southern peninsula region of Iceland

Southern peninsula region of Iceland was our next stop. It is a desolate region of lava rocks covered with snow but with a lot of geothermal springs which gives the country the ability to generate power using this hot water not only for domestic consumption but also for industrial plants. Southern Peninsula(Icelandic: Suðurnes) Reykjanesskagi(pronounced [ˈreiːcanɛsˌskaiːjɪ]) or Reykjanes Peninsula is a region in southwest Iceland. It was named after Reykjanes, the southwestern tip of Reykjanesskagi. The region has a population of more than 25,000 (2018) and is one of the more densely populated parts of the island. The administrative centre is Keflavík, which had 7,000 residents when it merged with the nearby town of Njarðvík and Hafnir several years ago to create Reykjanesbær, which now (feb 2019) is the largest settlement outside the Greater Reykjavík area; on 1 January 2013 the town had a population of 14,231, but 17,805 in 2018. The region is the location of Keflavík International Airport, the major point of entry for Iceland, and also the Blue Lagoon health spa. The peninsula is marked by active volcanism under its surface, and large lava fields, allowing little vegetation. There are numerous hot springs and sulfur springs in the southern half of the peninsula, around the Kleifarvatn lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal Some fishing towns, such as Grindavík, Njarðvík and Sandgerði are situated on the peninsula as well as the town of Keflavík, the site of Keflavík International Airport and the Leifur Eriksson Air Terminal and the former American military base