History about Iceland

History The  history of Iceland began with the settlement of the Viking explorers and their slaves from the east, particularly Norway and the British Isles, in the late 9th century. Recorded settlements have been dated back to 874 AD.     Iceland is a young island. It started to form      about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, between the North American and Eurasian plates. These plates spread at a rate of approximately 2.5 centimeters per year.  This elevated portion of the ridge is known as the  History The  history of Iceland began with the settlement of the Viking explorers and their slaves from the east, particularly Norway and the British Isles, in the late 9th century. Recorded settlements have been dated back to 874 AD.      Iceland is a young island. It started to form      about 20 million years ago from a series of volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, between the North American and Eurasian plates. These plates spread at a rate of approximately 2.5 centimeters per year.  This elevated portion of the ridge is known as the Reykjanes Ridge. The volcanic activity is attributed to  the Iceland hotspot, which in turn lies over a mantle plume (the Iceland Plume) an anomalously hot rock in the Earth's mantle which is likely to be partly responsible for the island's creation and continued existence.  Ridge. The volcanic activity is attributed to  the Iceland hotspot, which in turn lies over a mantle plume (the Iceland Plume) an anomalously hot rock in the Earth's mantle which is likely to be partly responsible for the island's creation and continued existence.