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Glaciers of Iceland are an important part of the topography of Iceland. About 10% of the landmass in Iceland is covered with sheets of glacier. The glaciers are concentrated mostly in the south and central highlands of Iceland.
Glaciers are formed when the amount of precipitation in winter exceeds the amount of snow melt in summer. The snow crystallizes and recrystallizes to form a solid sheet of ice covering the landmass. Ice Caps are formed when a mountain range or a volcano is completely covered with snow.
Most of the glaciers in Iceland are thaw glaciers although piedmont glaciers are also present. The glaciers are mostly confined to valleys & broad sub-glacial channels.
The glaciers of Iceland have an average temperature of 0C. The glaciers of Iceland are a common tourist attraction there. Some of the important glaciers of Iceland are as follows:
Vatnajokull-It is the largest ice cap in Iceland covering an area of about 8000square km.
Langjokull-The second largest glacier of Iceland situated in the central pars of Iceland.
Hofsjokull-A glacier in the south of Iceland it is the third largest glacier in Iceland.
Myrdalsjokull-It is in the southern parts of Iceland. It covers an active volcano,Katla.
Snaefellsjokull-It is a small glacier on the tip of the famous mountain Snaefellsnes.
Some of the glaciers of Iceland are slowly retreating due to the change in atmospheric conditions.
The power of the glaciers in Iceland is used to generate electricity also.
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