Hekla, << HEHK luh, >> is a famous volcanic mountain in southwestern Iceland. The mountain is located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the coast and rises 4,892 feet (1,491 meters) above sea level. The main crater had been quiet for more than 100 years when the volcano erupted on March 29, 1947. That eruption lasted 13 months. Lava spread over an area of 15 square miles (39 square kilometers), and ash fell as far away as Finland. Smaller eruptions took place in 1980, 1981, and 1991.
