Heimaey is perhaps best known for the event, approximately fifty years ago, when this Icelandic island experienced expansion. The land increased by just over two square kilometers due to the local Eldfell volcano, whose lava cooled into new terrain. Today, one can visit Heimaey and explore the Eldheimar museum, which is dedicated to this destructive and creative event. However, long before the 1970s, about a thousand years earlier, Heimaey was already inhabited, according to archaeologists. This may mark the beginning of human history on Heimaey, but one must also consider the true local population of this island, surrounded by imposing cliffs. Greatly outnumbering the 4,500 human residents are over eight million Atlantic puffins, which have become a symbol of the island and can sometimes even be found on the streets.
