökull
National Park are primarily its great variety of landscape features, created by the combined forces of rivers, glacial ice, and volcanic and geothermal activity.
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the most active. While the icecap rises at its highest to over 2,000 m above sea level, the glacier base reaches its lowest point 300 m below sea level. Nowhere in
Iceland, with the exception of
608:
The Western Territory extends over the south-western part of Vatnajökull and a large area outside the glacier, including Lakagígar craters and Langisjór. An information centre is located in
388:
Broad wetlands and expansive ranges distinguish the areas near the glacier and farther east, around Snæfell. These areas are an important habitat for reindeer and pink-footed geese.
417:
Substantial volcanic activity also characterises the landscape west of Vatnajökull, where two of the world's greatest fissure and lava eruptions of historical times occurred, at
63:
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The scenery encircling the glacier is extremely varied. Towards the north, the highland plateau is divided by glacial rivers, with powerful flows in summer. The volcanoes of
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10 °C and 20 °C in summer, while winters are rather mild (the thermometer rarely falls below -10 °C and the temperature is often well above freezing point).
290:(including its surrounding areas) it now covers 14,141 km or approximately 14% of Iceland, making it Europe's second largest national park in terms of area after
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Vatnajökull National Park was established on 7 June 2008. When established, the park covered an area of 12,000 km, but with later additions of
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in the east. A visitor centre and a campsite are located in Skaftafell. Information centres in co-operation with the national park are run in
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The Northern Territory consists of north-western Vatnajökull, Askja caldera and its surroundings, Jökulsárgljúfur canyon and some of
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408:. These sands are mostly composed of ash which stems from the frequent eruptions at Grímsvötn and is brought to the coast by
360:. Long ago, huge glacial floods carved out the canyon of Jökulsárgljúfur in the northern reaches of this plateau. The mighty
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434:, northwest of the glacier, is a colourful high-temperature area and a watershed between North and South Iceland.
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The Eastern Territory includes Kverkfjöll mountains and north-eastern Vatnajökull, as well as the expanses of
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glacier and extensive surrounding areas. These include the national parks previously existing at
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riverbed. A visitor centre and a campsite are located in Ásbyrgi, along with a campsite in
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waterfall still thunders into the upper end of this canyon, while the scenic formations at
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Vatnajökull National Park is divided into four territories, each of them locally managed.
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The Southern Territory extends throughout the south-eastern part of Vatnajökull, or from
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ice. This process happens everywhere above the snowline on the Vatnajökull ice cap.
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The campsite in Ásbyrgi. Vatnajökull National Park's visitor centre, Gljúfrastofa
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tower over this region, together with the volcanic table mountain
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Ministry for the Environment in Iceland: Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður
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overlooks the black sands deposited to its west by the river
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Jökulsárlón, located on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park
249:
On 5 July 2019, Vatnajökull National Park was inscribed as a
722:"Vatnajokull National Park | South Iceland | Iceland Travel"
612:, jointly run by the national park and the local community.
794:
Vatnajökull National Park – dynamic nature of fire and ice
747:"Vatnajökull National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre"
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is Vatnajökull National Park's most recent visitor centre.
137:
Vatnajökull National Park - dynamic nature of fire and ice
384:Öræfajökull and Hvannadalshnjúkur as seen from Skaftafell
400:. Sheltered by the high ice, the vegetated oasis of
701:"Vatnajökull National Park on World Heritage List"
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98:14,141 square kilometres (5,460 sq mi)
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774:Official website of Vatnajökull National Park
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50:South, southeast, east and northeast
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918:Protected areas established in 2008
373:and the horseshoe-curved cliffs of
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541:. A visitor centre is located at
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779:Map of Vatnajokull National Park
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538:[ˈstnaiːˌfɛlsˌœːrˌaiːvɪ]
465:temperature is relatively high.
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923:World Heritage Sites in Iceland
745:Centre, UNESCO World Heritage.
644:Vatnajökull National Park, 2014
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1:
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601:[ˈstnaiːˌfɛlsˌstɔːva]
370:[ˈl̥jouːðaˌkʰlɛhtar̥]
675:Park, Vatnajokull National.
396:and Iceland's highest peak,
7:
677:"Vatnajokull National Park"
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509:, can be seen further away.
506:[ˈklju(v)raˌstɔːva]
10:
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127:UNESCO World Heritage Site
913:National parks of Iceland
908:Vatnajökull National Park
874:
863:
839:
681:Vatnajokull National Park
526:[ˈvɛstʏrˌtaːlʏr̥]
377:are found farther north.
283:[ˈkʰrɛhpʏˌtʰuŋka]
197:Vatnajökull National Park
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22:Vatnajökull National Park
21:
588:[ˈskauːlaˌfɛtl̥]
552:mountain in the west to
231:. It encompasses all of
16:National park in Iceland
495:Operations and services
449:[ˈniːɪˌtaːlʏr̥]
431:[ˈvɔːnarˌskarθ]
353:[ˈstnaiːˌfɛtl̥]
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784:Iceland Tourist Board
620:National park rangers
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414:, or glacial floods.
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239:in the southwest and
205:Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður
145:Natural: (viii)
610:Kirkjubæjarklaustur
579:[ˈhoulmʏr̥]
326:is the largest and
251:World Heritage Site
75: /
37:, the high peak of
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223:) is one of three
167:Reference no.
33:Hikers journey to
895:
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830:National parks of
518:Jökulsá á Fjöllum
398:Hvannadalshnjúkur
320:central volcanoes
298:Geography/geology
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79:64.500°N 17.000°W
35:Hvannadalshnjúkur
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707:. 5 July 2019.
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754:. Retrieved
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350:and Snæfell
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852:Vatnajökull
656:Vatnajökull
522:Vesturdalur
489:Jökulsárlón
487:iceberg in
425:1783–1784.
421:in 934 and
411:jökulhlaups
394:Öræfajökull
324:Bárðarbunga
322:, of which
294:in Russia.
288:Jökulsárlón
279:Krepputunga
233:Vatnajökull
103:Established
82: /
58:Coordinates
39:Öræfajökull
902:Categories
887:Skaftafell
857:Þingvellir
756:2018-06-05
731:2018-06-04
686:2018-06-04
662:References
550:Lómagnúpur
475:foehn wind
427:Vonarskarð
402:Skaftafell
358:Herðubreið
348:Kverkfjöll
237:Skaftafell
208:pronounced
150:Designated
113:2008-06-07
584:Skálafell
563:Lónsöræfi
446:Nýidalur
423:Lakagígar
362:Dettifoss
328:Grímsvötn
309:in Eldgjá
307:Ófærufoss
275:Langisjór
271:Lakagígar
201:Icelandic
650:See also
485:Blue ice
406:Skeiðará
315:Europe's
292:Yugyd Va
142:Criteria
47:Location
840:Current
833:Iceland
571:Hoffell
438:Climate
375:Ásbyrgi
257:History
229:Iceland
159:session
111: (
70:17°00′W
67:64°30′N
52:Iceland
875:Former
575:Hólmur
419:Eldgjá
337:Ölfusá
177:Region
157:(43rd
344:Askja
582:and
567:Höfn
561:and
286:and
171:1604
154:2019
95:Area
554:Lón
227:in
904::
749:.
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713:^
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203::
822:e
815:t
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199:(
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115:)
41:.
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