The largest desert in Europe is completely covered with black sand

Iceland is home to Europe’s largest and most active desert, comprised of black sand of basaltic origin covering over 44 thousand sq. km. This desertification process, caused by improper land management and climate change, has transformed former birch forests into sandy landscapes, affecting the continent’s climate through dust storms that reach continental Europe and contribute to warming and glacier melting. Policies are being implemented to increase forest coverage in Iceland to combat these environmental challenges by 2050.

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