Geophysicist calls for name change: “Iceland does not belong to America”

A well-known landmark on the Reykjanes Peninsula may be due for a name change, according to geophysicist and professor emeritus Páll Einarsson. The "Bridge Between Continents," a popular tourist attraction, has recently made headlines—not only for geological reasons, but also for what Einarsson calls a fundamental misunderstanding of geography.

Sinkholes and safety concerns

The area around the bridge has become hazardous following the appearance of a large sinkhole near the footpath that leads across it. Visitors are advised to stay on the designated trail, as straying off the path could be dangerous.

Meanwhile, additional cracks have been spotted in the nearby tuff formation Valahnúkur, located by the Reykjanestá and close to the Reykjanes lighthouse—the southwesternmost point of Iceland. Authorities in Suðurnes have issued warnings, reminding the public that erosion and cracking in the area have been a concern since at least 2016. A warning sign and fence now mark the entrance to the trail leading up to the ridge.

A bridge with a misleading name?

The bridge itself, sometimes referred to as the “Bridge Between Continents,” was constructed in 2002 and spans a small rift valley in the Sandvík region, well south of the town of Hafnir. It offers visitors a symbolic crossing between two tectonic plates—an impressive sight with a paved footpath leading to the bridge and down into the sandy rift below.

However, Einarsson argues that the name is misleading and promotes a geographic inaccuracy.

“Iceland has always been considered a part of Europe. The American continent begins in Greenland—this bridge doesn’t stretch that far,” Einarsson wrote in a recent Facebook post. “As is so often the case these days, the naming seems to reflect a mistranslation or misunderstanding.”

He emphasizes that the bridge spans the boundary between tectonic plates—not continents—and says calling it a bridge between continents distorts the facts.

Iceland is in Europe—geographically and culturally

Einarsson notes that while Iceland sits on the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, it remains firmly within Europe both geographically and culturally. The western part of the island lies atop the North American plate, and the eastern part rests on the Eurasian plate.

“That doesn’t make part of Iceland American,” he says. “Let’s not spread the misconception that any part of Iceland belongs to America.”