Active and extinct volcanoes have always attracted people. People settled on the volcanic slopes to engage in agriculture, because the volcanic soil is very fertile.

Today, the majestic geological formations attract crowds of tourists who want to admire their beauty.

Those thirsty for extreme sports are not stopped even by the most dangerous natural objects– active volcanoes.

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List of active volcanoes in the world

Today we will look at where there are active volcanoes in the world. Most of them are located along the coast. This zone is called the Pacific Ring of Fire. The second most volcanic activity zone is the Mediterranean belt.

In total there are about 900 on land active volcanoes

About 60 geological formations on earth explode every year. Let's look at the most dangerous ones that are active, as well as a few impressive ones that are dormant.

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the most impressive, nicknamed "Mountain of Fire". It is located on the island. Java, reaches a height of 2914 m. Large-scale emissions occur every 7 years, and small ones twice a year. Smoke is constantly coming out of its crater. One of the most significant tragedies associated with the activity occurred in 1006. Then a fierce disaster destroyed the Javanese-Indian state of Mataram.

In 1673, another powerful eruption erupted, as a result of which the towns and villages located at the foot were destroyed. In 1930, volcanic eruptions killed 1,300 people.

The last Merapi eruption occurred in 2010, when the evacuation of 350 thousand people was required. Some of them decided to return and died in the lava flow. 353 people were injured then.

In that the last disaster The mountain of fire ejected a mixture of ash and gas at a speed of 100 km/h, and the temperature reached 1000°C.

Sakurajima, Japan

Sakurajima is located on the island. Kyushu. The mountain once stood separately, but during one of the eruptions it joined the Osumi Peninsula with the help of lava. It rises to a height of 1117 m. It consists of three peaks, the highest of which is the northern one.

The activity of Sakurajima increases every year, and until 1946 there were only 6 emissions. It has been erupting continuously since 1955.

Note: one of major disasters occurred in 1914, when the disaster claimed the lives of 35 people. In 2013, 1097 minor emissions were recorded, and in 2014 - 471.

Aso, Japan

Aso is another volcanic giant of the island. Kyushu. Its height is 1592 m. It is a caldera, in the middle of which there are 17 cones. The most active of them is Nakadake.

Aso last erupted lava in 2011. Since then, about 2,500 tremors have occurred here. In 2016, the ejection process was accompanied by an earthquake.

It is worth noting: Despite the danger associated with the extreme activity of Aso, about 50 thousand people live in the caldera, and the crater itself has become a popular site active tourism. In winter, people ski on the slopes of Aso.

Nyiragongo, Republic of Congo

Nyiragongo belongs to the Virunga mountain system and is the most active in Africa. The height is 3470 m. In its crater there is a huge seething lava lake, the largest in the world. During an eruption, lava flows out almost completely, destroying everything around it in a matter of hours. After that, it fills the crater again. Due to the military situation in the Republic of Congo, the crater has not yet been sufficiently explored.

Since the end of the 19th century alone, 34 eruptions of the formidable Nyiragongo have been recorded. Its lava is very liquid because it does not contain enough silicates. For this reason, it spreads quickly, reaching speeds of 100 km/h. This feature makes Nyiragongo one of the most dangerous on the planet. In 1977, a huge mass of lava hit a nearby town. The cause was a rupture in the crater wall. The disaster claimed the lives of several hundred people.

In 2002, another large-scale eruption occurred, then 400 thousand people were evacuated, 147 of whom died. Despite the fact that this Nyiragongo is considered the most dangerous in the world, about half a million people live in nearby settlements.

Galeras, Colombia

It rises above the Colombian town of Pasto, with about 500 thousand inhabitants. Galeras reaches a height of 4276 m. last years Galeras is constantly active, throwing out volcanic ash.

One of the largest eruptions was recorded in 1993. The disaster led to the death of 6 volcanologists and 3 tourists located in the crater. The disaster came unexpectedly, after a long calm.

One of the most recent eruptions occurred in August 2010. Colombian authorities periodically evacuate local residents as Galeras becomes active.

Colima, Mexico

Colima is located on the coast Pacific Ocean. Consists of 2 peaks, one of which is extinct. In 2016, Colima became active, releasing a column of ash.

The last time he reminded himself was January 19, 2017. At the time of the disaster, a cloud of ash and smoke rose 2 km.

Vesuvius, Italy

Vesuvius is the most famous volcano ic giant of continental Europe. It is located in Italy, 15 km from.

Vesuvius has 3 cones. Strong eruptions alternate with periods of low-power activity. Releases huge amounts of ash and gases. In 79, Vesuvius shook all of Italy, destroying the cities of Pompeii and Stabia. They were covered with a thick layer of ash, reaching up to 8 m. The city of Herculaneum was flooded with mud flows, as the eruption was accompanied by mud rains.

In 1631, there was an eruption that claimed the lives of 4,000 people. It turned out to be weaker than in 79, but the slopes of Vesuvius have since been inhabited by more people, which led to such casualties. After this event, the volcano became lower by 168 m. The eruption of 1805 destroyed almost all of Naples and claimed the lives of 26 thousand people.

The last time Vesuvius erupted lava flows was in 1944, leveling the cities of San Sebastiano and Massa. The number of victims was 27 people. After this, the volcano subsided. To monitor his activities, a volcanological observatory was built here.

Etna, Italy

Etna is the highest volcano in Europe. It is located in the northern hemisphere in the east of Sicily. Its height changes after each eruption, now it is 3429 m above sea level.

Etna has, according to various estimates, 200-400 side craters. Every 3 months an eruption occurs from one of them. Quite often this leads to the destruction of villages located nearby.

Despite the dangers, Sicilians densely populate the slopes of Etna. A national park was even created here.

Popocatepetl, Mexico

The second highest peak in Mexico, its name means “smoking hill.” It is located 70 km from Mexico City. The height of the mountain is 5500 meters.

Over 500 years, Popocatepetl erupted lava over 15 times, the last time this happened in 2015.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia

This is the highest peak of Kamchatka. Its height varies between 4750-4850 m above sea level. The slopes are covered with side craters, of which there are more than 80.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka reminds itself every 3 years, each of its activities lasts several months and is sometimes accompanied by ashfalls. The most active year was 2016, when the volcano exploded 55 times.

The most destructive disaster was in 1938, when the activity of Klyuchevskaya Sopka lasted 13 months.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

Mauna Loa can be found in the central part of the island of Hawaii. It rises 4169 m above sea level. Mauna Loa is of the Hawaiian type.

Its characteristic feature is lava outpourings that occur without explosions or ash emissions. Lava erupts through the central vent, cracks and fractures.

Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Cotopaxi belongs to the Andes mountain system. This is the second highest peak, rising to 5911 m.

The first eruption was recorded in 1534. The eruption had its most devastating consequences in 1768. Then the release of lava and sulfur was accompanied by an earthquake. The disaster destroyed the city of Latacunga and its surroundings. The eruption was so strong that traces of it were found in the Amazon basin.

Iceland

There are about three dozen volcanoes on the island of Iceland. Among them, some have long been extinct, but there are also active ones.

This island is the only one in the world where so many geological formations are located. Icelandic territory is a real volcanic plateau.

Extinct and dormant volcanoes

Volcanoes that have lost activity are either extinct or dormant. They are safe to visit, which is why these sites are more popular among travelers. On the map, such geological formations are marked with black stars, in contrast to active ones, marked with red stars.

What is the difference between an extinct and dormant volcano? Extinct species have not been active for at least 1 million years. Presumably, their magma has already cooled and will not explode. True, volcanologists do not exclude the possibility that a new volcano may form in their place.

Aconcagua, Argentina

Aconcagua is the highest peak in the Andes. It rises to 6960.8 m. The mountain was formed at the junction of the Nazca and South American lithospheric plates. Today the slopes of the mountain are covered with glaciers.

Aconcagua is of interest to climbers as the highest peak in South America, as well as the highest extinct volcano.

Kilimanjaro, Africa

If someone is asked to name the most high mountain Africa, then he will name the most famous mountain on the African continent. It consists of 3 peaks, the highest of which is Kibo (5,891.8 m).

Kilimanjaro is considered dormant, with only gases and sulfur escaping from its crater. It is expected to become active when the mountain collapses, leading to a large-scale eruption. Scientists consider the peak of Kibo to be the most formidable.

Yellowstone, USA

Yellowstone is located on the territory of the same name national park. The peak belongs to supervolcanoes, of which there are 20 on Earth. Yellowstone is extremely dangerous because it erupts with incredible force and can affect the climate of the planet.

Yellowstone has erupted three times. Last eruption took place 640 thousand years ago, at the same time the caldera depression was formed.

At this volcano, lava accumulates in a special reservoir, where it melts the surrounding rocks, becoming thicker. This reservoir is very close to the surface, which worries volcanologists.

The eruption is stopped by flows of water that cool the magma bubble and break out in the form of geysers. Since there is still a lot of energy left inside the bubble, it is expected to burst out in the near future.

The US authorities are taking all measures to prevent the eruption of Yellowstone, because it could claim the lives of 87 thousand people. One of the projects is the installation of a geothermal station, but this will require drilling wells, which could provoke a disaster not only in the country, but also on the entire planet.

Elbrus, Russia

The Caucasian peak today is attractive to climbers. Its height is 5621 m. It is a dormant formation in which volcanic processes occur. The last eruption supposedly took place 1.7 thousand years ago; 500 years ago it released a column of ash.

The activity of Elbrus is evidenced by geothermal springs located nearby. Scientists disagree on when to expect the next eruption, but what is certain is that it will lead to a mudslide.

Big and Small Ararat, Türkiye

Greater Ararat (5165 m) is located on the Armenian Highlands, 11 km from it is Little Ararat (3927 m).

The eruptions of Greater Ararat have always been accompanied by destruction. The last tragedy occurred in 1840 and was accompanied by a strong earthquake. Then 10,000 people died.

Kazbek, Georgia

Kazbek is located in Georgia. Local residents call it Mkinvartsveri, which translates as “ ice mountain" The height of the giant is 5033.8 m.

Kazbek is not active today, but is classified as potentially dangerous. It last erupted in 650 BC.

The mountain has very steep slopes, and mudslides are possible.

Conclusion

Volcanoes are among the most attractive tourist sites. Today they are no longer so dangerous, since their activity can be predicted by volcanologists. Research is underway to harness the energy of geological formations for the benefit of humanity.

When trying to go to the top of a volcano, especially an active one, it is necessary to collect information about its condition and listen to the forecasts of seismologists, since tragic incidents among tourists occur frequently.

We bring to your attention interesting video about active volcanoes of the world:

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 preserved 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 of dangerous mountains. But, nevertheless, volcanoes continue to exist and either hibernate or awaken from sleep to begin active life. Let's look at which volcanoes are the largest in the world.

10 largest volcanoes in the world

  1. Yellowstone Volcano. This volcano is located in Yellowstone National Park in the USA. 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 since the beginning of the twenty-first century it has begun 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. This is the highest active volcano in Eurasia at this time. It is also the highest volcano in Europe. It is located fifteen kilometers from 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 knows about 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 very insignificant, and in general, about thirty-six major eruptions of this volcano are known to history. Popocatepetl can be called the largest active volcano on this moment.

  4. Sakurajima Volcano. An active volcano located in Japan. It was once located on an 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, many tourists visit Sakurajima 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 which 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 few thousand years Galeras has erupted, if at all, but only slightly.

  6. Volcano Merapi. An active Indonesian volcano located in Java. The height above sea level is 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 minor activity is sometimes observed. The most terrible eruption of this volcano was recorded in 1977. In general, this volcano is interesting because its lava is very liquid due to its composition, so during an eruption its speed can reach even one hundred kilometers per hour.

  8. Ulavun Volcano. 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. This volcano was once located underwater, 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 active volcanoes in the world, and there is also a lake in the Taal crater. Every year, Taal is visited by many tourists from all over the world.

  10. Mauna Loa Volcano. 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.

Some of the most magnificent wonders on earth are volcanoes. Their beauty is truly dangerous, as they can bring destruction to everything around them. Hot lava and volcanic bombs can easily wipe out from the face of the earth everything that gets in their way, including the largest cities. Over many millennia, humanity has already become convinced of the incredible power active volcanoes. For example, Vesuvius, which took thousands of human lives and destroyed the largest cities of that era (Pompeii, Stabia, Herculaneum).

The article describes the most large volcanoes in the world. This list contains volcanoes from different parts of the world, regardless of seismological activity. The main criterion for selection was their height.

10. Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa opens the top 10 largest volcanoes in the world. This is one of the active megavolcanoes, which is located in the central part of the island of Hawaii. In terms of volume, it is second only to the Tamu Massif. Its height is over four thousand meters. Scientists suggest that Mauna Loa originated over seven hundred thousand years ago. Today it is considered an active volcano.

Mauna Loa has an irregular shield shape with gentle slopes. In the vicinity of the volcano you can find many species of rare plants and wild animals. The mountain and lands from the southeastern part are included in the reserve.

WITH east side The Andes mountain system is home to one of the largest volcanoes on the planet - the active Sangay volcano. It has a steep conical shape, and numerous layers of lava and tephra can be seen on its top. The uniqueness of this volcano lies in the presence of three craters. On the territory of the mountain and its nearby territory a national natural Park, which belongs to the list of UNESCO protected areas.

Scientists suggest that the Sangay volcano was formed about 14 thousand years ago. Its height is over 5 thousand meters. From the 1930s to the present day, Sangay has been characterized by very frequent periods of activity. The first documented volcanic eruption was in 1628.

8. Huila Volcano

Starovolcano Huila is the largest volcano in Colombia, with a height of 5365 meters. It has a steep elongated shape. Huila was considered dormant for many years, but after fifty years he began to show signs of activity. From 2007 to the present day, more than 7 thousand small seismic events have occurred. The last eruption was recorded in 2011. Huila poses a great danger to the inhabitants of the four regions that are in its vicinity.

This volcano and its surrounding areas are home to many species of wildlife. The rich flora and fauna is due to the presence of numerous water sources, which were formed due to the descent of snow from the top of the mountain.

7. Popocatepetl

The Mexican highlands are home to one of the largest active stratovolcanoes in the world, Popocatepetl. Its height is 5426 meters. The name of the volcano comes from the Nahuatl language, which means “Smoking Hill”. Next to it is Mount Iztaxuatl. These two hills received their names thanks to a legend. In it, the Aztecs talked about unhappy love, where a girl was given in marriage to another. This happened because her parents did not wait for their daughter’s lover to return from the hike. Soon the girl committed suicide. After some time, the warrior returned home victorious, but did not find his beloved alive. The guy could not come to terms with the loss and also committed suicide. At their sign eternal love the gods turned the lovers into two mountains.

6. Orizaba

Orizaba is the highest peak in Mexico and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height above sea level is 5675 meters. Locals call the volcano Citlaltepetl. This is translated from one of the Aztec languages ​​as “mountain of stars.”

At the moment, the volcano is dormant, but it has not completely gone out. About 27 eruptions have been documented, the last of which was observed in 1846.

In 1936, a protected park was created that included the mountain, surrounding areas and the settlement. The area of ​​the protected area is almost 20 thousand hectares.

Over thirty years ago there were about 14 glaciers at the top of the volcano. Due to the problem of global warming, their number has decreased. Today there are 9 of them. The largest of them is Gran Norte with an area of ​​9 km2.

5. Misty

Misti is the largest active volcano in South America. It is located in the southern part of Peru. Its actual height is 5822 meters above sea level. Not far from the hill is the city of Arequina, home to more than 1 million people. Most of the city's buildings are built from pyroclastic deposits from the volcano.

The cone shape of Misti is a stratovolcano. It is characterized by explosive eruptions that alternate with the outflow of lava. One of the features of the volcano is the presence of three concentric craters. In the 15th century, very strong eruptions were observed. The most recent seismological activity was documented in 1985.

4. Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is the highest African volcano. It is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania. Taking into account glaciers, its height is 5895 meters. Kilimanjaro, like most of the world's largest volcanoes, remains dormant. For now local residents little seismological activity is observed. Kilimanjaro has a conical shape and consists of three craters.

There are many theories that explain the origin of the name in different ways. The name of the volcano is translated from Swahili as “mountain that sparkles.”

Despite the fact that Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano, many scientists visit it every year. The top of the volcano is covered with a huge snow cap, which has been formed there since the Ice Age. Due to global warming, its volume has decreased sharply over the last century.

3. Cotopaxi

In the list of the largest volcanoes in the world, Cotopaxi ranks third. The height of the volcano is 5911 meters, it is located in Ecuador on the western side of the Eastern Cordillera ridge. The capital of Ecuador, Quito, is located just 50 kilometers from Cotopaxi.

The peak of volcanic activity fell in the 17th-18th centuries. The last eruption occurred quite recently - in 2015.

Cotopaxi means "shining or smoking mountain" in the Quechua language. Sometimes you can see small puffs of smoke above its mouth, which are formed due to the release of water and sulfur. Since the volcano is dormant, its summit is covered with a thick layer of glaciers and snow.

2. San Pedro

At 6,145 meters high, San Pedro is the largest stratovolcano in the Andes mountain range. The volcanic cone is formed by basalt and andesite layers. The last seismic activity was observed in the 60s of the last century. In the summer of 1903, the first documented ascent to the top of the mountain was made.

Not far from San Pedro is the San Pablo Volcano. Outwardly, they look like two brothers who are connected to each other using a high saddle.

1. Llullaillaco

Llullallaco is the largest volcano on Earth. Its height is 6739 meters. It is located on the high plateau of Puna de Atacama, between Argentina and Chile.

Today Llullallaco is in a dormant state. The last period of activity was documented in 1877. Nowadays, you can quite often see smoke emanating from its mouth.

The very first documented ascent to the top of Llullallaco occurred in 1952. During the expedition, archaeologists found an ancient sanctuary belonging to the Incas. Upon closer examination of the slopes of the mountain, several mummies were discovered, which were most likely sacrificed to the gods.

Hot streams of molten lava splashing out from the bowels of the Earth, and at the same time clouds of ash and hot steam. The spectacle is, of course, exciting, but where does it come from? What large volcanoes exist on our planet? Where are they located?

Origin and types of volcanoes

Under a thick layer of the earth's crust there is magma - a molten substance of enormous temperature and under great pressure. Magma contains minerals, vaporous water and gases. When the pressure becomes too high, gases push the magma upward through weak points in the earth's crust. The surface layer of the Earth rises in the form of a mountain, and eventually the magma breaks out.

Erupting magma is called lava, and a mountainous hill with an opening is called a volcano. The eruption is accompanied by emissions of ash and steam. The lava moves at speeds of more than 40 km/h, with temperatures of about 1000 degrees Celsius. Depending on the nature of the eruption and accompanying phenomena, volcanoes are divided into numerous types. For example, Hawaiian, Plinian, Peleian and others.

As the lava flows out, it hardens and builds up in layers, creating the shape of a volcano. Thus, there are volcanoes that are cone-shaped, flat, domed, strato- or layered, as well as complex in shape. In addition, they are divided into active, dormant and extinct, depending on the degree of eruption activity.

Large volcanoes of the world

There are approximately 540 active volcanoes worldwide, with even more extinct ones. All of them are located mainly in the Pacific, East African, and Mediterranean folded zones. The greatest activity occurs in the regions of South and Central America, Kamchatka, Japan, and Iceland.

There are 330 active volcanoes in the Pacific Rim alone. Large volcanoes are located in the Andes, on the Asian islands. In Africa, Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, is considered the highest. This is a potentially active volcano that could awaken at any moment. Its height is 5895 meters.

Two of the world's volcanic giants are located in Chile and Argentina. They are considered the tallest on Earth. Ojos del Salado is extinct, having erupted in 700 AD, although it occasionally releases water vapor and sulfur. Argentina's Llullaillaco is considered active; it last erupted only in 1877.

The world's largest volcanoes are presented in the table.

Name

Location

Height, m

Year of eruption

Ojos del Salado

Andes, Chile

Llullaillaco

Andes, Argentina

San Pedro

Andes, Chile

Cotopaxi

Andes, Ecuador

Kilimanjaro

Tanzania, Africa

Unknown

Andes, Peru

Cordillera, Mexico

Caucasus Mountains, Russia

Popocatepetl

Cordillera, Mexico

Andes, Ecuador

Pacific Ring of Fire

The waters of the Pacific Ocean hide three lithospheric plates. Their outer edges go under the lithospheric plates of the continents. Along the entire perimeter of these junctions is the Pacific Ring of Fire - small and large volcanoes, most of which are active.

The Ring of Fire starts from Antarctica, passes through New Zealand, Philippine Islands, Japan, the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, stretches along the entire Pacific coast of North and South America. In some places the ring breaks, for example near the state of California.

Large volcanoes of the Pacific belt are located in the Andes (Orizabo, San Pedro, Misti, Cotopaxi), Sumatra (Kerinci), Ross Island (Erebus), and Java (Semeru). One of the most famous - Fuji - is located on the island of Honshu. The Krakatoa volcano is located here.

The Hawaiian Islands archipelago is of volcanic origin. Largest volcano- Mauna Loa with an absolute height of 4169 meters. In terms of relative height, the mountain surpasses Everest and is considered the highest peak in the world, this value is 10,168 meters.

Mediterranean belt

The mountainous regions of North-West Africa, southern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Indochina, Tibet, Indonesia and the Himalayas make up the Mediterranean. Active geological processes occur here, one of the manifestations of which is volcanism.

The largest volcanoes in the Mediterranean belt are Vesuvius, Santorini (Aegean Sea) and Etna in Italy, Elbrus and Kazbek in the Caucasus, Ararat in Turkey. Italian Vesuvius consists of three peaks. The cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, Stabia, and Oplontia suffered from its powerful eruption in the first century AD. In memory of this event, Karl Bryullov painted the famous painting “The Last Day of Pompeii.”

The Ararat stratovolcano is the highest point in Turkey and the Armenian Highlands. Its last eruption occurred in 1840. It was accompanied by an earthquake that completely destroyed the neighboring village and monastery. Ararat, like the Caucasian Kazbek, consists of two peaks that are separated by a saddle.

Large volcanoes of Russia (list)

In the territory Russian Federation volcanoes are located in the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, Caucasus and Transbaikalia. They make up approximately 8.5% of all volcanoes in the world. Many of them are considered extinct, although the sudden eruptions of Bezymianny in 1956 and the Academy of Sciences in 1997 proved the relativity of this term.

The largest volcanoes are located in Kamchatka and Kuril Islands. The highest in all of Eurasia (among the existing ones) is considered (4835 meters). Its last eruption was recorded in 2013. In the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories there are very small volcanoes. For example, the height of Baranovsky is 160 meters. Over the past decade, Berg (2005), Ebeko (2010), Chikurachki (2008), Kizimen (2013) and others have been active.

The largest volcanoes in Russia are presented in the table.

Name

Location

Height, m

Year of eruption

650 BC e.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kamchatka Krai

Unknown

Ushkovsky

Kamchatka Krai

Tolbachik

Kamchatka Krai

Ichinskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kronotskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kamchatka Krai

Zhupanovskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Conclusion

Volcanoes are the consequences of active processes that occur inside our planet. They are formed in the earth's crust, where the crust cannot withstand the onslaught of pressure and high temperatures. The consequences of a volcanic eruption can be quite serious, as they are accompanied by emissions of ash, gases, and sulfur into the atmosphere.

Accompanying phenomena of an eruption are often earthquakes and faults. The flowing lava has such a high temperature that it instantly affects biological organisms.

However, in addition to the destructive effect, volcanoes also have the opposite effect. Lava that has not reached the surface can lift up sediment to form mountains. And the result of the eruption of an underwater volcano in Iceland was the island of Surtsey.

Despite their deadly nature, various volcanoes have long attracted people. 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 sites.

Where are the largest volcanoes on the world map?

Most of the modern 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, which stretches from the Indonesian islands to.

The strongest eruption in history

The most destructive eruption in terms of its consequences is considered to be the catastrophe that occurred in 1883 during the 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 released to a height of 70 kilometers.

The force of the explosion during the eruption exceeded the force of a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima by 10 thousand times. Most deaths are a consequence of huge tsunami caused by the eruption. The island on which Krakatoa was located was almost completely destroyed during the disaster. The sound of the explosion spread over 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 by volume:

  • Mauna Loa, Hawaii, with a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers;
  • Kilimanjaro(Tanzania), which is considered dormant but could potentially become active, has a volume of 4,800 cubic kilometers;
  • Volcano Sierra Negra, located on Galapagos Islands(Ecuador) has a volume of 580 cubic kilometers.

Which country has the largest source of lava?

There is no equal in size Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which has a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The title of the highest is disputed by 2 volcanoes from South America:

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

Description with names

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

Merapi

Merapi, which means in Indonesian "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 at intervals of approximately 7 years; throughout its history, Merapi has repeatedly caused the death of many people. In 1930, the eruption killed 1,400 people, and in 2010 more than 350 thousand people had to be evacuated, killing 353 island residents.

Located near Merapi Yogyakarta city, in the agglomeration of which more than 2 million people live. Due to its activity and danger to human life, 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 chronicles occurred in 963, and the most powerful one dates back to 1914, but thanks to the tremors that preceded it, most of the local residents managed to evacuate, and “only” 35 people died.

Since the mid-20th century, the volcano has been constantly active. Happen every year thousands of small explosions and ash emissions.

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

Sakurajima is also on the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

Aso

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

The last time people died as a result of a volcanic eruption was in 1979, when 3 people died and 11 were injured. But Aso is dangerous not only for its eruptions, poisonous volcanic gas fumes They 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, ash emission occurred to a height of up to 2 kilometers.

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Nyiragongo

Nyiragongo is located in the territory DR Congo in the Virunga mountain system (Africa). In the crater of the volcano there is the world's largest lava lake, the depth of which can reach 3 kilometers. In 1977, the crater wall ruptured, causing a large flow of lava into the surrounding area, ultimately killing 70 people.

During observations of Nyiragongo since 1882, it was recorded 34 major volcanic eruptions. A feature of the Nyiragongo eruptions is the extremely rapid flow of lava, reaching speeds of 100 kilometers per hour. During a major eruption in 2002, 400 thousand 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 suffered significant damage.

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

Galeras

The 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 was 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 7,000 years, Galeras has experienced at least 6 major eruptions, the last of which was recorded in 1993.

Mauna Loa

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

Mauna Loa erupts according to what is called Hawaiian type with an outpouring of lava, but without explosions and large ash emissions. Observations of the volcano have been carried out only since 1832, but during this time 39 major eruptions of Mauna Loa have been recorded. This volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade due to the huge lava flows accompanying the eruption and the densely populated area in its immediate vicinity.

The summit of the volcano and its slopes were included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Colima

The most active volcano in Central America located in the state of Jalisco. Thanks to her 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, making it America's most dangerous volcano. For this reason, the volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.

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Vesuvius

The most famous volcano in the world is located on the Apennine Peninsula in. The lonely peak of Vesuvius, 1281 meters high, rises above the vast 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 major ones alone were recorded. In 79 AD, the most destructive eruption of Vesuvius, during which famous cities perished:

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

It is believed that at least 16 thousand people died during this disaster.

In 1944, the last eruption of Vesuvius occurred, during which cities were destroyed 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 a visit to it is included in sightseeing tour when traveling to Naples.

Etna

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

  1. Was destroyed in 122 AD Catania city;
  2. In 1169 during large-scale eruption Etna died 15 thousand people;
  3. In 1669, Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
  4. In 1928, the ancient Maskali 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 cooled lava flows and ash.

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

Popocatepetl

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

A trip to these volcanoes is an integral part 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 of Kamchatka. Highest point beyond Caucasus Mountains reaches an altitude of 4750 meters. It is the most active volcano in Eurasia, with an average of 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 Cotopaxi volcano is located in South America on the territory of the state Ecuador part of the Andes mountain system. The height of the peak of Cotopaxi is 5897 meters. In 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 noticed 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 exhibit volcanic activity.

Supreme

The tallest extinct volcano on the planet, Aconcagua, is located in Argentina and is part of mountain system Andes. Aconcagua is not only the highest an 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 simply mountains, although some of them could potentially “wake up” and begin to become active. Such volcanoes, which may become active in the future, are called "sleeping".

  • Famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa) is a dormant volcano that is not active. 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 was considered extinct, but scientists have found that there is little activity in it, so now Yellowstone is classified as a dormant volcano. The giant last erupted almost a million years ago.

    It is believed that if Yellowstone wakes up, a 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 other volcanic eruptions, which will affect almost every inhabitant of the planet. The ash ejected by the volcano will cover the surface of the earth from the sun for a year and a half, and a volcanic winter will occur 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 is 5642 meters. It is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Belongs to the list highest peaks six parts of the world. Scientists consider the activity of the volcano not so much completed as fading.
  • Most large volcano Today it cannot be visited and is very difficult to see, since it is under water. Array Tamu located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and is approximately 1600 kilometers east of Japanese Islands. Its dimensions are 650 by 450 kilometers; in 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 exhibit volcanic activity. The peak of Mount Great Ararat, reaching 5165 meters, is highest point 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 top 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 Kazbek caves.

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