The highest volcanoes in the world. The largest volcano in the world: name, location, photo

Undoubtedly active volcanoes the world is one of the most bewitching and beautiful and at the same time frightening natural phenomena. These geological formations played a key role in the formation of the Earth. Thousands of years ago there were a huge number of them all over the planet.

Today, there are few volcanoes that are still active. Some of them frighten, delight, and at the same time destroy entire settlements. Let's see where the most famous active volcanoes are located.

Llullaillaco

A typical stratovolcano (has a layered, conical shape) 6739 m high. It is located on the border of Chile and Argentina.

Such a complex name can be interpreted in different ways:

• “Water that cannot be found despite a long search”;
• "Soft mass that becomes hard."

On the side of the Chilean state at the foot of the volcano is National park with the same name - Llullaillaco, therefore the surroundings of the mountain are very picturesque. During the ascent to the summit, tourists meet donkeys, many species of birds and guanacos that live in natural conditions.

There are two routes to climb to the crater:

• north - duration 4.6 km, the road is suitable for driving;
• southern - duration 5 km.

If you intend to hike, take special shoes and an ice ax with you, as there are snowy areas along the way.

Interesting fact! During the first ascent in 1952, an ancient Inca depository was discovered on the mountain, and in 1999, mummies of a girl and a boy were found near the crater. According to scientists, they became ritual victims.

The strongest eruptions were recorded three times - in 1854 and 1866. The last eruption of an active volcano happened in 1877.

San Pedro

The 6145 meter tall giant is located in the Andes, in northern Chile near Bolivia in the Western Cordillera. The peak of the volcano rises above the longest body of water in Chile - Loa.

San Pedro is one of the tallest active volcanoes. For the first time it was possible to climb to the crater in 1903. Today it is a unique attraction in Chile, which attracts thousands of tourists from different corners the world. In the XX century, the volcano reminded of itself 7 times, the last time in 1960. For more than half a century, San Pedro has been like a bubbling cauldron that could explode at any moment. At the foot there are signs that warn that climbing to the crater is possible only with a mask that protects against toxic emissions.

Interesting:

• San Pedro is one of the few giant volcanoes that has remained active to this day. Many giants are considered extinct.
• San Pedro's neighbor is the San Pablo volcano. It is located to the east and its height is 6150 m. The two mountains are connected by a high saddle.
• Chileans tell many legends associated with the San Pedro volcano, since each eruption in the past was considered a heavenly sign and had a mystical meaning.
• For descendants of migrants from Spain and local indigenous people, the volcano is a source of constant and considerable income.

El Misti

Among all the active volcanoes in the world on the map, this one is rightfully considered the most beautiful. Its top is sometimes snowy. The mountain is located near the city of Arequipa, its height is 5822 meters. The volcano is notable for the fact that at its top there are two craters with diameters of almost 1 km and 550 m.

There are unusual parabolic dunes on the slopes. They appeared as a result of constant winds between El Misti and Mount Cerro Takune, they stretch for 20 km.

The first active action of the volcano was recorded during the migration of Europeans to Latin America... The strongest, destructive catastrophe occurred in 1438. In the XX century, the volcano several times showed varying degrees of activity:

• In 1948 for six months;
• in 1959;
• in 1985, steam emissions were observed.

Scientists from Peru made a conclusion a few years ago that the seismic activity of the volcano is gradually increasing. This leads to earthquakes, which are not uncommon in the area. Considering that El Misti is located near a large settlement in Peru, this makes it a rather dangerous active volcano.

Popocatepetl

Located in Mexico, the highest point reaches 5500 m above sea level. It is the second highest mountain peak on the territory of the state.

The Aztecs believed that worshiping a volcano would grant rain, so they regularly brought offerings here.

Popocatepetl is dangerous because many cities have been built around it:

• the capitals of the states of Puebla and Tlaxcal;
• Mexico City and Cholula.

According to scientists, the volcano has erupted more than three dozen times in its history. The last eruption was recorded in May 2013. During the disaster, the airport in Puebla was closed and the streets were covered in ash. Despite the hidden danger, thousands of tourists come to the volcano every year from different countries admire the scenery, listen to the legend and enjoy the greatness of the mountain.

Sangay volcano

Sangay is one of the ten active volcanoes, which are the most powerful in the world. The mountain is in South America, its height is 5230 meters. Translated, the name of the volcano means "fearsome" and this fully reflects its behavior - eruptions are frequent here, and sometimes stones weighing 1 ton fall from the sky. At the top of the mountain, covered with eternal snow, there are three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters.

The age of the volcano is about 14 thousand years, the giant has been especially active in recent decades. One of the most destructive activities was recorded in 2006, the eruption lasted more than a year.

The first ascent took almost 1 month, today tourists travel with comfort, by car, people overcome the final section of the way on mules. The journey takes several days. In general, the journey is assessed as quite difficult, so few decide to climb to the crater. Tourists who have conquered the mountain smell the persistent smell of sulfur and are surrounded by smoke. As a reward, an amazing landscape opens up from the height of the summit.

The volcano is surrounded by the Sangay National Park, which covers an area of ​​more than 500 hectares. In 1992, UNESCO listed the park as endangered sites. However, in 2005 the object was excluded from the list.

Interesting fact! The park area contains the three highest volcanoes in Ecuador - Sangay, Tungurahua and El Altar.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

The volcano is the highest on the territory of the Eurasia continent - 4750 meters, and its age is more than 7 thousand years. Klyuchevskaya Sopka is located in the central part of Kamchatka, there are several other volcanoes nearby. The giant's height increases after each eruption. There are more than 80 side craters on the slopes, so several lava flows are formed during the eruption.

The volcano is one of the most active in the world and declares itself regularly, approximately once every 3-5 years. The duration of each activity reaches several months. The first happened in 1737. During 2016, the volcano was active 55 times.

The most serious catastrophe was recorded in 1938, its duration was 13 months. As a result of the cataclysm, a crack 5 km long was formed. In 1945, the eruption was accompanied by severe rockfall. And in 1974, the active actions of Klyuchevskaya Sopka led to the explosion of the glacier.

During the 1984-1987 eruption, a new summit was formed, and ash emissions rose 15 km. In 2002, the volcano became more active, the greatest activity was recorded in 2005 and 2009. By 2010, the height of the mountain exceeded 5 km. In the spring of 2016, for several weeks, another eruption took place, accompanied by earthquakes, lava flows and ash ejections to a height of 11 km.

Mauna loa

The eruption of this huge volcano can be watched from anywhere in Hawaii. Mauna Loa is located in an archipelago formed by volcanic activity. Its height is 4169 meters. Feature - the crater is not round, so the distance from one edge to the other varies within 3-5 km. The inhabitants of the island call the mountain Long.

On a note! Many guides on the island lead tourists to the Mauna Kea volcano. It is indeed slightly higher than Mauna Loa, but unlike the latter, it is already extinct. Therefore, be sure to check which volcano you want to see.

Age Mauna Loa 700 thousand years, of which 300 thousand he was under water. They began to record the active actions of the volcano only in the first half. 19th century... During this time, he reminded of himself more than 30 times. With each eruption, the size of the giant increases.

The most devastating disasters occurred in 1926 and 1950. The volcano destroyed several villages and a city. And the eruption in 1935 resembled the plot of the legendary Soviet film "The Crew". The last activity was recorded in 1984, for 3 weeks lava was poured out of the crater. In 2013, there were several earthquakes, which indicate that the volcano may soon show what it is capable of again.

We can say that scientists are most interested in Mauna Loa. According to seismologists, the volcano (one of the few in the world) will constantly erupt for another million years.

Cameroon

Located in the republic of the same name, on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea. This is the highest point of the state - 4040 meters. The foot of the mountain and its lower part are covered with rainforest, there is no vegetation at the top, there is a small amount of snow.

In the territory West Africa it is the most active volcano of all active on the mainland. Over the past century, the giant showed himself 8 times. Each eruption resembles an explosion. The first records of the disaster date back to the 5th century BC. In 1922, volcanic lava reached the Atlantic coast. The last eruption took place in 2000.

Good to know! The optimal time for climbing is December or January. In February, the annual competition “Race of Hope” is held here. Thousands of participants climb to the top, competing in speed.

Kerinci

The highest volcano in Indonesia (its height reaches 3 km 800 meters) and the highest point in Sumatra. Located in the central part of the island, in southbound from the city of Padang. Not far from the volcano is the Keinchi Seblat Park, which has national status.

The depth of the crater is more than 600 meters; there is a lake in its northeastern part. A violent eruption was recorded in 2004, when a column of ash and smoke rose 1 km. The last serious disaster was recorded in 2009, and in 2011 the activity of the volcano was felt in the form of characteristic tremors.

In the summer of 2013, the volcano threw out a column of ash 800 meters high. Residents of nearby settlements hastily collected their belongings and evacuated. Ashes stained the sky gray, and the air smelled of sulfur. It took only 30 minutes, and several villages were covered with a thick layer of ash. Fears were caused by tea plantations, which are located near the volcano and also suffered as a result of the disaster. Fortunately, a heavy rain fell after the event, and the consequences of the eruption were washed away.

It is interesting! The ascent to the crater takes 2 to 3 days. The route leads through dense forests, most often the road is slippery. To overcome the path, you will need the help of a guide. There have been cases in history when travelers disappeared, setting off on their own. It is best to start your ascent in the village of Kersik Tua.

Erebus

Active volcanoes on every continent (except Australia) attract the attention of scientists and tourists. Even in Antarctica there is one of them - Erebus. This volcano is located south of other objects that are the subject of research by seismologists. The height of the mountain is 3 km 794 m, and the size of the crater is slightly more than 800 m.

The volcano has been active since the end of the last century, then a station was opened in the state of New Mexico, its employees are monitoring its activities. A unique phenomenon of Erebus is a lava lake.

The object is named after the god Erebus. The mountain is located in a fault zone, which is why the volcano is recognized as one of the most active in the world. The gases emitted cause serious damage to the ozone layer. Scientists note that this is where the thinnest layer of ozone is.

Volcanic eruptions occur in the form of explosions, lava is thick, solidifies quickly and does not have time to spread over large areas.

The main hazard is ash, which makes air travel difficult as visibility is severely reduced. The mud stream is also dangerous, since it moves at high speed, and it is almost impossible to escape from it.

Erebus is an amazing natural creation - formidable, magical and enchanting. The lake in the crater attracts with its special mystery.

Etna

Located in Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea. With a height of 3329 meters, it cannot be attributed to the highest active volcanoes in the world, but it can confidently be included in the most active. After each eruption, the height increases slightly. It is the largest volcano in Europe; its top is always decorated with a snow cap. The volcano has 4 central cones and about 400 lateral ones.

The first activity dates back to 1226 BC. The most terrible eruption occurred in 44 BC, it was so strong that ash completely covered the sky over the capital of Italy, destroyed the harvest on Mediterranean coast... Today Etna is no less dangerous than it was in prehistoric times. The last eruption occurred in the spring of 2008 and lasted for almost 420 days.

The volcano is attractive for its varied vegetation, where you can find palms, cacti, pines, agaves, spruces, biscuses, fruit trees and vineyards. Some plants are characteristic only for Etna - a stone tree, an Ethnian violet. Numerous myths and legends are associated with the volcano and the mountain.

Kilauea

On the territory of the Hawaiian Islands, this is the most active volcano (though far from the highest in the world). In Hawaiian, Kilauea means highly flowing. Eruptions have been occurring continuously since 1983.

The volcano is located in the National Park of Volcanoes, its height is only 1 km 247 meters, but it compensates for its insignificant growth with activity. Kilauea appeared 25 thousand years ago, the diameter of the volcano's caldera is considered one of the largest in the world - about 4.5 km.

Interesting! According to legend, the volcano is the residence of the goddess Pele (goddess of volcanoes). Her tears are single drops of lava, and her hair is lava rivulets.

An amazing sight is the Puuoo lava lake, which is located in the crater. Molten rocks seethe restlessly, creating amazing streaks on the surface. It is dangerous to be near this natural phenomenon, as the fiery lava erupts to a height of 500 meters.

In addition to the lake, you can admire a natural cave here. Its length is more than 60 km. The cave ceiling is decorated with stalactites. Tourists note that a walk in the cave resembles a flight to the moon.

In 1990, volcanic lava completely destroyed the village, the thickness of the lava layer was from 15 to 25 meters. For 25 years, the volcano destroyed almost 130 houses, destroyed 15 km of roadway, and lava covered an area of ​​120 km.

The whole world watched the powerful eruption of Kilauea in 2014. The eruption was accompanied by periodic earthquakes. Huge volumes of lava destroyed residential buildings and working farms. The evacuation of nearby settlements was carried out, but not all residents showed a desire to leave their homes.

On which continent there are no active volcanoes

There are no extinct or active volcanoes in Australia. This is due to the fact that the mainland is located far from crustal faults and volcanic lava has no outlet to the surface.

The opposite of Australia is Japan - the country is located in the most dangerous tectonic zone. 4 tectonic plates collide here.

A volcanic eruption is one of the most serious dangers to humans. In addition to the risk of being buried (burned) under lava flows near a volcano, there is a risk of volcanic ash poisoning, as well as complete isolation from sunlight.

The International Association for Volcanology and Earth Chemistry (IAVCEI), which tracks the most likely volcanic eruptions that pose a threat to human life, with the support of the UN, has compiled a list of the most dangerous "volcanoes of the decade." They are closely monitored by specialists. In case of signs of an imminent eruption, IAVCEI informs the local authorities of the need for emergency measures. We bring to your attention photos and short description these dangerous giants who can present a hot, loud and unexpected surprise at any moment.

1. Volcano Etna (Sicily, Italy) - active, one of the largest and most dangerous volcanoes in the world, located on east coast Sicily (Mediterranean Sea), near the cities of Messina and Catania. The altitude cannot be specified accurately, as the high point is constantly changing as a result of eruptions that occur at intervals of several months. In area Etna occupies 1250 square kilometers... As a result of lateral eruptions, Etna has 400 craters. On average, once every three months, the volcano erupts lava. Potentially dangerous in the event of a powerful eruption from several craters at the same time. In 2011, Etna erupted colorfully in mid-May.

2. Sakurajima volcano (Kagoshima, Japan) - usually an active volcano is considered if it has been active in the last 1000 - 3000 years. But Sakurajima has been constantly active since 1955. This volcano belongs to the first category, which means that an eruption can occur at any time. The last such event, but not very strong, was noted on February 2, 2009. Residents of the nearby city of Kagoshima are in constant readiness for an urgent evacuation: exercises and shelters are common here. Webcams are installed over the volcano. Observations are ongoing. In 1924, a major eruption of Sakurajima took place: then strong tremors unequivocally warned the city about the danger, most of the residents managed to leave their homes and evacuate in time.

After the eruption of 1924, a volcano named Sakurajima - "Sakura Island" can no longer be called an island. So much lava poured out of its vent that it formed an isthmus that connected the volcano with the island of Kyushu, on which Kagoshima stands. After this eruption, lava slowly poured out of the volcano for about a year, and the bottom of the bay became much higher. It dropped only at one point - in the center of the ancient Caldera Air, eight kilometers from Sakurajima. This shows that the current eruptions of the volcano are supported by the same processes that formed the huge caldera more than 22 thousand years ago.

And even today Sakurajima is considered one of the most dangerous and largest volcanoes in the world, which can erupt at any time and cause a lot of trouble for local and non-residents.

Sakurajiyama

Sakurajiyama. Volcanic lightning.

3. Vesuvius Volcano (Napoli, Italy) - is also considered one of the most powerful and dangerous volcanoes in the world. Vesuvius is one of three active volcanoes in Italy (above we mentioned the Etna volcano). Vesuvius is the only active volcano in continental Europe. There are reports of more than 80 significant eruptions, the most famous of which occurred on August 24, 79, when the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia were destroyed. One of the last violent eruptions occurred in 1944. The height is 1281 m above sea level, the diameter of the crater is 750 m.

4. Volcano Colima (Jalisco, Mexico) - one of the most dangerous and powerful volcanoes in the world. The last strong eruption of this handsome man was noted on June 8, 2005. Then the thrown out ash rose to a height of more than 5 km, which forced the authorities to evacuate people from nearby villages. The volcanic mountain consists of 2 conical peaks, the highest of them (Nevado de Colima, 4625 m) - dormant volcano covered with snow for most of the year. Another peak is the active volcano Colima, or Volcan de Fuego de Colima ("Fiery Volcano"), with a height of 3,846 m, called the Mexican Vesuvius. Colima has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. And today it carries a potential threat not only to residents of nearby cities, but to the whole of Mexico.

5. Volcano Galeras (Nariño, Colombia) - a powerful and huge volcano (4276 meters above sea level) has a diameter at the base of more than 20 kilometers. The diameter of the crater is 320 meters, the depth of the crater is more than 80 meters. This volcano is located in South America, in Colombia, near the city of Pasto. As you can see in the photo, right at the foot of the dangerous mountain is a small town, which on August 26, 2010 had to be evacuated due to a powerful eruption. The region was declared an emergency of the highest degree. More than 400 police officers have been deployed to the area to assist the civilian population. Scientists say that over the past 7 thousand years, at least six major eruptions have occurred on Galeras. In 1993, during research works six geologists died in the crater (then the eruption also began). In November 2006, in connection with the threat of a major eruption, more than eight thousand residents were evacuated from the surrounding villages.

6. Volcano Mauna Loa (Hawaii, USA) - is considered the largest volcano on the Earth (together with the underwater part), namely 80,000 cubic kilometers (!). The summit and the southeastern slope are part of national park Hawaiian volcanoes, like the neighboring volcano - Kilauea. There is a volcanological station on the volcano; constant observations have been conducted since 1912. In addition, there are atmospheric and solar observatories on Mauna Loa. The last eruption took place in 1984, the last strong eruption in 1950. The height of the volcano above sea level is 4,169 meters (the second highest at Hawaiian Islands after Mauna Kea). This giant is rightfully considered one of the most dangerous and powerful volcanoes in the world.

Mauna loa

7. Volcano Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - an active volcano 3469 meters high, located in the Virunga Mountains in central Africa and is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes on the African continent. Nyiragongo overlaps with the two older volcanoes Baratu and Shaheru. It is surrounded by hundreds of small, smoldering side volcanic cones. Nyiragongo, together with neighboring Niamuragira, account for 40% of all observed eruptions in Africa.

Nyiragongo

Nyiragongo

8. Mount Rainier (Washington, USA) is a stratovolcano in Pierce County, Washington, located 87 km southeast of Seattle (Washington, USA). Rainier, being part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, has the highest peak in the Cascade Mountains at 4,392 meters. The top of the volcano consists of two volcanic craters, each over 300 meters in diameter. Mount Rainier was originally known as Tatol, or Tahoma, from the Leshutsid word for "mother of the waters."

9. Teide volcano (Tenerife, Spain) - one of the most powerful and dangerous volcanoes in the world, which is located on the island of Tenerife, being the highest point in Spain. Teide is 3718 meters high. Tenerife is the third largest volcanic island in the world. Teide is currently inactive, the last eruption took place in 1909, but of course the awakening of such a giant will be a big surprise not only for the Spaniards.

10. Volcano Santa Maria (Santiagito, Guatemala) - located in western Guatemala, near the city of Quetzaltenango. The height of the mountain range above sea level is only 3772 meters. The first eruptions began about 30 thousand years ago, and in the 20th century there were 3 powerful eruptions, the first of which after 500 years of sleep was in 1902. The eruption severely destroyed part of one side of the volcano. Approximately 5.5 km³ of volcanic ash and lava were ejected. The explosion was heard even 800 km away in Costa Rica. The column of ash rose 28 km. About 6 thousand people died. And today this volcano carries a considerable potential danger, at any moment ready to burst out with a roar and tons of emissions from the crater.

Santa maria

Santa maria

11. Santorini volcano (Cyclades, Greece) - an active thyroid volcano on the island of Thira, another name for Fera, in the Aegean Sea, which erupted during the era of the Aegean culture in the period 1460-1470 BC, which led to the death of Aegean cities and settlements on Crete, Thira and the coast Mediterranean Sea... However, around 1627 BC. an event occurred that drastically changed history the ancient world and the shape of the island as well. Then there was a powerful eruption of Santorini, as a result of which the crater of the volcano collapsed and a huge funnel (caldera) was formed, which did not hesitate to flood the sea, the area of ​​this flooding was 32 square meters. miles with an average depth of 350 m. Of course, such a powerful eruption did not pass without a trace: a huge tsunami was the sunset of the Minoan civilization, which was buried under water, and those who survived the eruption died from subsequent powerful earthquakes.

Santorini

Santorini

12. Taal Volcano (Luzon, Philippines) - an active volcano, which is located 50 km south of Manila on the island of Luzon. The crater of the volcano is located at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level. A small lake has formed in the crater. Taal is the smallest active volcano planet, however, do not underestimate its strength. So, on January 30, 1911, the strongest eruption of the Taal volcano in the 20th century occurred - 1335 people died. In 10 minutes. all living things ceased to exist at a distance of 10 km. A cloud of ash was seen from a distance of 400 km. It was an eruption of the "Peleus" type, when the eruption occurs not only from the summit crater, but also from the craters on the slopes of the mountain, the volcano emitted not lava, but masses of white hot ash and superheated steam. The last eruption took place in 1965, killing about 200 people.

13. Papandayan Volcano (Java Island, Indonesia) - one of the largest and most dangerous volcanoes in the world is located in Indonesia. The crater of the Papandayan volcano is located at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. A warm river flows from the slope of the volcano, the temperature of which reaches 42 degrees Celsius. The slopes of Papandayan are teeming with mud pots, hot springs and geysers. The last eruption was recorded in 2002.

Papandayan

14. Volcano Unzen (Nagasaki, Japan) - volcanic group on Japanese island Kyushu. The volcano is located on the Shimabara Peninsula in the southwestern part of the island. Height - 1.486 m. Currently, the volcano is considered weakly active. However, volcanic activity has been recorded since 1663. Since then, the volcano has erupted several times. The eruption of the Unzen volcano in 1792 is one of the five most destructive eruptions in human history in terms of the number of human victims. As a result of this disaster, 15,000 people died due to the tsunami that was caused by the eruption of the volcano, the wave height reached 23 meters. And in 1991, 43 scientists and journalists were buried under the lava that rolled down the slope of the volcano.

16. Volcano in Yellowstone (USA) - is considered potentially the most powerful volcano in the world, but the nature of this formation, which is called the Yellowstone Caldera, located in Yellowstone National Park in the USA does not allow accurately assessing the possible damage from the eruption. This caldera is often called a "supervolcano", as it was formed as a result of a very powerful eruption 640 thousand years ago. There are more than 3 thousand geysers in the park, which is two-thirds of all geysers in the world, as well as about 10 thousand geothermal springs and mud volcanoes, which is half of all geothermal springs in the world. In May 2001, the Yellowstone Volcanic Observatory was created, which monitors the state of this giant. Since the beginning of the observatory's operation, rumors and guesses around the most dangerous volcano in the world have been circulating to this day. Yellowstone is one of the most popular "culprits" of the possible end of the world, the script of which was colorfully played in the movie "2012".

Sierra Negra

Of course, these are not all the giants of our planet, but some of the most dangerous. Let's hope that these gentlemen will not darken the life of the inhabitants of the planet with their violent disposition, although increased seismic activity recent years suggests otherwise.

Incredible facts

This list of volcanoes is based primarily on on the volume of each volcano, not on top.

For this reason, the largest volcano in the world is precisely Tamu massif located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

But this volcano is only about 4,460 meters high, which is much inferior to the Hawaiian volcano. Mauna loa, the height of which is about 9 170 meters above sea level.

Big volcanoes of the world

Tamu massif - the largest underwater volcano

Volume: 2.5 million cubic kilometers

This volcano was discovered quite recently in September 2013. Why hasn't anyone found it before?

The huge volcano is located at a depth of about 1,600 km east of Japan. It is part of the seamount known as the Shatskiy Rise. Only 20 years later, scientists realized that Tammu is a separate volcano.

It is an extinct volcano, and its last eruption was about 144 million years ago.

It is also worth noting that he is not only the most large volcano on Earth, but also one of the largest in our solar system.

Mauna loa

Volume: 75,000 cubic kilometers

This active shield volcano can be seen on the island of Hawaii. It belongs to the group of megavolcanoes. It is worth noting that it is the second largest volcano on Earth.

This oceanic volcano is one of five volcanoes in Hawaii, and the most recent eruption was recorded in 1984.

Over the past 177 years, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times. According to geologists, Hawaii appeared on the earth's map thanks to lava that began to emerge from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean about 1 million years ago. ...

Kilimanjaro

Volume: 4,800 cubic kilometers

The majestic volcano Kilimanjaro is the most famous volcano in Africa. The sleeping giant consists of three volcanoes towering over Tanzania and Kenya.

Unlike many of the large volcanoes on this list, Kilimanjaro is an active stratovolcano.

The last time it erupted was 360,000 years ago, but relatively recently, scientists came to the conclusion that under a small crater located 400 meters from main peak volcano - Kibo, there is molten lava.

Sierra Negra

Volume: 580 cubic kilometers

This thyroid volcano is located on Isabela Island (Galapagos Islands). It is active and boasts the second largest crater on Earth, with a diameter of 11 kilometers.

The Sierra Negra rises to a height of 1,124 meters above sea level, and its last eruption was recorded in October 2005, when a column of ash 7.5 km high was thrown out.

Volcano. This word fascinates and frightens 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 is immediately remembered. Volcanoes have not brought such terrible destruction for a long time, which are still stored in 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 dangerous mountains... But, nevertheless, volcanoes continue to exist and either go into hibernation or wake up from sleep to start active life. Let's take a look at which volcanoes are the largest in the world.

10 largest 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 from the beginning of the twenty-first century it began to show signs of activity. 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. It is the highest active volcano in Eurasia at this 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 besides, it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes. Science knows about more than eighty of its eruptions, one of which was destroyed by the famous.


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


4. Sakurajima volcano. 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 in activity - smoke escapes from its vents, 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 nearest settlements. In 2010, even more people were evacuated, as the volcano continues to be active. Although over the past several thousand years, if Galeras erupted, it was 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 approximately once every ten years. Merapi claimed many lives, 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 little activity is sometimes observed. The worst 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 even reach one hundred kilometers per hour.


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


9. Taal volcano. This active volcano is located in the Philippines, on the island of Luzon. Taal is notable for the fact that it is the smallest of all the currently not dormant volcanoes in the world, and there is a lake in the Taal crater. Taal is visited by many tourists from all over the world every year.


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 tallest 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.