Vatnajökull, Iceland
Europe's largest ice cap by volume, sitting on top of active volcanoes.
Terra Explorer Natural wonders
Drag to rotate · scroll or pinch to zoom
Make this model
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.
- 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.
The line is the monthly average. The shaded band runs from the average night-time low to the average daytime high.
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.
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.