9th July 2008

ICELAND'S SURTSEY ISLAND JOINS UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE LIST

Surtsey, Iceland’s youngest volcanic island, has been added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list following the World Heritage Committee held in Quebec City on July 7, 2008.

Located in the Westman Islands archipelago, approximately 32km from the south coast of Iceland, Surtsey was formed following a series of oceanic volcanic eruptions that took place from 1963 to 1967. The genesis of the new island sparked the worldwide attention of scientists and Surtsey has been preserved and studied since 1964.

Surtsey provides a pristine ‘living laboratory’ free from human interference where scientists have researched volcanology, tuff or volcanic rock formation, land formation and erosion, colonisation by plants and animals and ecological succession.

The island is only accessible for scientists for research however, Viking Tours operate a four-hour boat tour around to Surtsey on request from ISK7,000 per person (around £47) from its base in the Westman Islands. www.vikingtours.is

Visitors to Reykjavik can also watch explosive footage of Surtsey’s creation and learn more about the unique island at the interactive Surtsey – Genesis Exhibition at Culture House in Reykjavik.

The exhibition traces the emergence and evolution of the island up to the present day and predicts its geographical and ecological development over the next 120 years. The latest multimedia techniques are applied to convey the invaluable findings of scientific research in Surtsey. www.thjodmenning.is

Surtsey joins Thingvellir National Park, Iceland’s other UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the national parliament was established in 930 AD.

For more information on UNESCO World Heritage List visit www.unesco.org

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Images available on request.

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Rebecca Genin at rebecca@saltmarshpr.co.uk or

Clair Horwood at clair@saltmarshpr.co.uk

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