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Dettifoss

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Dettifoss is a huge waterfall in Iceland.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

It sits in Vatnajökull National Park in the northeast part of the country. This place is part of the North Volcanic Zone. The falls are very wide and look quite grand. They drop down into a deep canyon called Jökulsárgljúfur. The water looks a greyish white color. This happens because the water carries a lot of sediment. Sediment is tiny bits of rock and dirt in the water.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

The water comes from the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. This river flows from the Vatnajökull glacier. It collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The river moves a lot of water very quickly. Dettifoss is the second largest waterfall in Iceland by volume. It has an average water flow of 193 cubic meters every second. People call it the second most powerful waterfall in Europe. This power comes from the water flow and the distance it falls.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

The name of the waterfall tells a story. It comes from the Icelandic language. The word "detta" means a fall or a collapse. The word "foss" means waterfalls. Together, they name this powerful place.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

Many people travel to see Dettifoss. It is on a popular tourist route called the Diamond Circle. This route goes around Húsavík and Lake Mývatn. You can reach the west side using Route 862. This is a tarmac road built in 2011. It is open in almost all seasons. The east side uses an older gravel road called Route 864. This road is usually only open in the summer.

Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4
Iceland Dettifoss 1972-4

There are many things to do at the falls. The west bank has a view-platform and a hiking path. It also has a pit toilet for visitors. The east bank has a public toilet and a trail. You can also find an information panel there. The staff of Vatnajökull National Park looks after the area. Dettifoss has even inspired art and movies. A musical piece by Jón Leifs was inspired by it. It also appeared in the film Prometheus.

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