Which continent does not have active volcanoes? Tallest active volcanoes

Volcanoes are geological formations that form above cracks in, through which lava, ash, loose rocks, boiling gases and water burst out.

Active volcanoes include those that erupted in historical times or showed other signs of activity (emission of gases and steam, etc.). Some scientists consider active volcanoes that are reliably known to have erupted within the last 10 thousand years.

The most large cluster active volcanoes on a limited area of ​​the planet is located in the zone of the Malay Archipelago - the largest on Earth, located between the mainland parts and. On the territory of Russia, the largest number of active volcanoes is in the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka. Approximately 60 volcanoes erupt annually, and about a third of them erupted in the previous year. There is information about 627 volcanoes that have erupted over the past 10 thousand years.

There are special mountains on our planet. They store energy that can destroy cities, stop air travel between countries, cause tsunamis and change the weather.

Volcanoes are geological formations that appear at the site of faults in the earth. Magma escapes through them, forming lava, large amounts of water vapor, gas and ash. There are more than a thousand volcanoes on Earth, a quarter of them are underwater.

How are volcanoes formed? Why do they fall asleep and then break their silence? Where in Russia are these fire-breathing creatures located? And what trips should you take to see them? We answer these questions in our article.

How do volcanoes work?

Deep underground the temperatures are very high. Because of this, the rocks melt and turn into a viscous substance called magma. It is much lighter than the surrounding hard rocks. When there is a lot of magma, it rises and flows into the magma chamber.

Cracks, or volcanic channels, radiate from it. Those of them that come out form the crater of the volcano. Through it, magma breaks out to the surface.

Coming out of the ground, magma turns into lava. Its temperature reaches 1000°C. It flows down the mountainside, cools and slowly hardens. The viscosity of the lava determines the shape of the volcano. The more compounds of silicon and oxygen or silica it contains, the denser it is. Inviscid lava spreads far from the vent and forms gentle slopes. Thick lava hardens quickly and gives the volcano a cone shape.

Active, dormant and extinct volcanoes

Scientists divide volcanoes into active, dormant and extinct. It depends on when the last eruption occurred. The likelihood that the volcano will erupt again is also taken into account.

Volcanoes that are currently erupting periodically are called active. Examples of active volcanoes are San Pedro in Chile, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Kerinci in Indonesia, Etna in Sicily and Klyuchevskaya Sopka in Kamchatka.

Dormant volcanoes are considered to be those that do not show any activity, but can return to action. The dormant volcano Teide is located on Canary Islands, Vesuvius is located in Italy, Yellowstone is in the USA.

An extinct volcano is one that has not been active for more than ten thousand years. His magma has cooled, and he is unlikely to wake up. For example, Sutter Butte and Clear Lake in California have been silent for 1.4 million years. Sometimes extinct volcanoes wake up and are transferred to the active category. This happened with the El Chichon volcano in 1982. Scientists studied it after it awoke and discovered that the previous eruption was only 1,200 years ago.

Volcanoes of Russia

Where are the most volcanoes in Russia?

The largest number of volcanoes on Earth are located in South and Central America, Hawaii, Iceland and Alaska. Russia is also not lagging behind.

• 30 active and a couple hundred extinct volcanoes form a single volcanic belt on east coast Kamchatka.
• 168 volcanoes are located on Kuril Islands. They are divided into surface and underwater. 37 of them are active. Kamchatskaya and Sakhalin region together they make up 8.3% of the world's active volcanoes.
• The map of Russian volcanoes includes the Caucasus, the coast of the Black and Azov Seas, Siberia, Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories.

Did they go out, fall asleep, or never become volcanoes?

Elbrus in the Caucasus

Elbrus — highest peak Russia and Europe. This is a volcano that ceased activity approximately a thousand years ago. But scientists are in no hurry to classify it as extinct. Glaciers are melting on Elbrus. The temperature of the mountain reaches +21°C. It seems that the dormant volcano may well remind itself.

Volcanoes of Baikal

The calm waters of Lake Baikal are deceptive. Earthquakes occur here and there are thermal springs. This confirms seismic activity in the region, which means that new fire-breathing mountains may well form here. In the area itself big lake Russia also has volcanoes that are extinct:

• in the Tunka Valley,
• on the Ushkany Islands,
• in the area of ​​the Cedar Capes and the Baikal ridge,
• and also on the ocean floor

Mount Ayu-Dag in Crimea

Famous natural object Crimea, Mount Ayu-Dag, never joined the volcanoes. The formation process took 160 million years, with magma collecting inside the mountain. But she never broke through. Having frozen, the magma formed a “plug” in the mountain. Therefore, scientists are confident that Ayu-Dag will not show his hot temper.

Putorana plateau in Siberia

The Putorana plateau is basalt mountains. They were formed during the eruption of a huge volcano that happened tens of millions of years ago. Four million hectares of volcanic nature are classified by UNESCO as world heritage humanity. Local residents, Evenks and Nenets, believe that the Fire God, the master of the underworld, lives here.

The most “outstanding” volcanoes of Russia

Kamchatka is a leader in volcanic activity in our country. Here are the most active, dangerous, large and beautiful volcanoes. And also those that are extinct and those that have decided to rest for now.

There are six zones on the peninsula, which together are included in the UNESCO list of natural heritage sites. 30 active and 300 extinct volcanoes are located on their territory:

• Kronotsky biosphere reserve. Located on the eastern coast of Kamchatka. Includes 26 volcanoes, 12 of which are active.
• Bysrinsky natural park. Located in the middle part of Kamchatka. Located in the southeast of Kamchatka. The maximum elevation here is 3607 m. This is the height of the active volcano Ichinskaya Sopka.
• Nalychevo Natural Park. Nalychevo is located in the southeast of Kamchatka. There are four active volcanoes in the park.
• South Kamchatka Nature Park in southern Kamchatka combines flat coastal areas and exotic cone-shaped hills
• The South Kamchatka Federal Nature Reserve is located at the extreme southern tip of Kamchatka. An important migration route for migratory birds runs through the reserve.
• Klyuchevskoy Nature Park is located in the eastern part of Kamchatka. Home here - Klyuchevskaya Sopka

The most dangerous volcanoes

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

The highest among active volcanoes in Eurasia. And also one of the most formidable. Height - 4750 meters. Located in the eastern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Eruptions have been recurring for the last seven thousand years. Over 270 years, more than 50 major eruptions were recorded.

Shiveluch

Of the active volcanoes in Russia, it is located the most northerly. Age exceeds 60 thousand years. The nearby village of Klyuchi is covered with volcanic ash after each eruption. In July 2017, numerous explosions occurred. Ash was thrown to a height of up to 10 kilometers.

Karymskaya Sopka

Since the volcano has erupted 20 times over the past hundred years, it is considered the most active in Kamchatka. In July 2017, the ash plume stretched 91 km to the south of the peninsula. When Karymskaya Sopka wakes up, it usually awakens the volcanoes in the neighborhood.

The largest volcanoes

Ushkovsky

After Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the next highest active volcano is Ushkovsky. Its height is 3943 meters. It is located in the central part of Kamchatka, west of Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Together with the Krestovsky volcano it forms a single volcanic massif. The last time Ushkovsky erupted was at the end of the 19th century.

Tolbachik

Belongs to the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes. Height - 3682 m. Consists of Ostrogo Tolbachik, Flat Tolbachik and a flat dome. The diameter of the crater reaches two kilometers. This volcano has very spectacular eruptions. Lava flows flow downwards from cracks, rather than upwards. The last time it erupted was in 1975-1976.

The most beautiful volcano

Avachinskaya Sopka

This active volcano is located in the south of the Eastern Ridge. Height - 2741 m. The upper part is covered with glaciers, and forests grow on the slopes. After the 1991 eruption, the picturesque formations of Avachi were rightfully included in the list beautiful views volcanoes on the planet.

Despite the dangers volcanoes pose, they attract many adventurers. If you also want to see the mountains that store fire, read on which trips you can take to do this.

Volcanic eruptions are dangerous primarily due to their direct impact - the release of tons of burning lava, under which entire cities can perish. But, in addition to this, side factors such as the suffocating effects of volcanic gases, the threat of tsunamis, isolation from sunlight, distortion of the terrain and local climate changes also pose a danger.

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is one of the most large volcanoes on the islands of Indonesia. It is also one of the most active: large eruptions occur once every seven to eight years, and small ones - once every two years. At the same time, smoke appears from the top of the volcano almost every day, not allowing local residents to forget about the threat. Merapi is also famous for the fact that in 1006 the entire medieval Javanese-Indian state of Mataram was seriously damaged by his activities. The volcano is especially dangerous because it is located near the large Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, which is home to about 400 thousand people.

Sakurajima, Japan

Sakurajima has been in constant volcanic activity since 1955, with its last eruption occurring in early 2009. Until 1914, the volcano was located on a separate island of the same name, but frozen lava flows connected the island with the Osumi Peninsula. Residents of the city of Kagoshima are already accustomed to the restless behavior of the volcano and are constantly ready to take refuge in shelters.

Aso Volcano, Japan

The last time volcanic activity was recorded at the volcano was quite recently, in 2011. Then the ash cloud spread over an area of ​​more than 100 km. From that time to the present, about 2,500 tremors have been recorded, which indicates the activity of the volcano and its readiness to erupt. Despite the immediate danger, close proximity About 50 thousand people live from it, and the crater is a popular tourist attraction for daredevils. In winter, the slopes are covered with snow and people go skiing and sledding in the valley.

Popocatepetl, Mexico

One of the largest volcanoes in Mexico is located literally fifty kilometers from. This is a city with a population of 20 million people who are in constant readiness to evacuate. In addition to Mexico City, the following are located in the neighborhood: big cities, like Puebla and Tlaxcala de Xicotencatl. Popocatepetl also gives them a reason to be nervous: emissions of gas, sulfur, dust and stones occur literally every month. In recent decades, the volcano has erupted in 2000, 2005 and 2012. Many climbers strive to climb to its peak. Popocatepetl is famous for the fact that in 1955 it was conquered by Ernesto Che Guevara.

Etna, Italy

This Sicilian volcano is interesting because it has not only one main wide crater, but also many small craters on the slopes. Etna is constantly active, with small eruptions occurring every few months. This does not prevent the Sicilians from densely populating the slopes of the volcano, since the presence of minerals and trace elements makes the soil very fertile. The last major eruption was in May 2011, and minor emissions of ash and dust occurred in April 2013. By the way, Etna is the largest volcano in the world: it is two and a half times larger than Vesuvius.

Vesuvius, Italy

Vesuvius is one of the three active volcanoes in Italy, along with Etna and Stromboli. They are even jokingly called the “hot Italian family.” In 79, the eruption of Vesuvius destroyed the city of Pompeii and all its inhabitants, who were buried under layers of lava, pumice and mud. One of the last major eruptions, in 1944, killed about 60 people and almost completely destroyed the nearby towns of San Sebastiano and Massa. According to scientists, Vesuvius destroyed nearby cities about 80 times! By the way, this volcano has set many records. Firstly, this is the only active volcano on the mainland, secondly, it is the most studied and predictable, and thirdly, the territory of the volcano is a nature reserve and a national park where excursions are held. You can only go up on foot, since the lift and funicular have not yet been restored.

Colima, Mexico

The volcanic mountain consists of two peaks: the already extinct Nevado de Colima, which is covered with snow most of the time, and the active Colima Volcano. Colima is particularly active: it has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. A strong eruption occurred in the summer of 2005, when authorities had to evacuate people from nearby villages. Then a column of ash was thrown to a height of about 5 km, spreading a cloud of smoke and dust behind it. Now the volcano is fraught with danger not only for local residents, but also for the whole country.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

Scientists have been monitoring the volcano since 1912 - there is a volcanological station on its slopes, as well as solar and atmospheric observatories. The height of the volcano reaches 4169 m. The last strong eruption of Mauna Loa destroyed several villages in 1950. Until 2002, the seismic activity of the volcano was low, until an increase was recorded, which indicates the possibility of eruptions in the near future.

Galeras, Colombia

The Galeras volcano is very powerful: its diameter at the base exceeds 20 km, and the width of the crater is about 320 m. The volcano is very dangerous - every few years, due to its activity, the population of the nearby town of Pasto has to be evacuated. The last such evacuation took place in 2010, when about 9 thousand people found themselves in shelters due to the threat of a strong eruption. Thus, the restless Galeras keeps local residents in constant suspense.

Nyiragongo, Republic of Congo

The Nyiragongo volcano is considered the most dangerous in all: it accounts for about half of all cases of volcanic activity recorded on the continent. Since 1882, there have been 34 eruptions. Lava of Nyiragongo has a special chemical composition, so it is unusually liquid and flowing. The speed of erupted lava can reach 100 km/h. In the main crater of the volcano there is a lava lake, the temperature of which heats up to 982 Cº, and the bursts reach a height of 7 to 30 m. The last largest eruption occurred in 2002, then 147 people died, 14 thousand buildings were destroyed, and 350 thousand people left homeless.

It is worth noting that scientists have been studying the activity of volcanoes for many years and modern technology recognizes the beginning of their seismic activity. Many volcanoes have webcams that allow you to monitor what is happening in real time. People living nearby are already accustomed to this behavior of volcanoes and know what to do when an eruption begins, and services emergency situations have the means to evacuate local residents. So every year the likelihood of casualties from volcanic eruptions becomes less and less.

It will not be difficult for me to answer the question - before my eyes contour map with tectonic plate boundaries. :) However, I would like to clarify what a volcano is, where it is formed and where there are most of them.

Which continent has no volcanoes?

In order to understand which continent does not have volcanoes, it is necessary to determine what volcanoes actually are and in what places they occur. So, mountain, at the top of which there is a hole - crater, from which lava periodically erupts, is a volcano. But in what areas are they formed? According to research, risk areas are places where there is boundary between tectonic plates. If you open the atlas, where the boundaries of the plates are indicated, you can easily make sure that Australia- a continent on whose territory no such areas are observed.

Why a volcano is dangerous and useful

An “awakened” volcano is extremely dangerous for several reasons, however "sleeping" poses a much greater danger. At any moment it can simply explode, spewing streams of lava over vast areas. In addition, if the volcano is located at the bottom or on an island, it is very likely that this will cause tsunami. However, despite the fact that this phenomenon is very dangerous, volcanoes bring some benefit. For example:

• come to the surface rare metals;
• used in industry pumice- porous substance of volcanic origin;
• often volcanoes form strong rocks, which can be used in construction.

Countries with the most volcanoes

Total on our planet about 500 active volcanoes, most of which are located at the junctions of sections of the cortex. Here are the “record holders” among countries whose territory is rich in volcanoes:

• Ecuador - 62;
• Japan - 69;
• Chile- about 100;
• Indonesia - 125;
• USA- more than 135.

Pacific Ring of Fire

This name was given to a vast area in which concentrated great amount volcanoes. It stretches over the edge Pacific Ocean, where the oceanic plates seem to go under the continental ones, forming long chains of volcanoes. Of all the earthquakes that occurred on the planet, more than 93% occurred in this area. There are near350 volcanoes, which corresponds to 78% of the total number of active volcanoes in the world.

19.02.2014

In countries where there are volcanoes, such as Indonesia, they are located in large provinces such as West Java, East Java or Central Java. One of the worst disasters is a volcanic eruption, which can claim hundreds or even thousands of lives. It is impossible to forget about the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, the enormous damage and thousands of victims. And here we present a list of the most dangerous and active volcanoes in the world. However, not all volcanoes are dangerous. is in great demand among travelers and wildlife lovers.

No. 10. Hawaii, Mauna Loa volcano

Mauna Loa is one of the five mountains that form the island of Hawaii. Despite the fact that this is not the most high mountain, a volcanic eruption poses a high danger, since its lava basically has a liquid consistency, which can lead to serious fires. Mauna LOA is the largest volcano in the world (by volume and area), with lava volume reaching 18,000 cubic miles. The last eruption occurred on April 15, 1984.

No. 9. Philippines, Taal Volcano

About 50 km (31 miles) from the capital Manila is one of the most dangerous volcanoes, Taal. This mountain is an island on Lake Taal, which is located inside a caldera formed as a result of very strong previous eruptions (this process is similar to Lake Toba). Taal Volcano is a complex of volcanoes on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This volcano has had several violent eruptions, including one of the most powerful eruptions that killed more than a thousand people.

No. 8. Papua New Guinea, Ulawun Volcano

Ulawun Volcano is located in Papua New Guinea, on the Bismarck Archipelago, and is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes New Guinea. Several eruptions have been recorded, with one of the most powerful occurring in 1980, the ash column spewed from Ulawun reaching 60,000 feet in height, and its pyroclastic flows engulfing the mountains on all sides.

No. 7. Congo, Nyiragongo volcano

It has erupted at least 34 times since 1882. One of the worst eruptions occurred on September 17, 2002, when lava that flowed down the slopes of Nyiragongo covered about 40% of the city of Goma and left almost 120,000 people homeless. Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa, his activity never stops.

No. 6. Indonesia, Merapi volcano

Mount Merapi is a conical volcano located in Indonesia on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. Most of The eruption of Merapi, including lava continues to descend, from time to time accompanied by hot smoke that can spread at speeds of up to 120 km per hour. This is the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia, they became active 10,000 years ago, and their activity has not stopped since 1548.

No. 5. Colombia, Galeras volcano

This mountain most active volcano in Colombia. Since 2000, its eruptions have occurred almost every year. This is dangerous because... the frequency of eruptions is unpredictable. The Galeras volcano has been active for at least a million years. Its location near the southern Colombian border with Ecuador could result in hot lava flowing 3.5 km down the slope of Mount Galeras. The last eruption on January 3, 2010 forced the government to evacuate 8,000 people.

No. 4. Japan, Sakurajima volcano

The Sakurajima volcano is located on the island of Kyushu in Japan and is one of the most dangerous volcanoes. On March 10, 2009, a terrible eruption occurred, with the volcano throwing rocks and other rocks up to 2 miles away. The intensity of the Sakurajima eruption is one of the most powerful not only in Japan, but also in the world. Over the past 45 years, 73 eruptions have been recorded.

No. 3. Mexico, Popocatepetl volcano

The active volcano Popocatepetl is located at an altitude of 5426 meters above sea level. Beginning in December 1994, the dangerous activity of the volcano continued until in 2000 the strongest eruption known to history occurred. Since 1519, 20 eruptions have been recorded. The explosion was so strong that it threw ash over a fairly long distance.

No. 2. Italy, Vesuvius volcano

Mount Vesuvius is an active volcano in the Bay of Naples, Italy, approximately 9 miles east of Naples. Mount Vesuvius is the only volcano in Europe, which has erupted in the last 100 years. This volcano could explode at any moment and severely punish the people living in its vicinity. Lava eruptions from a volcano can reach great heights; in March 1994, lava splashed out to a height of up to 1000 meters. The famous eruption of 79 destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

No. 1. USA, Yellowstone volcano

Yellowstone Volcano – the most dangerous and active volcano in the world. Rocks and rocks ejected from this volcano can be scattered over a distance of up to 1000 km. The volcanic eruption of lava and ash from this mountain threatens the extinction of living things and can cause mass disaster because it will entail other volcanic activities determined by tectonic fluctuations, which will cause other explosions.