Geophysicist Advocates for Name Change: "Iceland Is Not Part of America"
A Geological Landmark in Question: The "Bridge Between Continents"
The tourist attraction site on the Reykjanes Peninsula known as the "Bridge Between Continents" might be facing a name change, as per geophysicist and professor emeritus Páll Einarsson. This controversial landmark has been making headlines, not just due to geological reasons, but also for a perceived geographical inaccuracy.
In recent times, visitors have been warned about the hazards surrounding the bridge, with the appearance of a large sinkhole near the footpath causing concerns. Straying off the designated trail could lead to potential danger, and nearby cracks in the tuff formation, Valahnúkur, have been a worry since 2016.
Photo/The Icelandic Police
Despite its alluring name, Einarsson argues that the moniker is misleading and fosters a geographical inaccuracy.
"Iceland has always been considered part of Europe, and the American continent doesn't begin in Iceland; the bridge doesn't stretch that far," Einarsson wrote in a recent Facebook post. "In today's age, the naming seems to reflect a mistranslation or misunderstanding."
According to Einarsson, Iceland is both geographically and culturally part of Europe, despite straddling the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. He adds that the bridge symbolically connects the tectonic plates, not continents, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining geographical truth.
Situated in the Sandvík region, the pedestrian bridge, built in 2002, offers an impressive sight, as visitors effectively cross from one tectonic plate to the other. The paved footpath leads to the bridge and down into the sandy rift below.
The Bridge and the Controversy
As a unique geological and tourist attraction, the "Bridge Between Continents" draws numerous visitors eager to experience a symbolic crossing between two tectonic plates [1][3][4]. However, the name has sparked debate, with critics like Einarsson arguing that it distorts the reality of where Iceland lies in the world.
Iceland being culturally and geographically part of Europe, the name is somewhat misleading and promotes a geographical inaccuracy, as the North American continent starts in Greenland, not Iceland.
Moreover, while the bridge crosses the tectonic plate boundary, it does not literally connect the continents of Europe and North America.
Native Icelanders like Einarsson call for accuracy in the naming of landmarks, asking the public to recognize the fact that Iceland is part of Europe, not America.
- In light of the geographical inaccuracy, the "Bridge Between Continents" in Iceland, despite connecting tectonic plates, may misleadingly imply that it connects the continents of Europe and North America.
- As Iceland is culturally and geographically part of Europe, the "Bridge Between Continents" might be a subject of controversy, since it symbolically links continental tectonic plates, while the North American continent actually begins in Greenland, not Iceland.
