Active volcanoes on our planet. Southern volcanoes of the planet. Rating of the ten largest volcanoes in the world. The most famous volcanoes in the world. History of the search for the planet Vulcan

The volcano in the eyes of the ancient man was like a real natural God who came to punish humanity for its sins. A huge mountain spewing waves of fiery water, destroying everything in its path and knowing no compassion. The crater of the volcano is an abyss into hellish hell. Getting there is a one-way ticket. There are many legends and tales around volcanoes; even now, when the nature of this phenomenon is known, and upcoming eruptions are predicted by scientists, we are unable to contain our inner trepidation before colliding with the fiery element.

The most famous volcano

It is not surprising that the most popular among tourists and the most famous in the world is the Vesuvius volcano. August 24, 79 AD he covered three cities in the Roman Empire with ashes: Pompeii, Oplontis and Herculaneum. The destructive power of Vesuvius was reflected in the works of such artists as Pierre Jacques Volard “The Eruption of Vesuvius”, Karl Pavlovich Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii”, and the English artist Joseph Wright witnessed the volcanic eruption and dedicated several dozen paintings to this phenomenon. Until now, this volcano is considered active and is located in Italy 15 km from Naples, reminding people of the dominance of the elements over man.

The most picturesque volcano

The Japanese volcano Fuji amazes with its beauty and harmony; its height is 3776 m (the highest point in Japan). The mountain has an almost perfect conical shape and is considered a sacred place for the indigenous population. Since ancient times, Fuji has been depicted by Japanese painters, and in the era of digital technology, the Internet is replete with photographs of the volcano at sunset. On the top of the mountain stands a Shinto Great Temple Hongu Sengen. In 1974 Supreme Court Japan transferred the mountain as private property to the temple.

The most mysterious volcano

Volcano Bromo in Indonesia is shrouded in a veil of secrets and legends. The most common version is that during the Majapahit kingdom, a young princess, Raru Anteng, married a young man named Jaka Seger. The lovers fled from their father's house and established their kingdom at the foot of the Bromo volcano. For many years they had no heirs and then, in despair, they climbed to the top of the volcano and day and night they prayed to the Gods for help. The wise Gods had mercy on the king and queen and gave them children with the condition that they would sacrifice the youngest by throwing them into the mouth of a volcano. But the couple did not want to fulfill this vow and paid for it. The gods were very angry with them, and since then, every year people threw one child into the mouth of the volcano. Traditions and morals have changed, but even in our times, representatives of the Tenger Buddhist ethnic group make sacrifices to the gods in the form of rice, fruits and livestock.

Northernmost volcano

Northernmost active volcano of our planet belongs to Norway and is called Beerenberg, which translated into Russian means Bear Mountain. The top of the volcano is covered with a cap of ice and snow. For a long time, Bear Mountain was considered a dormant volcano, but on September 20, 1970, life suddenly “awakened” in it. The volcano released hot magma and ash into the air, putting the lives of 39 island residents at risk.

Most high volcano

The highest volcano on Earth, Ojos del Salado, is located on the border of Argentina and Chile, its height is 6893 m. In its entire history, the volcano has not had a single eruption, but emissions of sulfur and water vapor into the atmosphere were recorded. The conquest of the volcano took place in 1937 by Polish climbers, but the path to the top of the volcano was difficult and dangerous. On April 21, 2007, the Chilean athlete Gonzalo Bravo managed on a modified Suzuki S.J. climb the slope of Ojos del Salado to a height of 6,688 meters, thus setting a world record for climbing for cars.

The most ancient volcano

The Brazilian volcano Zhamanshin deservedly takes the lead in the category among the oldest volcanoes. After much calculation and research, scientists were able to find out the approximate age of the volcano - 2 billion years. Despite its longevity, the volcano rises 250 meters above ground level. It has ceased to function for several million years, but in its “golden years” Zhamanshin was able to cover an area of 22 km around with ash and lava.

The most unusual volcano

The Dallol volcano, located in Ethiopia, amazes with its magical and inimitable appearance. The landscapes surrounding the volcano's crater are believed to be similar to the landscape of Jupiter's moon Io. And, indeed, such an abundance of colors cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. In 1926, a strong explosion occurred, which formed a lake of yellow and purple colors in the vicinity of the volcano. In addition to its uniqueness, the Dallol volcano earns another championship - the lowest volcano. The height of its crater above sea level is only 45 meters.

Text: Yulia Tsvetkova

Humanity's interest in the most amazing and exotic corners of our planet Earth is quite justified and has recently flared up with renewed vigor, given the unique opportunity to travel around the world, visiting the most closed and inaccessible places.

Reflecting on the topic of the southernmost active volcano on Earth, most people uninformed in this matter for some reason have associations with the Sicilian Etna or, in extreme cases, some dormant vent in sultry Ethiopia. In fact, these assumptions have absolutely nothing to do with reality and the southernmost active volcano is Erebus, located in distant Antarctica, which in its height is second only to the active Sidley volcano, located nearby on the same continent. This volcano was first discovered back in 1841, after which in 1908 its peak was conquered by one of the scientific expeditions whose goal was a detailed study of the entire South Pole).

What is noteworthy is that since 1972 it was found that the formation began to “wake up” and today Erebus is one of the most active volcanoes in our multifaceted and amazing planet. Among other things, brave scientists managed to establish the fact that in the depths of its active crater lies a unique lava lake. The location of the volcano itself suggests constant powerful emissions of gas from deep faults in the earth's crust, on which it actually formed. It should be noted that these processes, although absolutely natural, are by no means safe for planet Earth as a whole.

The fact is that gases constantly emitted from the depths, among which elements such as hydrogen and methane should be singled out in a special niche, tend to reach the protective layer of the planet’s air envelope - the ozone layer, thereby maximizing its destruction. Surprisingly, its most deplorable condition (meaning the thickness of the ozone coating) is observed not over the noisiest megacities with huge industrial production and lines of cars “smoking the sky” with their exhaust gases, but rather over Rossa (the territory of the island and the waters of the sea of the same name) . It is in this place that the peak of Erebus and its three companions, which awakened in 1972, are located, which, however, are recognized as extinct, which means that they have irrevocably ceased their activity. Moreover, it is Erebus that leads in height, the height of which reaches more than three thousand meters, in contrast to the three neighboring “dead” volcanoes, although it is inferior to Sidley, located on Mary Byrd Land.

It is quite possible that this scale and grandeur was the main reason for the tragedy that occurred in 1979, when a New Zealand airline plane crashed on the slope of Erebus, killing all passengers and crew on board.

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 objects.

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 pleated 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 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 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 disputed by 2 volcanoes from South America:

Llullaillaco, located on the border of Argentina and Chile with an altitude of more than 6 thousand meters;
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 local residents managed to evacuate, “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 close proximity.

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

Colima

The most active volcano in Central America is 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.

The last one happened in 1944. this moment eruption of Vesuvius, 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 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:

Was destroyed in 122 AD Catania city;
In 1169, during the large-scale eruption of Etna, they died 15 thousand people;
In 1669, Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
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 they affectionately call him local residents, 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 one led to complete destruction 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 the Andes mountain system. 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. Refers to the list of the highest peaks in 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, since it is under water. Array Tamu located at the bottom Pacific Ocean and is located approximately 1,600 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 throughout 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 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 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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Watch a video about these and other volcanoes in the world:

10 biggest and dangerous volcanoes on the ground.

A volcano is a geological formation that arose due to the movement of tectonic plates, their collision and the formation of faults. As a result of collisions between tectonic plates, faults form and magma comes to the surface of the Earth. As a rule, volcanoes are a mountain at the end of which there is a crater, which is where lava comes out.

Volcanoes are divided into:

- active;
- sleeping;
- extinct;

Active volcanoes are those that erupted in the near future (approximately 12,000 years)
Dormant volcanoes are volcanoes that have not erupted in the near future, but their eruption is practically possible.
Extinct volcanoes include those that have not erupted in the near historical future, but the top has the shape of a crater, but such volcanoes are unlikely to erupt.

List of the 10 most dangerous volcanoes on the planet:

1. (Hawaii Islands, USA)

Located in the islands of Hawaii, it is one of the five volcanoes that make up the islands of Hawaii. It is the largest volcano in the world in terms of volume. It contains more than 32 cubic kilometers of magma.
The volcano was formed about 700,000 years ago.
The volcano's last eruption occurred in March 1984, and it lasted for more than 24 days, causing enormous damage to people and the surrounding area.

2. Taal Volcano (Philippines)

The volcano is located on the island of Luzon, part of the Philippine Islands. The crater of the volcano rises 350 meters above the surface of Lake Taal and is located almost in the center of the lake.

The peculiarity of this volcano is that it is located in the crater of a very old extinct mega volcano, now this crater is filled with lake water.
In 1911, the most powerful eruption of this volcano occurred - then 1335 people died, within 10 minutes all life around the volcano died at a distance of 10 km.
The last eruption of this volcano was observed in 1965, which resulted in 200 casualties.

3. Volcano Merapi (Java Island)

The name of the volcano is literally Mountain of Fire. The volcano has been erupting systematically for the last 10,000 years. The volcano is located near the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the city's population is several thousand people.
It was the most active volcano among the 130 volcanoes in Indonesia. The eruption of this volcano was believed to have led to the decline of the Hindu Kingdom of Matarama. The peculiarity and horror of this volcano is the speed of spread of magma, which is more than 150 km/hour. The volcano's last eruption occurred in 2006 and claimed 130 lives and made more than 300,000 people homeless.

4. Volcano Santa Maria (Guatemala)

This is one of the most active volcanoes of the 20th century.
It is located at a distance of 130 kilometers from the city of Guatemala, and is located in the so-called Pacific. Ring of Fire. The Santa Maria crater was formed after its eruption in 1902. About 6,000 people died then. The last eruption occurred in March 2011.

5. Ulawun Volcano (Papua - New Guinea)

The Ulawun volcano, located in the New Guinea region, began erupting at the beginning of the 18th century. Since then, eruptions have been recorded 22 times.
In 1980, the largest volcanic eruption occurred. The ejected ash covered an area of more than 20 square kilometers.
Now this volcano is the highest peak in the region.
The last volcanic eruption occurred in 2010.

6. Galeras Volcano (Colombia)

The Galeras Volcano is located near the border of Ecuador in Colombia. One of the most active volcanoes in Colombia, it has erupted systematically over the past 1000 years.
The first documented volcanic eruption occurred in 1580. This volcano is considered the most dangerous because of its sudden eruptions. Along the eastern slope of the volcano is the city of Paphos (Pasto). Paphos is home to 450,000 people.
In 1993, six seismologists and three tourists died during a volcanic eruption.
Since then, the volcano has erupted every year, claiming thousands of lives and making many people homeless. The last volcanic eruption occurred in January 2010.

7. Sakurajima Volcano (Japan)

Until 1914, this volcanic mountain was located on a separate island in close proximity to Kyushu. After the volcano erupted in 1914, a lava flow connected the mountain to the Ozumi Peninsula (Japan). The volcano was named Vesuvius of the East.
He serves as a threat to the 700,000 people of Kagoshima City.
Since 1955, eruptions have occurred every year.
The government even built a refugee camp for the people of Kagoshima so they could find shelter during the volcanic eruption.
The last eruption of the volcano occurred on August 18, 2013.

8. Nyiragongo (DR Congo)

It is one of the most active, active volcanoes in the African region. The volcano is located in Democratic Republic Congo. The volcano has been monitored since 1882. Since the start of observations, 34 eruptions have been recorded.
A crater in the mountain serves as a holder for magma fluid. In 1977, a major eruption occurred, neighboring villages were burned by streams of hot lava. The average speed of the lava flow was 60 kilometers per hour. Hundreds of people died. The most recent eruption occurred in 2002, leaving 120,000 people homeless.

This volcano is a caldera, a formation of a pronounced round shape with a flat bottom.
The volcano is located in Yellow National Park in the United States.
This volcano has not erupted for 640,000 years.
The question arises: How can it be an active volcano?
There are claims that 640,000 years ago, this super volcano erupted.
This eruption changed the terrain and covered half of the United States in ash.
According to various estimates, the volcanic eruption cycle is 700,000 - 600,000 years. Scientists expect this volcano to erupt at any time.
This volcano could destroy life on Earth.

Volcanoes are geological formations on the surface of the crust of the Earth or another planet, where magma comes to the surface, forming lava, volcanic gases, stones (volcanic bombs and pyroclastic flows).

The word "volcano" comes from the name of the ancient Roman god of fire, Vulcan.

The science that studies volcanoes is volcanology and geomorphology.

Volcanoes have fascinated humanity for many years, leaving people in amazement and reverence at the wonder of nature. Their lava flows and almost inhumane heat are especially impressive, but they are also directly dangerous because they destroy the resulting smoke and the livelihoods of people and animals nearby. To give you an idea of the power of nature, we introduce you to the 10 largest volcanoes in the world.

Etna in Sicily is notorious especially in Europe - especially as the highest volcano in Europe. It is located on the Italian island of Sicily, which is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Nyiragongo has cost the lives of many people in the region in the past and is therefore closely monitored by the government for its activities. For Fuji you must go to Japan. The volcano is located on Japanese island Honshu is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. The last Fuji outbreak is a good one 300 years ago.

Volcanoes are classified by shape (shield, stratovolcanoes, cinder cones, domes), activity (active, dormant, extinct), location (terrestrial, underwater), etc.

Volcanoes are divided depending on the degree of volcanic activity into active, dormant and extinct. An active volcano is considered to be a volcano that erupted during a historical period of time or in the Holocene. The concept of “active” is quite inaccurate, since a volcano with active fumaroles is classified by some scientists as active, and by others as extinct. Dormant volcanoes are considered to be inactive, where eruptions are possible, and extinct - where they are unlikely.

Mount Eberus, located in Antarctica, forms Ross Island with two other volcanoes. In addition, Mount Eber is the southernmost active volcano in the world. The volcano is still active today - the last outbreak was. Our number 6 is located in Hawaii - Mauna Loa. It is located on the Big Island, which is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The last Mauna Loa outbreak was 33 years ago.

Its latest outbreak occurred this year. Volcanoes erupt approximately every 5 years. There is also a volcano in Ecuador, namely Cotopaxi. However, it is one of the most densely populated active volcanoes in South America. The centenary is considered sacred.

However, there is no consensus among volcanologists on how to define an active volcano. The period of volcanic activity can last from several months to several million years. Many volcanoes exhibited volcanic activity tens of thousands of years ago, but are not considered active today.

Astrophysicists, from a historical perspective, believe that volcanic activity, caused, in turn, by the tidal influence of other celestial bodies, may contribute to the emergence of life. In particular, it was volcanoes that contributed to the formation of the earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere, releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Scientists also note that too active volcanism, such as on Jupiter's moon Io, can make the planet's surface uninhabitable. At the same time, weak tectonic activity leads to the disappearance of carbon dioxide and sterilization of the planet. “These two cases represent potential boundaries for planetary habitability and exist alongside the traditional parameters of habitable zones for systems of low-mass main sequence stars,” the scientists write.

Found in this thread, but there could be more. Hawaii is not located at the edge of a seam between two earth plates, as in most volcanic areas, but in the middle of the Pacific plate. Therefore, researchers have long been puzzled by how volcanoes could arise here.

This is where the upper mantle is especially thin. Hot magma rises from within the Earth from the boundary between the Earth's core and the Earth's mantle upward like a column, so it becomes relatively close to the Earth's crust and melts it. Hawaii is just one of those hot spots. Already 70-80 million years ago, in the area of the Hawaiian Islands, lava began to break through in one place.

Volcanoes, for all their danger, are one of the most beautiful and majestic wonders of nature. Active volcanoes look especially beautiful at night. But this beauty brings death to everything around. Lava, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows consisting of hot volcanic gases, ash and stones can wipe out even big cities. Humanity has seen the incredible power of volcanoes during the infamous eruption of Vesuvius, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae. And there are many such examples in history. The largest volcanoes in the world - today we’ll talk about these dangerous but beautiful giants. Our list includes volcanoes of varying degrees of activity - from relatively dormant to active. The main selection criterion was their size.

But why isn't there just one big volcano in Hawaii? This is due to the movement of the ground planes. The Hawaiian Islands are located on the Pacific Plate. It has been moving for millions of years, a "hot spot", but no. Thus, new volcanoes and new islands were created.

Cold chambers remained through which the magma rose; old volcanoes have been extinguished. The youngest Hawaiian volcano is Lohi. In about a thousand years, the volcano is expected to emerge from the sea and then likely grow with Big Island. Magma from the interior of the Earth becomes lava on the surface.

10 Sangay Height 5,230 meters

The active stratovolcano Sangay, located in Ecuador, opens the ranking of the largest volcanoes on Earth. Its height is 5230 meters. The summit of the volcano consists of three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters. Sangay is one of the youngest and most restless volcanoes in South America. Its first eruption occurred in 1628. The last one took place in 2007. Now the volcanic activity of the giant from the Equator is assessed as moderate. Tourists who visit the Sangay National Park, where the volcano is located, can climb to its peak.

The volcanoes in Hawaii are all shield volcanoes. They resemble the shell of a turtle and have very flat flanks. The remaining ten percent are layered or cone volcanoes. They differ in that they have steep sides and a taper. Famous representatives of the stratovolcano are Mount St. Hawaiian volcanoes are composed of lava from thin magmas. There are two fundamentally different types of lava in Hawaii: lagu laha and aa lava.

Lakh lava knitted or rope. This happens when upper layer cools and the lava flow continues below. This is how the outer skin collapses in the folds. La lava is also called Brockenlava and looks like freshly evaporated farmland. As it cools, a thick crust forms, which collapses as the lava continues to grow.

9 Popocatepetl Height 5,455 meters

In 9th place among the largest volcanoes in the world is Popocatepetl. It is located in the Mexican Highlands. The height of the volcano is 5455 meters. Even in a calm state, the volcano is constantly shrouded in a cloud of gases and ash. Its danger lies in the fact that there are densely populated areas around the volcano, and Mexico City is located 60 kilometers from it. The last eruption of the giant occurred quite recently - on March 27, 2016, it threw out a kilometer-long column of ash. The next day Popocatepetl calmed down. If the Mexican giant erupts strongly, it will threaten the safety of several million people.

8 Elbrus Height 5,642 meters

The most active volcano in the world - Kilauea

Lava flows on the ground Big Island. About a thousand years ago, Kilauea began to break through the earth's crust, which emerged from the sea only a thousand years ago. Today, several lava flows flow from it, overflowing more than 60 square kilometers of land. In recent decades, some villages have become victims of lava. More than 100 houses were destroyed.

Because the lava from Hawaii's Turtle Volcano flows so slowly, it poses little danger to humans. But those who come too close may break through the thin crust or pass through holes breathing gray vapors. Hawaiians adore their volcanoes and pay homage to even the most dazzling figure in their mythology. Pele is the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Her name means "molten lava".

There are large volcanoes in Europe. In the North Caucasus there is the Elbrus stratovolcano, whose height is 5642 meters. This is the highest peak in Russia. Elbrus is one of the seven highest mountain peaks planets. Scientists have different opinions about the activity of the giant. Some consider it an extinct volcano, while others consider it a dying one. Sometimes Elbrus becomes the center of small earthquakes. In some places on its surface, sulfur dioxide gases emerge from cracks. Scientists who believe that Elbrus may wake up in the future express the opinion that the nature of its eruption will be explosive.

7 Orizaba Height 5,675 meters

Pele believes that he lives on Mount Kilauea. Hawaiians bring their offerings such as gin, cigarettes or flower crowns to the crater crater. They also dance the hula for Pele on the edge of the volcano. Several geological finds are named after Pele. What is the name for "Pele's hair" about hairy volcanic glass. This occurs when lava fountains are ejected from within and blown out several meters by the wind.

“Tears of the form of Pele”, as well as “hair”, only here the lava was not pulled out. Instead, it drips and cools into black, shiny beads that are usually only a few millimeters in size. It's just the Apocalypse and all that, but above all we remember school lessons, Latin, geography or history. Pompey was buried under an unimaginable layer of five meters of such lava. Two other cities, Herculaneum and Stabia, were also destroyed.

The seventh place on the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico. The height of the volcano is 5675 meters. It last erupted in 1687. Now Orizaba is considered a dormant volcano. From its top, stunning panoramic views open up. In order to protect the volcano, a reserve was created.

6 Misti Height 5,822 meters

Europe's only volcano boils beneath the surface

The Phlegrean Fields are located about 20 kilometers from Vesuvius, on the other hand, on the western side of Naples. A hilly, rocky landscape that extends into a cauldron of 150 square kilometers. It is not without reason that several research groups are monitoring geophysical activity in the area. One of them is directed by Christopher Kilburn from the Hazard Center at University College London.

After this, the rising magma of the caldera approaches a critical point. If this is exceeded, the rock above the magma will become extremely hot and expand. In a computer, this leads to an eruption. Whether the simulation actually correctly and completely represents the complex geophysical processes preceding a volcanic eruption is questionable. And even if they are somewhat close to reality, they do not make specific predictions.

In 6th place on the list of the largest volcanoes is Misti, located in the south of Peru. Its height is 5822 meters. Misti is an active volcano. It last erupted in 1985. In January 2016, an increase in fumarole activity was observed on the volcano - steam and gas vents appeared. This is one of the signs of an impending eruption. In 1998, six Inca mummies were found near the inner crater of the volcano. – Many buildings in the city of Arequipa, located 17 kilometers from the volcano, are built from white deposits of the Misti pyroclastic flows. That's why Arequipa is called the "White City".

5 Kilimanjaro Height 5,895 meters

It may take hundreds or thousands of years before the Campi Flegrei caldera releases material back into the area again. However, when the time comes, we would prefer not to sip our espresso in Naples. Maybe we can find best ways enter the textbooks of our descendants.

The screen volcano resembles the appearance of a Hawaiian warrior's shield as it has a low-angle profile. In almost all cases, the shield comparison is made because the width of these volcanoes is usually about 20 times their height. Despite this, they can vary greatly in size, some with small diameters of a few kilometers and others over 95 kilometers. Some that are found in Hawaii reach a height of 000 meters at the bottom of the sea, about a thousand meters at its base. In fact, some of the largest volcanoes on the planet are actually protected by volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, is the largest of its kind.

The fifth place among the largest volcanoes on the planet is occupied by the highest point of the African continent - Kilimanjaro. Scientists have concluded that this giant stratovolcano, 5895 meters high, is potentially active. Now it periodically releases gases and there is a possibility of the crater of the volcano collapsing, which could trigger an eruption. There is no documentary evidence of Kilimanjaro's activity, but there are local legends that speak of an eruption that occurred about 200 years ago.

4 Cotopaxi Height 5,897 meters

Most likely, a volcanic shield forms during a basaltic lava flow of liquid material that usually descends from a fissure system or the summit itself. The most common type of shield volcano is one that forms during a long-term eruption. However, some shield volcanoes are pyroclastic screens, meaning that their low-angle surfaces were formed from the accumulation of fragmented material over multiple eruptions.

Due to the diversity of his education, different universities from different parts of the world will look slightly different. For example, Iceland's tend to be much smaller and almost perfectly symmetrical, while Hawaii's are much larger and longer. The shields found on the Galapagos Islands are different from both, with flat tops, steep sides and cauldrons medium depth on the top. These differences not only show changes in their formation, but also the types of eruptions that typically occur in the region.

In fourth place on the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is Cotopaxi, the second largest peak in Ecuador. This is an active volcano with a height of 5897 meters. The first time its activity was recorded was in 1534. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than 50 times. The last Kotpahi happened in August 2015.

3 San Pedro Height 6,145 meters

Although the type of eruptions found in a shield volcano can vary, the majority experience Hawaiian eruptions. These eruptions usually have lava flows from the ground that can travel long distances. As flows travel greater distances, individual lava sheets tend to be thinner. These longer lava flows give the volcano its characteristic shape.

Shield volcanoes in Hawaii. Hawaii is home to a large number of the planet's shield volcanoes, as the Pacific Plate and the Hawaii hotspot have combined to form a large chain of several volcanoes of all kinds. This chain has more than 43 important volcanoes, including Mauna Loa. As mentioned above, Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano in the world. It is also the highest volcano in Hawaii, reaching 170 meters above sea level, in addition to traveling 13 kilometers below the waterline.

The active stratovolcano San Pedro, located in Chile, ranks 3rd among the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height is 6145 meters. The last volcanic eruption occurred in 1960.

2 Mauna Loa Height 4,205 meters

Mauna Kea is another shield volcano, which is located in Hawaii and has an altitude of 205 meters above sea level, and its base below sea level is 200 meters. This means that although Mauna Kea has more high height than Mauna Loa, its overall height is lower. Mauna Kea is probably about a million years old, attributing it to a more pronounced and softer profile.

Another of the volcanoes in Hawaii is Kilauea, which is, in fact, the most active volcano on the island. At first, scientists thought it was actually part of Mauna Loa, but they discovered that it operated independently. Another place where you can find several volcanoes is in Iceland. These volcanoes also tend to be smaller than those of other sites and are usually symmetrical, and their eruptions usually emerge from their upper cauldrons.

The second largest volcano in the world is Mauna Loa, located in the Hawaiian Islands. In terms of volume, it is the largest volcano on Earth, containing more than 32 cubic kilometers of magma. The giant was formed more than 700 thousand years ago. Mauna Loa is an active volcano. In 1984, its eruption lasted almost a month and caused enormous damage to local residents and the area surrounding the volcano.

1 Llullaillaco Height 6,739 meters

In first place among the largest volcanoes in the world is the active starting volcano of Llullaillaco. It is located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Its height is 6739 meters. The giant's last eruption took place in 1877. Now it is in the solfata stage - from time to time the volcano emits sulfur dioxide gases and water vapor. In 1952, during the first ascent of Llullaillaco, an ancient Inca sanctuary was found. Later, archaeologists discovered three child mummies on the slopes of the volcano. Most likely they were sacrificed. This is interesting. The Yellowstone caldera, which measures approximately 55 km by 72 km, is called a supervolcano. It is located in Yellowstone National Park USA. The volcano has not been active for 640 thousand years. Under its crater there is a bubble of magma more than 8 thousand meters deep. During its existence, the supervolcano erupted three times. Each time this caused major cataclysms that changed the appearance of the Earth at the site of the eruption. It is impossible to predict when the supervolcano will wake up again. Only one thing can be said with certainty: a cataclysm of this magnitude can bring the existence of our civilization to the brink.

The beauty and grandeur of a large volcano has always attracted people. The power of the active giant is not exaggerated - the ash that envelops many kilometers and the fiery lava that burns everything in its path are described in many books and shown on TV. The larger and higher the volcano, the more destruction it can cause if it erupts.

Shield volcanoes of the Galapagos Islands. Some of the islands are essentially protected by volcanoes, like Fernandina. This volcano shield has steep upper sides, but low angle lower sides. Currently, the eruption has been occurring since April. In terms of composition, lava flows found in the Galapagos Islands are very similar to those in Hawaii, although unlike other hotspot volcanoes they do not create a line.

In the volcanic region of Auckland, New Zealand, lies Rangitoto, which is actually its own island, 5.5 km wide. The volcanoes erupted about 550 years ago. In the United States there is Belknap Volcano, in the Cascade Range, in Oregon, in addition to Newberry Volcano, which covers about 600 square kilometers of land.

IN modern world scientists can predict the activity of an active volcano, thereby avoiding many casualties, but the strength and duration of nature’s “fiery breath” is sometimes impossible to calculate. The highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates are of greatest interest to people. This list shows exactly those that have the highest altitude above sea level.

Tungurahua

The height of the giant volcano, located on the territory of Ecuador, is 5023 m. above sea level. The name stands for “fire throat.” Since 1999, the volcano has become especially active, and therefore it was decided to evacuate all nearby villages. Major eruptions were recorded in 2012 and 2014, which is why local authorities introduced an orange alert level. Throwing ash to a height of almost 10 km. Several large settlements located at a distance of more than 150 km fell asleep. Little Tungurahua activity still occurs today.

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect it means “fear-inspiring.” This majestic and beautiful volcano has a height of 5230m. According to scientific data, the 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. Last activity was in 2007. Today, only a few offer to climb to the top of the volcano. travel companies, since the volcano is considered active and erupts from time to time. Still, there are always people who like to add adrenaline to their lives. Part of the route is covered by car, the rest by special mules. Elevation takes 2-3 days.

The volcano with a height of 5426m is active. Location: Mexico. Not easy funny name translated as "smoking hill". Villages and cities with a total population of 20 million are densely located around the volcano. Human. The last mention of any volcanic activity was in 1994. But in 1947, a volcanic eruption threw out so much ash that it covered everything within a 30 km radius. It is very popular among tourists and lovers of real, virgin nature.

Active volcano with a height of 5822m. located in Peru. The volcano has three huge craters, the largest diameter is 130m. Particularly 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 calls the mountain sacred, the mountain of the gods. In 1998, archaeologists discovered several Incan mummies and valuable artifacts at the foot of the volcano. There are many associated with the volcano mystical stories. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. The peak tourist season is May-September, when the top of the volcano is not covered with snow. For the most fearless, there is a descent into one of the craters.

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 200 years ago the volcano behaved quite aggressively. 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 lately; over the last 100 years, glaciers have shrunk by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

Volcano with a height of 5911m. is included in the list of the largest active volcanoes on the planet. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted just under 50 times, and the last strong eruption was recorded last year on August 15. From the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano, a destructive eruption of 1768 is mentioned - “in the middle of spring, a huge column of steam and ash rose from the breathing crater of the volcano, and a few days later fiery lava poured out. At the same time, a terrible earthquake began. The nearby town of Latacunga was completely destroyed." Today Cotopaxi is called " business card Ecuador." Hundreds of avid climbers come here to conquer the top of the volcano. 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 sits on the edge of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The height of the volcano above sea level is 6145m. The last activity was observed in 1960. There are no tourist routes. Every moment can create real danger for residents of nearby villages.

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

The leader among active volcanoes. Height above sea level 6739m. The eruption recorded in 1877 was the last. The top of the volcano is covered with glaciers, and it itself is located among the driest desert on earth - the Atacama. Unique excavations carried out at the top of the volcano helped determine that the found corpses of Incan children buried more than 500 years ago speak about the sacredness of this mountain. Local Indians nicknamed the volcano “deceiver”, not trusting its calmness. The snow line of the volcano is located at the very high point in the world, having overcome 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 located in the crater itself, at an altitude of 6390m. The highest lake in the world is located. Throughout the history of observation, the volcano has not shown much activity, although several emissions of sulfur and water vapor were recorded in the last century. On the Chilean side, near the volcano is the city of Copiano. The city is completely alive with tourist life, welcoming climbers and ordinary travelers every year. At the foot of the peak itself, which can only be reached by the most experienced tourists, traces of Inca habitation were found. This find again recalls 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 disaster, 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.

The volcano is a wonder of the world created by nature itself. Admire majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters, you can constantly. The possible 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 “sacred mountains.”

2016.06.02 by

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