What country is called "Land of Fire and Ice"?

Iceland is commonly called the “Land of Fire and Ice.”

The nickname refers to Iceland’s striking combination of active volcanism and extensive glaciers. The country lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart, while a volcanic hotspot supplies additional heat and magma. This geological setting produces volcanoes, lava fields, geothermal springs, and geysers.

At the same time, glaciers cover a substantial part of Iceland’s highlands. Vatnajökull, the country’s largest ice cap, is one of Europe’s largest glaciers and covers several volcanoes. Eruptions beneath or beside ice can produce dramatic floods called jökulhlaups, making the contrast between fire and ice a literal geological phenomenon.

The nickname does not mean Iceland is uniformly frozen or constantly erupting. Its coastal climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Current, and many communities use geothermal energy for heating and hot water. Greenland is sometimes confused with Iceland because of their names, but Iceland is the country associated with the “Fire and Ice” expression.