List of the most famous active volcanoes in the world. The most famous and largest volcanoes in the world

Despite their lethality, various volcanoes have long attracted man. Previously, people were attracted by fertile soils enriched with minerals and trace elements due to the activity of volcanoes, now tourists are attracted by the beauty and majesty of these natural objects.

Where are the largest volcanoes on the world map?

Most of today's active volcanoes are located in Pacific volcanic ring- the area in which the largest number of eruptions and 90% of earthquakes on our planet occur.

The second most powerful seismic zone is the Mediterranean fold belt, stretching from the Indonesian islands to.

The strongest eruption in history

The most destructive eruption in terms of its consequences is considered to be a catastrophe that occurred in 1883 during an explosion. Krakatoa volcano located in . During this cataclysm, more than 36 thousand people died, more than 165 cities and villages were completely destroyed, and ash was thrown to a height of 70 kilometers.

The force of the explosion during the eruption exceeded the force of the nuclear bomb explosion over Hiroshima by 10,000 times. Most of the deaths are the result of huge tsunami caused by the eruption. The island on which Krakatoa was located was almost completely destroyed during the disaster. The sound from the explosion spread to a distance of 5 thousand kilometers from the epicenter of the disaster.

Earth's Greatest Active Volcanic Mountains

The largest active volcanoes in the world in terms of volume:

• mauna loa, Hawaii, with a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers;
• kilimanjaro(Tanzania), which is considered dormant but potentially active, has a volume of 4,800 cubic kilometers;
• Volcano Sierra Negra, located in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) has a volume of 580 cubic kilometers.

Which country has the largest source of lava?

In terms of size, there is no equal to the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which has a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The title of the highest is contested by 2 volcanoes from South America:

1. Llullaillaco, located on the border of Argentina and Chile with a height of more than 6 thousand meters;
2. Cotopaxi, located in Ecuador with a height of 5897 meters.

Description with titles

There are between 1000 and 1500 active volcanoes on our planet. Many of them are located close to densely populated areas and pose a threat to human life. The most dangerous volcanoes, which are under special supervision, are included in List of Volcanoes of the UN Decade.

Merapi

Merapi, which in Indonesian means "mountain of fire", recognized as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Asia. It is located in the south of the island of Java in Indonesia, and its peak rises to a height of 3 thousand meters.

Significant eruptions of Merapi occur with a frequency of about 7 years; during its history, Merapi has repeatedly caused the death of many people. In 1930, 1400 people became victims of the eruption, and in 2010 more than 350 thousand people had to be evacuated, 353 inhabitants of the island died.

Located near Merapi Yogyakarta city, in the agglomeration of which more than 2 million people live. For its activity and danger to people's lives, Merapi is included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Sakurajima

Sakurazdima volcano (Japan) is located on Kyushu island, its peak rises to a height of 1110 meters. The first eruption recorded by the chronicles occurred in 963, and the most powerful one dates back to 1914, but thanks to the tremors preceding it, most of the local residents managed to evacuate, “only” 35 people died.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the volcano has been constantly active. Every year there are thousands of small explosions and ash emissions.

In 2013, there was a large ash ejection, reaching a height of 4000 meters.

Sakurajima is also on the Volcanoes of the Decade list.

Aso

Aso Volcano is also located on Kyushu island in Japan. The highest point of Aso is at an altitude of 1592 meters. During the observation of the volcano, about 165 large and medium-sized eruptions occurred, many of which led to human casualties.

The last time people died as a result of volcanic eruptions was in 1979, when 3 people died and 11 were injured. But Aso is dangerous not only for its eruptions, poisonous vapors of volcanic gas regularly poison tourists who try to conquer Aso. The last such incident occurred in 1997, when two climbers died.

The last eruption of Aso was noted in 2011, when ash was ejected to a height of up to 2 kilometers.

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Nyiragongo

Nyiragongo is located in DR Congo in the Virunga mountain range (Africa). In the crater of the volcano is the world's largest lava lake, the depth of which can reach 3 kilometers. In 1977, the crater wall ruptured, resulting in a major lava flow to the surrounding area, resulting in the death of 70 people.

During observations of Nyiragongo since 1882, it was recorded 34 major volcanic eruptions. A feature of the Nyiragongo eruptions is an extremely fast flow of lava, reaching a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. During a major eruption in 2002, 400,000 residents of the city of Goma, located near the volcano, were evacuated. Nevertheless, 147 of them died as a result of this cataclysm, and the city itself received significant damage.

All these factors make Nyiragongo one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, for which he was rightly included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Galeras

Galeras volcano is located in Colombia near the city of Pasto, whose population is more than 400 thousand people. Its height exceeds 4200 meters. Due to its danger, Galeras has been included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade that pose the greatest threat in the foreseeable future.

It is believed that over the past 7000 years, Galeras has experienced at least 6 major eruptions, in 1993 the last of them was recorded.

mauna loa

Mauna Loa Volcano is located on Hawaiian Islands owned by the United States of America. This giant volcano occupies more than half of the area of ​​Hawaii, the height of the peak is 4169 meters above sea level, but most of the volcano is located under water. Together with the underwater part, its height from the base to the top reaches 9170 meters, which exceeds the height of Everest.

Mauna Loa eruptions occur along the so-called Hawaiian type with an outpouring of lava, but without explosions and large ash emissions. Observations of the volcano have been conducted only since 1832, but during this time 39 major eruptions of Mauna Loa were recorded. This volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade due to the huge lava flows that accompany the eruption and the densely populated area in its immediate vicinity.

The top of the volcano and its slopes are included in the list UNESCO World Heritage.

Colima

The most active volcano in Central America is located in the state of Jalisco. Due to its activity, Colima received the nickname "little Vesuvius", its height exceeds 3800 meters.

Over the past 450 years, more than 40 large and medium-sized volcanic eruptions have been recorded, the last of which occurred on September 12, 2016. More than 400 thousand people live near Colima, which makes it America's most dangerous volcano. For this reason, the volcano was included in the Volcanoes of the Decade list.

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Vesuvius

The most famous volcano in the world is located on the Apennine Peninsula in. The lone peak of Vesuvius, 1281 meters high, rises above the spacious fields of the province of Campania and is part of the Apennine mountain system.

Located just 15 kilometers from Naples, Vesuvius has repeatedly gone down in history with its catastrophic eruptions, about 80 large ones alone were recorded. In 79 AD, the most destructive eruption of Vesuvius, during which famous cities were killed:

• Pompeii;
• Oplontis;
• Herculaneum;
• Stabiae.

It is believed that at least 16,000 people died during this cataclysm.

In 1944, the last eruption of Vesuvius occurred at the moment, cities were destroyed during this natural disaster. Weight and San Sebastiano, 27 people became victims. Since then, Vesuvius has not shown much activity, but the danger of a new eruption always remains. Vesuvius is one of the main attractions of the province of Campania and its visit is included in the excursion tour when traveling to Naples.

Etna

Another famous volcano in Italy is located in the east of the island of Sicily and is highest volcano, rising to a height of 2329 meters. Etna eruptions are observed several times a year. History has recorded several major eruptions of this volcano, which led to devastating consequences:

1. Destroyed in 122 AD city ​​of Catania;
2. In 1169, Etna died during a massive eruption. 15 thousand people;
3. In 1669, Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
4. In 1928, the ancient Mascali city.

Despite the danger of the volcano, the inhabitants of the island continue to settle on its slopes. The reason for this is fertile soil, enriched with minerals and trace elements contained in the cooled lava flows and ash.

Etna is one of the main natural attractions of Sicily. Tourists from all over the Earth come to see the volcano and climb to its top.

popocatepetl

Volcano Popocatepetl, or El Popo, as the locals affectionately call it, is located in Mexico, 70 kilometers from the capital of this country, the city of Mexico City. The height of the volcano is almost 5500 meters. Over the past 500 years, Popocatepetl has erupted more than 15 times, with the latest occurring as recently as 2015. An extinct volcano is located near Popocatepetl Istaxihuatl.

A trip to these volcanoes is an integral part of the excursion program when visiting Mexico City.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

The highest volcano in Eurasia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula and is considered the most famous of the many volcanoes in Kamchatka. The highest point outside the Caucasus Mountains reaches a height of 4750 meters. It is the most active volcano in Eurasia, on average its eruptions occur almost every year. The last significant eruption occurred in 2013, the height of the ash emission was 10-12 kilometers. The eruption was accompanied by mud flows and ashfall.

Cotopaxi

The active volcano Cotopaxi is located in South America on the territory of the state Ecuador in the Andean mountain system. The height of the top of Cotopaxi is 5897 meters. Over the entire history of observations, 86 eruptions have been recorded, the largest of which led to the complete destruction of the city of Latacunga in 1786. The last activity of Cotopaxi was seen in 1942, after which the volcano is still dormant.

Famous extinct giants

In addition to active volcanoes, there are many extinct volcanoes on our planet that do not show volcanic activity.

Supreme

The tallest extinct volcano in the world aconcagua, is located in Argentina and is part of the Andes mountain system. Aconcagua is not only the highest extinct volcano in the world, but also the highest peak in America, the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The height of Aconcagua exceeds 6950 meters.

sleeping giants

Many extinct volcanoes are now considered just mountains, although some of them could potentially “wake up” and begin to show activity. Such volcanoes, which may become active in the future, are called "asleep".

• famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa) is a dormant volcano that does not show active activity. Scientists believe that one day Kilimanjaro may wake up, then this potential volcano will become one of the highest in the world, because the height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters above sea level.

colossal supervolcano yellowstone considered extinct, but scientists have found that there is little activity in it, so now Yellowstone is categorized as dormant volcanoes. The last time the giant erupted almost a million years ago.

It is believed that if Yellowstone wakes up, the potential eruption will become one of the largest disasters in the history of the Earth, every third inhabitant of the planet will die, and several US states will be completely destroyed.

Yellowstone eruption will provoke many earthquakes, giant tsunami waves and eruptions of other volcanoes, which will affect almost every inhabitant of the planet. The ash thrown out by the volcano will cover the surface of the earth from the sun for a year and a half, and a volcanic winter will come throughout the planet.

However, not all scientists believe that the consequences of this cataclysm will be so serious. In any case, the eruption of this volcano remains one of the main potential threats to humans.

• The largest extinct volcano in Russia - - 5642 meters. It is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Refers to the list of the highest peaks of the six parts of the world. Scientists consider the activity of the volcano not so much completed as fading.
• The largest volcano of our time cannot be visited and is very difficult to see, as it is under water. array Tamu located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and is located about 1600 kilometers east of the Japanese Islands. Its dimensions are 650 by 450 kilometers; in terms of its scale, the array is one of the largest not only on Earth, but in the entire solar system. The last volcanic eruption occurred 140 million years ago.
• dormant volcanoes Big and Small Ararat are now located on the territory and belong to the category of volcanoes that do not show volcanic activity. The top of Mount Ararat, reaching 5165 meters, is the highest point in Turkey.
• One of the highest peaks of the Caucasus, Mount Kazbek is also an extinct volcano. Kazbek is located on the border with Russia, the highest point of the mountain is located at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. During research, volcanic ash from an eruption that allegedly occurred 40 thousand years ago was found in one of the caves of Kazbek.

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Watch a video about these and other volcanoes in the world:

The beauty and grandeur of a large volcano has always attracted man. The power of the acting giant is not exaggerated - ash enveloping for many kilometers and fiery lava, burning everything in its path, are described in many books and shown on TV. The larger and higher the volcano, the more destruction it can bring in the event of an eruption.

In the modern world, scientists can predict the activity of an active volcano, thereby avoiding many victims, but sometimes it is impossible to calculate the strength and duration of the “fiery breath of nature”. People are most interested in the highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates. This list contains exactly those that have the highest altitude above sea level.

Tungurahua

The height of the giant volcano, located on the territory of Ecuador, is 5023m. above sea level. The name stands for "fire throat". Since 1999, the volcano has become particularly active, in connection with which it was decided to evacuate all nearby villages. A major eruption was recorded in 2012 and 2014, which is why local authorities have introduced an orange alert level. Throwing ashes to a height of almost 10 km. fell asleep several large settlements, located at a distance of more than 150 km. A small activity of Tungurahua occurs at the present time.

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect, it means "awe-inspiring". This majestic and beautiful volcano has a height of 5230m. According to scientific data, a volcano with three craters, the diameter of which is more than 100 meters, was formed more than 14,000 years ago. The very first major eruption was recorded in 1628. Since the 30s of the last century, Sangai has been constantly erupting. The last activity was in 2007. To date, only a few travel companies offer to climb to the top of the volcano, since the volcano is considered active and falls from time to time. Nevertheless, there are always those who like to add adrenaline to life. Part of the way is overcome by car, the rest by special mules. The rise takes 2-3 days.

The volcano with a height of 5426m is active. Location - Mexico. The difficult funny name translates as "smoking hill". Around the volcano are densely located villages and cities with a total population of 20 million. human. The last mention of any activity of the volcano was in 1994. But in 1947, a volcanic eruption threw out so much ash that it covered everything within a radius of 30 km. It is very popular with tourists and lovers of real, virgin nature.

Active volcano with a height of 5822m. located in Peru. The volcano has three huge craters, the diameter of the largest is 130m. Especially strong activity in the 15th century brought a lot of trouble to the nearby city of Arequipa, later called the "white city". The local population call the mountain sacred, the mountain of the gods. In 1998, at the foot of the volcano, archaeologists discovered several Inca mummies and valuable artifacts. Many mystical stories are connected with the volcano. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. The peak of the tourist season falls on May-September, when the top of the volcano is not covered with snow. For the most fearless, a descent into one of the craters is provided.

The highest point in Africa (5895m above sea level) belongs to an active volcano. Kilimanjaro is mentioned in many feature films and literature, and is considered one of the most beautiful and popular.

There are no officially recorded eruptions of the giant giant, but local residents claim that the volcano behaved quite aggressively 200 years ago. Kilimanjaro is in great demand among tourists, as climbing the mountain is quite simple and does not require special skills. Unfortunately, the famous "snow cap" has been melting a lot recently, over the past 100 glaciers have decreased by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

Volcano with a height of 5911m. included in the list of the largest active volcanoes in the world. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted a little less than 50 times, and the last strong eruption was recorded last year on August 15th. The devastating eruption of 1768 is mentioned from the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano - “in the middle of spring, a huge column of steam and ash rose from the breathing vent of the volcano, and a few days later fiery lava poured. At the same time, a terrible earthquake began. The nearby city of Latacunga was completely destroyed.” Today, Cotopaxi is called the "calling card of Ecuador." To conquer the top of the volcano, hundreds of avid climbers come here. But local authorities do not welcome this, due to the constant melting of glaciers, many accidents have been recorded.

San Pedro

A giant active volcano is located on the edge of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The height of the volcano above sea level is 6145m. The last activity was in 1960. There are no tourist routes. Every moment can create a real danger for the inhabitants of nearby villages.

Height - 6310m. The highest point in Ecuador. Today it is considered extinct, but around the 5th-7th century AD it spewed out tons of fiery lava. Absolutely the entire top of the volcano is covered with glaciers. As a result of the impact of global warming, the glacier has greatly decreased in size. In clear weather, the volcano can be seen at a distance of 150 km. Chimborazo is very popular among hikers and climbers. Some of them claim that in some places they hear the seething inside the volcano. You can conquer the peak of Chimborazo at any time of the year, as the air temperature on the slopes remains the same in winter and summer.

Leader among active volcanoes. Height above sea level 6739m. Recorded in 1877, the eruption was the last. The top of the volcano is covered with glaciers, and it is located among the driest desert on earth - Atacama. Unique excavations carried out at the top of the volcano helped to determine that the found corpses of Inca children, buried more than 500 years ago, speak of the sacredness of this mountain. The local Indians called the volcano "deceiver", not trusting its calmness. The snow line of the volcano is located at the highest point in the world, overcoming a height of 6.5 tons. meters. The lucky ones who managed to climb to the top of the volcano are given the opportunity to enjoy the enchanting and majestic views of mountain ranges and unique landscapes.

The highest volcano on earth geographically covers both Chile and Argentina. The height of the champion of our rating is 6887m. above sea level. The volcano is also unique in that it is in the crater itself, at an altitude of 6390m. is the highest lake in the world. Over the entire history of observation, there has not been much activity of the volcano, although several emissions of sulfur and water vapor have been recorded in the last century. From Chile, near the volcano is the city of Copiano. The city fully breathes with tourist life, meeting every year a large number of climbers and ordinary travelers. At the foot of the very peak, which can only be reached by the most experienced tourists, traces of the habitation of the Incas were found. This find again reminds of the special attitude of the ancient Indians to the greatness and sacredness of nature.

The record for the most terrible, destructive volcanic eruption belongs to Tambora, located in Indonesia. In 1815, after a powerful explosion, the eruption lasted almost two weeks. Within a radius of 500 kilometers, there was pitch darkness for four days due to the ejected ash. More than 70,000 people died in that crash, according to the Indonesian government.

On the territory of our country, the champion in height is the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano. Its height is 4835m. above sea level. The last small eruption was recorded in August 2013.

Volcano is a wonder of the world, created by nature itself. You can constantly admire the majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters. The likely danger posed by an active volcano has long been a subject of curiosity and popularity among tourists. But the beauty and power of natural phenomena should be respected, it was not for nothing that the ancient Indians called volcanoes the "sacred mountain".

All tourists and travelers are interested in learning about the largest volcano in the world. A volcano is a formation on the surface of the Earth, from which magma comes out, forming lava, stones and volcanic gases. There are a huge number of such formations on our planet. Some of them are considered active, as they were active in the historical period.

Many of the volcanoes are extinct and dormant. The latter include those whose eruption is already unlikely, while the former have the possibility of manifestation of activity. Some volcanoes reach incredible sizes and are distinguished by their extraordinary power and beauty.

Of great interest to all travelers are, of course, active volcanoes. They are extraordinarily beautiful and fascinate with their danger of eruption at any moment. Having seen such a phenomenon once, a person receives a lot of incredible impressions that remain in memory for a lifetime. Llullaillaco is considered the highest active volcano in the world. It is located in Argentina in the Peruvian Andes. The height of its peak is 6739 m. The last time the eruption occurred in 1877.

At the top of this volcano is eternal glaciation. It is shaped like a cone. This natural formation has been considered an archaeological site since 1999, as human mummies were found on its top. They were the children of the Incas. There is a possibility that they were sacrificed about 500 years ago.

Mauna Loa Volcano

In terms of volume, Mauna Loa is considered the largest active volcano. The height of its summit is 4169 m, and the volume is estimated at 75,000 km. It is located on the island of Hawaii in the United States. The last time the eruption occurred relatively recently - in 1984.

This volcano, more precisely, its peak and southeastern slope, is part of the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. This park is included in the famous UNESCO World Heritage List. Mauna Loa is home to animals and plants called endemics. This means that they have a small habitat. Very often, such animals are considered rare, therefore they are listed in the Red Book.

Dangerous volcano Merapi

The most dangerous volcano in the world is Merapi. It is located in Indonesia on the island of Java. Large eruptions occur every 7 years. Small eruptions happen 2 times a year. This mountain destroyed many settlements. Back in 1006, he wiped out the Javanese-Indian kingdom from the face of the Earth, and in 1673 one of the most destructive eruptions occurred. It destroyed several cities and villages at once, which were located at the foot.

In 1930, the volcano also caused major damage. This eruption killed 1,300 people. After 44 years, Merapi destroyed 2 villages, and a year later - another village, 5 bridges, killing 29 people. Moreover, the eruptions overtook many scientists and tourists. The last action of the Merapi volcano was recorded in 2010. This time around 350,000 people were initially evacuated. Some residents did return. Among them, 353 people died, who fell into the flow of volcanic gases, ash and stones.

Volcano with the strongest eruption in history

This is an active volcano, which in the 19th century demonstrated the strongest eruption. The volcano is located in Indonesia. Now its height is 813 m. Before its famous eruption in 1883, it was much higher. Moreover, it was one big island. During the strongest action of the volcano, the main part of the island was destroyed.

The rumble from the eruption was heard even 5000 km from the volcano itself. The volcanic edifice spread over 500 km. The ash rose 30 km, and the gas-ash column - 70 km. Scientists estimated the strength of the explosion at 6 points. The result of such a strong eruption was 37,000 dead and 300 destroyed villages.

There are a lot of different volcanoes in the world, which differ either in their height, or volume, or actions. Some of them are the most dangerous or the oldest. Scientists have not yet compiled an accurate list of volcanoes by their size or degree of danger. Each of them is interesting and unique in its own way. There are volcanoes that are known to every traveler and tourist. The most popular of them are Vesuvius, Fujiyama, Etna. These are the active volcanoes of the world.

Vesuvius has been attracting tourists for many years. Those who visit Naples usually do not miss the opportunity to admire and even climb this famous volcano. Previously, it was possible to climb the mountain using a funicular, and then a regular lift. However, the transport was destroyed by the next eruptions. They did not begin to restore it, so at the moment you can climb the mountain only on foot along a hiking trail.

Mount Fuji located on the Japanese island of Honshu. It is a popular tourist destination. Residents consider it sacred. The mountain is also a place of religious pilgrimage for Buddhist and Shinto cults. A temple was built on top of it. In addition, there is a weather station and even a post office. Scientists believe that Fuji is a weakly active volcano, since the last eruptions occurred at the beginning of the 18th century.

A popular volcano located in Italy is. It has many craters, from time to time at least one of them erupts lava. Sometimes the actions of Etna are disastrous in relation to the nearest settlements, but, despite this, new residents do not stop settling here. At the foot of the mountain is very fertile soil, which allows you to grow various vegetables and fruits.

Tourists have the opportunity to visit this extraordinary mountain. It must be climbed on foot. The tourist base can be reached by bus. For lovers of souvenirs, there are shops on the mountain itself where you can buy some kind of souvenir or even a popular 70-degree liquor.

All these and many other volcanoes are extraordinarily beautiful and interesting for residents, travelers and tourists. Each mountain has its own history. Before climbing any volcano, it is necessary to find out the exact information about its activity and the possibility of an eruption, since such natural formations can begin their actions at any moment. Therefore, having decided to admire the extraordinary beauty of volcanoes, protect yourself from accidents.

Volcano. This word is enchanting and scary at the same time. People have always been drawn to something beautiful and dangerous, because beauty, accompanied by risk, becomes even more attractive, but at the same time, the history of the city of Pompeii immediately comes to mind. Volcanoes have not brought such terrible destruction for a long time, which are still stored on the pages of our history, because thanks to scientists who can tell which mountain is a volcano and which is not, people stopped settling at the foot of dangerous mountains. But, nevertheless, volcanoes continue to exist and then fall into hibernation, then wake up from sleep to begin active life. Let's look at which volcanoes are the largest in the world.

10 biggest volcanoes in the world

1. Volcano Yellowstone. This volcano is located in the Yellowstone National Park in the United States. It is Yellowstone that can rightfully be called the largest volcano in the world, as well as the most dangerous volcano in the world. The height of the volcano is 3142 meters above sea level, and the area of ​​the volcano is 4000 square kilometers. The area of ​​this volcano is twenty times the size of Washington, the capital of the United States of America. This volcano is still dormant, although it has begun to show signs of activity since the beginning of the twenty-first century. According to scientists, this volcano erupts approximately every 600 thousand years, and about 640 thousand years have passed since the last eruption.


2. Volcano Vesuvius. This is the highest active volcano in Eurasia at the moment. It is also the highest volcano in Europe. It is located fifteen kilometers from the Italian city. Its height is 1281 meters. Currently, Vesuvius is the only active volcano in Europe, and in addition, it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes. Science is aware of more than eighty of its eruptions, one of which destroyed the famous ones.


3. Volcano Popocatepetl. This volcano is also active. It is located in the southern part of Mexico. The height of Popocateptl is 5452 meters. Over the past half century, its activity has been quite insignificant, and in general, about thirty-six major eruptions of this volcano are known to history. Popocatepetl can be called the largest active volcano at the moment.


4. Volcano Sakurajima. An active volcano located in Japan. Once it was on the island, but during one of the eruptions a huge amount of lava connected it to the mainland. The height of the volcano is 1118 meters above sea level. At the moment, Sakurajima is visited by many tourists every year, despite the fact that the volcano is almost constantly active - smoke comes out of its mouth, and sometimes small eruptions occur.


5. Volcano Galeras. This volcano is located in Colombia. The height of Galeras is 4267 meters above sea level. The activity of this volcano was noticed in 2006, at the same time people were evacuated from the settlements closest to it. In 2010, even more people were evacuated, as the volcano continues to be active. Although over the past few thousand years, Galeras, if erupted, is extremely insignificant.


6. Volcano Merapi. An active Indonesian volcano located in Java. Height above sea level - 2914 meters. This volcano is active almost constantly. Small eruptions occur several times a year, and large ones about once every ten years. Merapi claimed many lives of people, and in one of its largest eruptions, even changed the surrounding landscape.


7. Volcano Nyiragongo. This volcano is located in Africa, in the Virunga mountains. At the moment it is more in sleep mode, although minor activity is sometimes observed. The most terrible eruption of this volcano was recorded in 1977. In general, this volcano is interesting in that its lava is very liquid due to its composition, therefore, during an eruption, its speed can reach even one hundred kilometers per hour.


8. Volcano Ulavun. The volcano is located on the island of New Guinea and is currently an active volcano. Its height is 2334 meters above sea level. This volcano erupts frequently. Once this volcano was located under water, and it came to the surface only in 1878.


9. Volcano Taal. This active volcano is located in the Philippines, on the island of Luzon. Taal is remarkable in that it is the smallest of all the currently dormant volcanoes in the world, and there is a lake in the Taal crater. Every year, Taal is visited by many tourists from all over the world.


10. Volcano Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is an active volcano in Hawaii, USA. The height of this volcano is 4169 above sea level. This volcano can be considered the highest volcano on earth, if we take into account its underwater part, the height of which reaches 4500 meters. The last time this volcano erupted seriously was in 1950.

They destroyed cities and even entire states. Today, Earth's volcanoes have not become calmer. Nevertheless, both in the distant past and today, they attract thousands of researchers and scientists from all over the world. The desire to know and understand what happens to a fire-breathing mountain during an eruption, how this process occurs, what precedes it, makes scientists climb dangerous slopes, approaching craters where the elements are raging.

Today, volcanologists have united in an international organization (IAVCEI). She carefully monitors likely eruptions that could pose a threat to human life. To date, there is a list where there is the name of volcanoes, their location and the likelihood of the next eruption. This helps to prevent loss of life, evacuate people from the danger zone if necessary, and take emergency measures.

Etna (Italy)

We decided to start our review with this mountain not by chance. Mount Etna, the photo of which you see below in the article, is active, active, one of the largest and most dangerous on Earth. It is located in the east of Sicily, not far from Catania and Messina.

Its activity is explained by its location at the junction of the Eurasian and African. Other active mountains of the country are located at this break - Vesuvius, Stromboli, Vulcano. Scientists say that in ancient times (15-35 thousand years ago), Mount Etna, whose photos are often printed in special publications, was distinguished by explosive eruptions that left extensive layers of lava. In the 21st century, Etna erupted more than 10 times, fortunately, without human casualties.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact height of this mountain, as its top point changes due to frequent eruptions. They usually happen after a few months. Etna occupies a huge area (1250 sq. km). After lateral eruptions, Etna had 400 craters. On average, every three to four months, the volcano ejects lava. It is potentially dangerous in the event of a powerful eruption. Thanks to the latest scientific developments, scientists hope to determine the increased activity of the mountain in time.

Sakurajima (Japan)

Experts consider Earth's volcanoes active if they have been active in the last 3000 years. This Japanese volcano has been active continuously since 1955. It belongs to the first category. In other words, an eruption can start at any time. A not very strong lava ejection was noted in February 2009. Anxiety accompanies the inhabitants of Kagoshima City almost constantly. Teachings, equipped shelters have firmly entered their everyday life.

Researchers have installed webcams over the crater, so Sakurajima is under constant surveillance. I must say that volcanoes on the islands can change the terrain. This happened in Japan, when in 1924 there was a strong eruption of Sakurajima. Powerful tremors warned the city of danger, most of the residents managed to leave their homes and evacuate.

After that, the volcano, bearing the name Sakurajima (which means "sakura island"), can no longer be called an island. A huge amount of lava formed an isthmus that connected the mountain with the island of Kyushu. And a year after the eruption, lava slowly flowed out of the crater. The bottom of the bay has risen in the center of the Aira caldera, located eight kilometers from Sakurajima.

Aso (Japan)

This popular tourist site for extreme sports is actually a dangerous volcano, which in 2011 threw out a large amount of lava and ash that covered an area of ​​100 kilometers. Since that moment, more than 2,500 powerful tremors have been registered. This suggests that at any moment he can destroy the nearby village.

Vesuvius (Italy)

Wherever there are volcanoes - on the continents or on the islands, they are equally dangerous. Vesuvius is very powerful, and therefore very dangerous. It is one of the three active scientists have information about 80 major eruptions of this mountain. The worst thing happened in 1979. Then the cities of Pompeii, Stabia, Herculaneum were completely destroyed.

One of the last powerful eruptions was noted in 1944. The height of this mountain is 1281 m, the diameter of the crater is 750 m.

Colima (Mexico)

Many of us remember the name of volcanoes (at least some of them) from the school curriculum, we learn about others from newspapers, and only specialists are aware of others. Colima is perhaps the most dangerous and powerful in the world. It last erupted in June 2005. Then a column of ash thrown out of the crater rose to a great height (more than 5 km). Local authorities had to evacuate residents of nearby villages.

This fire-breathing mountain consists of 2 conical peaks. Nevado de Colima is the highest of them. Its height is 4,625 m. It is considered extinct, and the other peak is an active volcano. It is called Volcán de Fuego de Colima - "Fire Volcano". Its height is 3,846 m. ​​The locals called it the Mexican Vesuvius.

It has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. And today it is extremely dangerous not only for residents of nearby cities, but for the whole of Mexico.

Galeras (Colombia)

Often the name of volcanoes is directly related to the area on which the mountain is located. But the name Galeras has nothing to do with the nearby town of Pasto.

It is a huge and powerful volcano. Its height reaches 4276 meters. The diameter of the base is more than 20 kilometers, and the crater is 320 meters. It is located in Colombia (South America).

At the foot of this giant mountain is the small town of Pasto. In August 2010, its inhabitants had to be urgently evacuated due to the strongest eruption. The region has declared a state of emergency of the highest degree. More than 400 police officers were sent to the district to provide assistance to the townspeople.

Scientists say that over the past 7 thousand years, the volcano has woken up at least 6 times. And all the eruptions were very powerful. During research work in 1993, six geologists died in the crater. At this time, another eruption began. In 2006, residents of the surrounding villages were evacuated due to the threat of a strong lava ejection.

Volcano Elbrus

On the border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria is the highest point in Europe and, of course, Russia - Elbrus. It is connected with the northern part of the Greater Caucasus by the Lateral Range. The Elbrus Volcano consists of two peaks that are approximately the same height. Its eastern part reaches 5621 m, and the western part - 5642 m.

It is a cone-shaped stratovolcano. Its layers are formed by flows of tufa, lava, and ash. The last eruptions of Elbrus were recorded 2500 years ago. Over time, it took on its current form. Few volcanoes on Earth can boast such a beautiful, "classic" cone shape. As a rule, craters quickly collapse under the influence of erosion. The beauty of Elbrus is protected by its mantle of ice and snow. It does not descend even in summer, for which the volcano was nicknamed Little Antarctica.

Despite the fact that he reminded of himself for a long time, experts who observe his current state and degree of activity do not consider him extinct. They call the mountain "sleeping". The volcano is behaving actively (fortunately, not yet destructively). Hot masses are still stored in its depths. They "warm up" known sources. Their temperature reaches +52 °С and +60 ºС. Seep through the cracks to the surface

Today Elbrus is a unique natural area, a valuable scientific base. In Soviet times, scientific research was carried out here, and now there is a geophysical laboratory, the highest in Europe.

Popocatepetl (Mexico)

This is the country's most located 50 kilometers from the capital - Mexico City. A city of twenty million is always prepared for an emergency evacuation. In addition, two more large cities are located here - Tlaxcala de Hicotencatl and Puebla. This restless volcano also makes their inhabitants nervous. Emissions of sulfur, gas, stones and dust occur almost every month. In the last decade alone, the volcano has erupted three times.

Mauna Loa Volcano (USA, Hawaii)

This is the largest "fiery mountain" of the Earth in terms of volume. Together with the underwater part, it is 80,000 cubic meters. km! The southeastern slope and summit are part of the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park.

There is a volcanological station on Mauna Loa. Research and ongoing observations have been carried out since 1912. There are also solar and atmospheric observatories.

The last eruption was noted in 1984. The height of the mountain above sea level is 4,169 meters.

Nyiragongo (Congo)

As already noted, the name of volcanoes may not always be known to ordinary citizens living on another continent. That doesn't make the mountain any less dangerous. Its activities are monitored by specialists and promptly report on an increase in activity.

Next on our list is the active volcano Nyiragongo, which is 3,469 meters high. It is located in the central part of the African continent, in the Virunga mountains. The volcano is considered the most dangerous in Africa. Partially, it connects with the more ancient mountains of Shaheru and Baratu. It is surrounded by hundreds of smoldering small volcanic cones. 40% of all observed eruptions on the continent occur here.

Mount Rainier (USA)

Our overview list is completed by a stratovolcano located in Pierce County (Washington), 87 km south of Seattle.

Rainier is part of the Volcanic Arc. Its height is 4392 meters. Its summit is made up of two volcanic craters.

We have presented you the most famous volcanoes. Their list, of course, is incomplete, because, according to scientists, there are more than 600 active mountains alone. In addition, 1-2 new volcanoes appear on Earth every year.