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Dettifoss

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Dettifoss is a big waterfall in Iceland.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

It sits in Vatnajökull National Park in the northeast. The Jökulsá á Fjöllum river flows into the falls. This river comes from the Vatnajökull glacier. The water looks greyish white. This is because the water has much sediment in it. Sediment is tiny bits of rock and dirt.

Dettifoss is very strong. It is the second most powerful waterfall in Europe. It is also the second largest in Iceland. The water flow is 193 cubic meters every second. The water drops down into a canyon. This canyon is named Jökulsárgljúfur.

Many people visit this place. It is part of the Diamond Circle tour. You can reach the west side by Route 862. This is a tarmac road. It stays open most of the year. The east side has an older gravel road. People usually use it only in summer. There are paths and toilets for visitors. You can also find an information panel there. The name Dettifoss comes from two Icelandic words. They mean "fall" and "waterfalls."

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File:Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4.jpg
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4.jpg
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