Kleifarvatn

This article is about the lake in Iceland. For the novel named after the lake, see Kleifarvatn (novel).

Kleifarvatn
Lake Kleifarvatn in Iceland
Kleifarvatn
Location	Reykjanes
Coordinates	63°55′30″N 21°58′48″W
Basin countries	Iceland
Max. length	4.7 km (2.9 mi)
Max. width	2.5 km (1.6 mi)
Surface area	8 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Max. depth	97 m (318 ft) (as of 2000)

Kleifarvatn (Icelandic pronunciation: ​[ˈkʰleiːvarˌvahtn̥]) is the largest lake on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, situated in the southern part of the peninsula. It is located on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The lake has no visible water coming in or going out as most of its water comes and leaves underground. The lake can be reached via a track, and there are two areas with high temperature that can be found not far from it: Seltún/Krýsuvík and another to the east. The lake's greatest depth is 97 m. After the 2000 Iceland earthquakes, the lake began to diminish, and 20% of its surface has since disappeared.

Kleifarvatn, June 2008

The novel Kleifarvatn by Icelandic writer Arnaldur Indriðason was named after the lake.

See also

• List of lakes of Iceland
• Volcanism of Iceland

External links

• Photos
• More information and photos about Kleifarvatn on Hit Iceland
• Kleifarvatn – Photo gallery
• "Iceland Lake Disappearing Into New Crack in Earth", Bijal P. Trivedi, National Geographic Today, October 1, 2001