page_title: Vestmannaeyjar
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Vestmannaeyjar / Geography
caption_attribution_description: Español: Isla Elliðaey, Islas Vestman, Suðurland, IslandiaEnglish: Elliðaey island, Westman Islands, Suðurland, Iceland
context_page_description: Vestmannaeyjar is a municipality and archipelago off the south coast of Iceland.
  The largest island, Heimaey, has a population of 4,135, most of whom live in the archipelago's main town, Vestmannaeyjabær. The other islands are uninhabited, although six have single hunting cabins. Vestmannaeyjar came to international attention in 1973 with the eruption of Eldfell volcano, which destroyed many buildings and forced a months-long evacuation of the entire population to mainland Iceland. Approximately one fifth of the town was destroyed before the lava flow was halted by application of 6.8 billion litres of cold sea water.
context_section_description: The Vestmannaeyjar archipelago is young in geological terms. The islands lie in the Southern Icelandic Volcanic Zone and have been formed by eruptions over the past 10,000–12,000 years. The volcanic system consists of 70–80 volcanoes both above and below the sea.
  Vestmannaeyjar comprises the following islands:
  Heimaey (13.4 square kilometres; 5.2 sq mi)
  Surtsey (1.4 square kilometres; 350 acres)
  Elliðaey (0.45 square kilometres; 110 acres)
  Bjarnarey (0.32 square kilometres; 79 acres)
  Álsey (0.25 square kilometres; 62 acres)
  Suðurey (0.20 square kilometres; 49 acres)
  Brandur (0.1 square kilometres; 25 acres)
  Hellisey (0.1 square kilometres; 25 acres)
  Súlnasker (0.03 square kilometres; 7 acres)
  Geldungur (0.02 square kilometres; 5 acres)
  Geirfuglasker (Vestmannaeyjar) (0.02 square kilometres; 5 acres)
  the islands Hani, Hæna, Hrauney and the skerry Grasleysa are called Smáeyjar (small islands).
  Total: 16.3 square kilometres (6.3 sq mi)
  There are 15 islands, and about 30 rock stacks and skerries. All the islands have been built up in submarine eruptions and consist of alternating layers of palagonite tuff and lava. The oldest geological formations are in the northern part of Heimaey ("Home Island"), the largest island and the only inhabited one. Basalt columns can be seen in many places, and the sea has eroded the soft rock of the shoreline and scooped out many picturesque coves and grottos, which are among the special features of the islands.
  There was a submarine eruption southeast of Hellisey in 1896. The next eruption began on 14 November 1963. It lasted about four years – one of the longest in Icelandic history – and gave birth to Surtsey, the 15th island in the group. In the eruption of 1973 that lasted for 155 days, Heimaey grew by about 2.1 square kilometres (0.81 sq mi). The Vestmannaeyjar group is about 38 kilometres (24 mi) long and 29 kilometres (18 mi) broad, the closest point lying about 8 kilometres (5 mi) from the mainland.
caption: Elliðaey island.
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