life on a plate margin in iceland

• Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a constructive plate margin that stretches through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
• There are several active volcanoes -an eruption occurs on average every five years. Earthquakes are common.
• Over 320000 people live in Iceland and close to one million people visit the country each year.
• Whilst the tectonic activity does pose a threat, the people in Iceland consider it to be a low risk. This is mainly due to effective scientific monitoring and awareness of the potential dangers. In fact, tectonic activity brings huge benefits to the country
• Hot water from within the Earth’s crust provides heat and hot water for nearly 90% of all buildings in Iceland
• Volcanic rocks are used in construction for roads and buildings
• Iceland's dramatic landscape with waterfalls, volcanoes and mountain glaciers has become a huge draw for tourists. Tourism provides jobs for many people.
• Thousands of tourists visited Iceland after the recent eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.
• Geothermal energy is used to generate 25% of the country’s electricity (most of the rest is generated by hydroelectric power)
• The naturally occurring hot water - some of which reaches the surface through cracks created by earthquakes - is used to heat greenhouses and swimming pools