Eleven percent of Iceland is covered by glaciers. That figure refers to the country’s land area and was accurate around 2008, when Iceland’s glaciers and ice caps covered roughly 11% of its surface.
Iceland’s glaciers are relatively young in geological terms. Most of the ice from the last Ice Age disappeared about 7,000 years ago, while today’s major ice caps developed later in response to colder conditions. The largest include Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull. Vatnajökull is Europe’s largest ice cap by volume and covers a substantial part of southeastern Iceland.
Glaciers strongly shape Iceland’s landscape, carving valleys, feeding rivers, and helping create dramatic waterfalls. Some also sit above active volcanic systems. Geothermal heat beneath the ice can melt glacial water and produce sudden floods known as jökulhlaups.
The number is not fixed. Iceland’s glacier area changes with snowfall, temperature, and climate trends; by 2019, the share had fallen to about 10%. The famous Okjökull even lost its official glacier status after shrinking away.