Vatnajökull, Iceland

Europe's largest ice cap by volume, sitting on top of active volcanoes.

Terra Explorer Natural wonders

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The Standard Resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High Resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.

Region
Iceland
Position
64.4000, -16.8000
Area
50 × 50 km
Real elevation
486 to 1,793 m (1,307 m of relief)
Printed size
150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:333,300
Heights
2× exaggeration
Elevation data
Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
Suggested color
Glacier
Group
Natural wonders

Terrain facts: Vatnajökull

The ground around Vatnajökull is very gentle. Across the 50 by 50 km area of the model, it runs from 486 m up to 1,793 m. That is 1,307 m of relief, a bit taller than the Burj Khalifa.

Highest point1,793 m64.625, -16.651
Lowest point486 m64.175, -16.280
Relief1,307 m#184 of 547 places
Average slope2° #492 steepest of 547
Steepest 1%over 13.7°ground: very gentle
West to east through the center
Vatnajökull, Iceland: height of the ground from west to east through the center, 1,310 to 1,659 m1,659 m1,310 mWest50 kmEast
South to north through the center
Vatnajökull, Iceland: height of the ground from south to north through the center, 1,373 to 1,676 m1,676 m1,373 mSouth50 kmNorth
How much of the area sits at each height
Vatnajökull, Iceland: share of the area at each height from 486 to 1,793 m9%14%21%22%17%486 m1,793 m
How steep the ground is
  • Flat 94.1%
  • Gentle 5.1%
  • Steep 0.8%
  • Very steep 0%

On average the ground slopes at 2 degrees, and the steepest 1% is steeper than 13.7 degrees. About 94% of the area is flat (under 5 degrees). Rain would run off mostly toward the southeast.

Out of 547 places in Terra, it ranks #184 for relief, #209 for highest ground and #492 for steepness (#1 is the most). Compare the places in Natural wonders →

Worked out by Embossify from open satellite and survey data at about 196 m per point. The charts stretch the heights to fill the frame, and a single summit can read a little lower than its surveyed height.

Climate: Vatnajökull

The climate around Vatnajökull is bitterly cold: over the year the temperature averages about -6°C (21°F), from around -10°C (14°F) in February to around 0°C (31°F) in July. Every month averages below freezing. It is very wet, with about 2,934 mm (116 in) of precipitation in a year. January is the wettest month and June the driest.

Average temperature-6°C21°F over the year
Warmest monthJulyabout 0°C (31°F)
Coolest monthFebruaryabout -10°C (14°F)
Rain in a year2,934 mm116 inches
Wettest monthJanuaryabout 331 mm
Temperature through the year
Vatnajökull, Iceland: average temperature for each month, from -10°C (14°F) in February to 0°C (31°F) in July0°-13°JFMAMJJASOND

The line is the monthly average. The shaded band runs from the average night-time low to the average daytime high.

Rain and snow through the year
Vatnajökull, Iceland: precipitation for each month, about 2,934 mm a year331 mm0JFMAMJJASOND

Millimeters of rain, or of melted snow, in each month.

Color tip: Cold for much of the year, so the Glacier colors (deep blue to white) suit it. Choose it in Customize →

Climate averages for the area around this place, 2001 to 2025, from NASA POWER, adjusted for the height of the land. They describe the region, not the exact spot.

About Vatnajökull, Iceland

Europe's largest ice cap by volume, sitting on top of active volcanoes.

Read more about Vatnajökull on Wikipedia →

Questions about Vatnajökull, Iceland

Where is Vatnajökull?

Vatnajökull is in Iceland at 64.4000, -16.8000. The model covers a 50 by 50 kilometer square around that point.

How high is the terrain in the Vatnajökull model?

The land in this model runs from 486 to 1,793 m (1,307 m of relief), and its highest point is at 64.6246, -16.6512. These are the measured heights, printed 2 times taller so the shape is easy to see.

How steep is Vatnajökull?

On average the ground slopes at 2 degrees, and the steepest 1% is steeper than 13.7 degrees. About 94% of the area is flat (under 5 degrees). Rain would run off mostly toward the southeast.

How does Vatnajökull compare with other places?

Out of 547 places in Terra, it ranks #184 for relief, #209 for highest ground and #492 for steepness (#1 is the most). For scale, that relief is a bit taller than the Burj Khalifa.

Can I 3D print Vatnajökull?

Yes. Download the free Standard Resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 12.8 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:333,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.

How accurate is the Vatnajökull model?

It is built from real elevation measurements: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. Each point of the grid covers about 196 m on the ground, so a single summit can read a little lower than its surveyed height. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.

Is the Vatnajökull model free?

The Standard Resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High Resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.

How this model is made

Embossify Terra builds Vatnajökull, Iceland from real measured elevation. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.

The heights are exaggerated 2× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base. New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works.