The world's largest volcano info. The highest volcanoes in the world

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

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

Tungurahua

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

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect, it means fearsome. 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, Sangay has been constantly erupting. The last activity was in 2007. To date, only a few offer to climb to the top of the volcano travel companies, since the volcano is considered active and falls down from time to time. Nevertheless, there are always those who like to add adrenaline to life. Part of the way is covered by car, the rest by special mules. Ascent takes 2-3 days.

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

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

The highest point in Africa (5895 m. 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 locals say that 200 years ago the volcano was behaving 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 past 100 glaciers have decreased by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

A volcano with a height of 5911m. included in the list of the largest active volcanoes on the planet. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted a little less than 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 vent 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 the Cotopaxi are called " business card Ecuador ". Hundreds of avid climbers come here to conquer the summit of the volcano. But local authorities do not welcome this, because of the constant melting of glaciers, many accidents were recorded.

San Pedro

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

Height - 6310m. Highest point in Ecuador. Today it is considered extinct, but around the 5-7th century AD, it spewed out tons of fiery lava. Absolutely the entire summit of the volcano is covered with glaciers. As a result of the impact of global warming, the glacier has greatly decreased in size. In clear weather, the volcano can be seen at a distance of 150 km. Chimborazo is very popular among tourists and climbers. Some of them claim that in some places they hear the 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 both in winter and in summer.

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 he himself 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 Inca children, buried more than 500 years ago, speak of 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 highest point in the world, overcoming a height of 6.5 tons. meters. The lucky ones who managed to climb the top of the volcano are given the opportunity to enjoy the enchanting and majestic views of the mountain ranges and unique landscapes.

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

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

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

A volcano is a wonder of the world created by nature itself. To admire majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters, you can always. The probable danger posed by an active volcano has long become a subject of curiosity and popularity among tourists. But the beauty and power of natural phenomena should be respected, it is not for nothing that the ancient Indians called volcanoes “ sacred mountain».

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sakurajiyama

Sakurajiyama. Volcanic lightning.

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

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

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

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

Mauna loa

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

Nyiragongo

Nyiragongo

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

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

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

Santa maria

Santa maria

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

Santorini

Santorini

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

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

Papandayan

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

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

Sierra Negra

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

The volcanoes of the world are of great interest not only among geologists, but also among ordinary people... Their role is very important both for the climate and for various processes taking place inside the earth's crust. The most large volcanoes scattered all over the globe.

The volcano is a mountain with a hole at the top - a crater. A volcano is formed when a powerful stream of magma erupts from the deep layers of the planet. This movement of magma is called a volcanic eruption. Eruptions are often accompanied by explosions due to the presence of combustible gases in the magma.

Planet Earth consists of several layers:

• Earth's crust;
• upper mantle;
• lower mantle;
• core.

In the direction from the earth's crust to the core, the temperature rises and reaches such high levels at which the rocks begin to melt, forming liquid magma. The upper mantle is the layer in which magma is formed. Lithospheric plates of the earth's crust move along the surface of these liquid rocks.

When they move, faults are formed at the boundaries of the plates, which leads to the emergence of volcanoes. Therefore, the formation of volcanoes occurs precisely in places of active internal movements of the Earth.

According to their shape, volcanoes are divided into the following categories:

• Thyroid- flat volcanoes: the solidified spreading lava resembles the shape of a shield.
• Stratovolcanoes- volcanoes with a classic mountain shape with a hole at the top - a crater.
• Crevices and cracks- faults in the earth's crust with the release of liquid lava from them.
• Calderas (supervolcanoes)- depressions formed by the failure of a volcano mountain into the earth's crust.
• Dome volcanoes- volcanoes with frozen pieces of lava above a vent in the form of a dome.
• Slag cones- volcanoes with a conical shape. Pieces of slag solidify around the vent, forming a cone. Thus, the volcano "grows" higher and higher.
• Complex volcanoes- combinations of several types of volcanoes.

There is also a conditional division of all volcanoes according to the degree of their activity:

• acting;
• conditionally active;
• sleeping.

There is also a classification by place of origin.

They are:

• terrestrial;
• underwater.

Large volcanoes of Russia

The volcanoes of the world (the largest are easy to find on a special map) are scattered across many countries. Russia is no exception: many volcanoes are located here.

Here are just a few of them:

Information about the volcanoes of Russia is given in the table:

The largest active volcanoes on different continents of the Earth

Active volcanoes pose a huge threat to humanity. Several tons of fiery lava can bury entire cities. In addition, the volcanic gases accompanying the lava flow have a toxic effect on living organisms. Eruptions change the terrain, affect the climate, and can cause tsunamis.

The largest active volcanoes are located on different continents of the Earth:

• South America;
• Africa;
• North America;
• Antarctica.
• Eurasia.

Examples of the largest operating giants:

• Llullaillaco;
• San Pedro;
• El Misty;
• Popocatepetl;
• Sangay volcano;
• Klyuchevskaya Sopka;
• Mauna Loa;
• Cameroon;
• Kerinci;
• Erebus;
• Etna;
• Kilauea.

Which continent has no active volcanoes?

The volcanoes of the world, the largest and even very small ones, are spread over almost all continents of the planet.

Australia is a continent with no active, conditionally active or extinct volcanoes.

The reason for this lies in the relatively flat surface of the earth's crust, without cracks and faults. Australia is located almost in the central part of the Australian tectonic plate. Plate shearing processes do not occur here. Accordingly, there is no way out for magma: faults in the crust cannot appear.

The largest volcanoes on the planet. Description, history

Volcanoes of the world of all sizes and shapes are found all over the planet. Apart from the likelihood of their eruptions and sad consequences, these giants are undoubtedly the most magnificent creations of nature. The largest of them have enormous dimensions: height and volume.

Since ancient times, volcanoes have been a special place for people. It is not for nothing that the word itself is translated from Latin as "the god of Fire" - Vulcan. People worshiped him, honored and feared him. Songs and pictures were written about the most destructive and formidable ones. One of the famous paintings is "The Last Day of Pompeii" by the great artist Karl Bryullov.

Sangay

One of the largest volcanoes Sangay is located in South America, Ecuador.

Its height is 5230 m. Representative of stratovolcanoes, Sangay has 3 active craters. The name translates as "scary", "frightening".

This is due to the high activity of the volcano and the destructiveness of eruptions, the first was noted in 1628. The age of this volcano is considered small - 14 thousand years. The activity of the volcano remains very high. The last eruption happened in 2016. At the foot of Sangay, there is a beautiful park of the same name.

Popocatepetl

Another largest operating giant is Popocatepetl. It means “smoking hill”. Located in Mexico, not far from the capital - Mexico City. Height - 5426 m. It has a classic shape, a stratovolcano. In the same area there is another one - Istaxihuatl (sleeping). There are many romantic legends about these two giants: for the inhabitants, they personify two unfortunate lovers.

Popocatepetl is on mountain system- The Cordillera. The foot of the volcano is densely covered with a coniferous forest with rare and valuable trees. The middle zone of the volcano is conventionally called "dead", and the top is covered with permafrost ice.

Popocatepetl is a favorite destination for tourists who prefer extreme views recreation.

Elbrus

The largest volcano Elbrus is located in the Caucasus and is the highest point in Russia and Europe. Its height is 5642 m. The age of this stratovolcano is more than 1 million years. Thanks to the glaciers, the color of the volcano at the top is dazzling white. Alpine meadows stretch below, and coniferous forests in the lowest part.

Whether it is an active volcano or an extinct one, no one can say with certainty. Someone says that it has long gone out, someone claims the opposite. And the main proof that the volcano is just asleep is that thermal springs warmed up by a volcano, have a fairly high temperature.

From the bowels of Elbrus flow mineral water such resort towns as:

• Pyatigorsk;
• Zheleznovodsk;
• Kislovodsk.

Orisaba

Orizaba (Sitlaltepetl) - one of the highest peaks North America, it is located in Mexico. Its height is 5636 m. There have been no eruptions since 1846. However, the volcano did not go out until the end. Orizaba is a representative of stratovolcanoes.

The summit of the volcano is covered with glaciers forming snow cap... Below there are forests and alpine meadows: a variety of shrubs and plants. Orizaba - famous tourist centre gathering millions of tourists every year.

El Misti

Another stratovolcano is El Misti, located in South America in Peru. Its height is 5822 m. It is considered an active volcano; you can observe smoke streaming from its craters. But most of the time he sleeps. Misty has 3 craters, the largest of which is over 100 m in diameter.

The last eruption was in 1985. Despite this, some geologists believe that nearby cities will be in great danger in the near future. However, this does not stop the flow of tourists and thrill-seekers. There are many hiking trails to the top of this volcano.

Kilimanjaro

Volcanoes of the world, the largest in particular, are known to many lovers of natural phenomena. Probably everyone has heard at least once about the famous stratovolcano in Africa - Kilimanjaro. Its height is 5895 m, length - 97 km, width - 64 km. The volcano is about 1 million years old.

Kilimanjaro is considered an extinct volcano. However, scientists say that at any moment the volcano can wake up. Studies have shown that lava is very close to the earth's crust: at a distance of about 400 m. The last eruption was recorded about 200 years ago.

It is interesting that when climbing the volcano, a person will cross all 7 climatic zones Earth.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is the tallest active volcano in the world, located in Ecuador. Its height is 5897 m. It is also a stratovolcano. Around the volcano is located national park with a similar name. The last eruption was in August 2015.

The eruption that happened in 1768 caused enormous damage to nearby settlements. Was accompanied by a strong earthquake, as a result of which it was destroyed whole city Latacunga.

Cotopaxi is often referred to as the "face" of Ecuador. Crowds of tourists, photographers and travelers come here. The ideal shape of the volcano in the form of a cone with a smooth crater is the reason for frequent visits to this place.

San Pedro

The volcano San Pedro, located in Chile, is one of the ten largest. Its height is 6145 m. It belongs to stratovolcanoes and is active. Consists of basalt and andesite rocks. The last eruption took place about 60 years ago. Located next to another volcano - San Pablo. They are called twin brothers.

San Pedro attracts many tourists every year. But it should be remembered that when climbing to the top, you must wear a mask that protects against toxic gases. The volcano is not asleep: gases are constantly emitted outside.

Mauna loa

Volcanoes of the world, especially the largest ones, are of great interest to scientists and geologists. Mauna Loa is an example of such a volcano. It is an active thyroid volcano located in Hawaii. Its dimensions are striking: if you stand at the top, it is impossible to see the boundaries, since they are hidden behind the horizon. Height - 4169 m. There are 3 craters.

Age - about 1 million years. The last eruption was recorded in 1984. The eruptions of this giant are distinguished by their scale and destructiveness. The erupting streams of fire cause enormous material damage to the surroundings. Therefore, the activity of the volcano is being monitored by the Hawaiian Volcanic Observatory.

Llullaillaco

The giant stratovolcano Llullaillaco is located between Chile and Argentina. The height of the volcano reaches 6739 m. It is considered active. The last activity was recorded in 1877.

In 1999, while climbing to the top, researchers found 3 mummies of children. It has been suggested that they were sacrificed by the Inca tribes more than half a century ago. The find was transferred to the museum, and the status of the volcano itself increased and acquired historical value.

Vesuvius

The only active volcano in Europe (mainland) is Vesuvius, located in southern Italy.

Height - 1281 m. Information about 80 eruptions has been confirmed, the last one was recorded in 1944. The eruptions are particularly destructive: the lava fountain rises more than 800 m.

Vesuvius destroyed famous cities such as:

• Pompeii;
• Herculaneum;
• Stabia.

After 1944, the volcano is relatively calm, but the flowing smoke from the crater can still be seen today. Vesuvius is the "calling card" of Italy. Vacationers consider it their duty to visit this volcano and the national park located on its slopes.

Fujiyama

The active stratovolcano Fujiyama is located in Japan. Its height reaches 3776 m. It has a regular cone shape with a large crater (diameter - 500 m). The last eruption was in 1707. Today the volcano is not active. Has the shape of a perfect cone.

Fujiyama is the main attraction of Tokyo and the most high mountain Japan. She brought inspiration to many cultural figures, thanks to which many works of art were born. Scenic spots its slopes attract crowds of tourists every year.

Etna

Etna is another large active stratovolcano located on east coast Sicily. Its height is 3350 m. It was formed on the border of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.

In addition to the main crater, there are also side craters on the slopes, from which eruptions also occur. The age of the volcano is about 600 thousand years. A volcano was formed on the site of the sea, literally "rising" from the water. The last eruption happened in 2017.

Approximately once a century, the activity of the volcano destroys nearby villages. But despite the great danger this volcano carries, the Sicilians are in no hurry to leave their homes on the slopes of the volcano. This is explained primarily by the presence of very fertile land at the foot of the mountain.

Eyjafjallajökull

The Eyjafjallajökull stratovolcano is located in Iceland. Its height is 1666 m. It is composed of basaltic and andesite rocks. The last eruption was observed in 2010. It is considered valid.

The upper part of the volcano is covered with glaciers with an area of ​​over 100 sq. km. Hence the name of the volcano, meaning "glacier". According to scientists, less than 1% of the world's population is able to pronounce the name of this volcano correctly.

Ojos del Salado

It is one of the highest volcanoes on Earth, located on the border between Argentina and Chile. Its height is 6893 m. At the foot of the mountain lies the Atacama Desert.

The world's highest lake is located on one of the slopes. A representative of complex volcanoes: the thyroid base at the bottom merges into a cone at the top. The volcano is considered extinct, but emissions of gases and sulfur are still observed. The last eruption was supposedly about 700 years ago.

It is noteworthy that in 2007 one of the Chilean athletes climbed to the 6688 m mark by car. This was recognized as a world record.

Yellowstone caldera

Yellowstone Caldera is a supervolcano... Located in the USA, Wyoming. Unlike classical volcanoes, it is a caldera - a huge depression that has arisen due to previous eruptions.

Eruptions also differ in such volcanoes: the supervolcano is located above the fiery point of liquid magma, which melts all the surrounding rocks. The pressure rises and an explosion occurs. The Yellowstone Caldera had 3 giant eruptions, the last of which was about 600 thousand years ago.

Today, the huge caldera is fraught with the danger of another explosion or eruption. The probability is very small, but still there. This could threaten the United States with enormous damage. Therefore, special projects have been created to prevent such situations.

Tamu massif

Tamu Massif is an underwater thyroid volcano in the Pacific Ocean. The extinct Tamu Massif is one of the largest on Earth and in the entire solar system. Its height is about 4 km, and its dimensions are 600 by 450 km. Such huge dimensions have given rise to a number of assumptions that the Tamu Massif is not a volcano, but a volcanic system.

However, the hypothesis was not confirmed: the entire lava flow erupted from one crater. The last eruption was about 145 million years ago. The activity of the volcano was not long: soon after its formation it went out.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is one of the largest volcanoes in Kamchatka. It is an active stratovolcano. Its height is 4750 m. It was formed about 7 thousand years ago. Belongs to the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes. It has 1 main crater with a diameter of more than 600 m, and 80 additional small ones.

The frequency of eruptions is once every 3-5 years. The erupted lava has a high viscosity index, so the eruption is not particularly destructive. Initially, the conical shape takes on layered structure, thanks to new eruptions: the viscous lava solidifies in a new layer.

Until 1932, eruptions occurred from the central upper crater, after which the lateral ones located on the slopes of the mountain joined in. The last eruption was recorded in 2016, which lasted several months.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the most active and highest volcano in Eurasia.

Cameroon

Cameroon is an active stratovolcano in West Africa... It is located in the eponymous republic of Cameroon in the Gulf of Guinea region. Its height is 4040 m. The last eruption was in 2000. The volcano is domed, with additional craters and cones on the slopes. It is composed of basaltic and trachybasaltic rocks. It is the highest point of the state of Cameroon.

The activity of the volcano is very destructive. This forces the peoples inhabiting the foot of the mountain to leave their homes. Over the centuries, many nationalities have changed here.

Kerinci

Kerinchi is a large volcano in Indonesia. Located on the island of Sumatra. Its height is 3805 m. It consists of andesite rocks. It has a crater with a diameter of more than 600 m, in which a temporary lake arose. The last eruption was recorded in 2013. Phreatic eruptions occur almost every year: solid rock fragments come out.

At the foot of the mountain is the Kerinci-Seblat National Park, which is a protected area. It is home to many species of birds and animals that are at risk of extinction.

Erebus

Erebus is one of the largest volcanoes located in Antarctica. Its height is 3794 m. It is the southernmost active volcano. An unusual and one of a kind lava lake is located in the territory of Erebus.

The volcano belongs to stratovolcanoes. Its eruptions are accompanied by an explosion, and the lava has a high viscosity, which prevents it from spreading, and it solidifies on the slopes. The last large-scale eruption happened in 2011.

Kilauea

It is a thyroid active volcano on the island of Hawaii. Its height is 1247 m. It has many lateral active craters. It is the youngest volcano. The volcano has been erupting continuously since 1983 with varying degrees of intensity. The main part of the volcano is included in the Hawaii Volkeinos National Park.

To prevent explosions and eruptions, the volcano is constantly monitored by the Hawaiian Volcanic Observatory.

The volcanoes of the world play a huge role for the planet and humanity as a whole. The largest of them determine the terrain and change the climate. And if you do not take into account the danger that threatens during their eruptions, volcanoes can be attributed to the most majestic and powerful natural phenomena.

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Ojos del Salado is the tallest volcano on the planet. It is located in the Chilean Andes in South America, on the Argentina-Chile border, but it belongs to Argentine territory. Its height reaches 6893 meters. It is the second highest peak on the South American continent. Not far from the volcano lies the Atacama Desert. The volcano did not erupt during the entire observation period and is considered extinct.

The Cordillera West of the Andes is home to the world's highest active volcano, Llullaillaco. Its absolute height is 6739 meters. The top of the volcano is covered with ice. The snow line of the western slope of Llullaillaco has the highest position on earth - more than 6.5 thousand meters. In 1877, the last volcanic eruption took place. V the given time he is in the solfatara stage.

In Chile, on the edge of the Atacama Desert, is the active volcano San Pedro. Its height is 6145 meters, it is a stratovolcano in shape. It is located in the Antofagasta region of the El Loa province and is adjacent to the Sero Parini volcano. A huge saddle separates San Pedro from the mountain ranges of the Central Andes. The last volcanic eruption was recorded on December 2, 1960.

Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in Ecuador (5911 meters) and the country's second highest peak. It is located in the Cordillera Oriental in South America. The volcano is included in the list of the highest active volcanoes on earth. It has a huge crater 550x800 meters in size and 450 meters deep. Cotopaxi has erupted about 50 times since 1738. The last eruption dates back to 1940.

In northeastern Tanzania, towering over the Masai Plateau, is the active volcano Kilimanjaro. It reaches 5895 meters and is considered the highest point in Africa. After exploring Kilimanjaro, in 2003, scientists found that only 400 meters moved molten lava from the edge of the Kibo crater - main peak volcano. There are fears that a major eruption is approaching.

The El Misti stratovolcano is located in Peru in South America. Its height is 5822 meters. In winter, the top of the volcano is covered with snow. The city of Arequipa with a population of one million is located 17 kilometers west of El Misti. Most of the buildings in it are built from the deposits of the pyroclastic flows of the volcano, due to which Arequipa is also called the "white city".

The most high peak Mexico is Orizaba. Her middle name is Sitlaltepetl, which translates as "star mountain". It is the third highest point in North America. Its peak is located at an altitude of 5636 meters, and its excess is 4922 meters. In the period from 1537 to 1687, there were 7 eruptions of Orizaba, but the volcano is currently considered dormant.

Elbrus is in the north Caucasus mountains and is the highest point in Russia. The stratovolcano is a saddle-shaped cone with two peaks located at a distance of 3000 meters from each other. The heights of the western and eastern peaks are 5642 and 5621 meters, respectively. The saddle separating the peaks is 5300 meters high. The date of the last eruption is approximately 50 AD.

The active volcano Popocatepetl rises above the Mexican Highlands. Its name in the Nahuatl language means "smoking hill". It is the second highest stratovolcano in Mexico, its peak reaches 5455 meters. Not far from it is the extinct volcano Istaxihuatl. Popocatepetl last erupted in 2011. Northwest of the volcano is the city of Mexico City with a population of 20 million.

Closes the list of the highest volcanoes "Sangay". The active volcano Sangay is located in Ecuador, on the eastern side of the equatorial Andes. Its height is 5230 meters. This stratovolcano has three craters. According to scientists, Sangay was formed approximately 14,000 years ago. In 1628, an eruption was recorded for the first time. Since 1934, the volcano has been actively erupting, most recently in 2007.

Volcanoes have always evoked a lot of emotions in humans - from panic horror and fear to admiration and admiration for the incredible power of nature. Volcanic peaks are located almost all over the planet and regularly make themselves felt, spewing tons of ash into the air. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the ranking of the top 10 highest active volcanoes, each of which is distinguished by its grandeur and unpredictability.

10. Cameroon (Fako), 4100 meters

Fako - highest point Cameroon, an active volcano. The last major eruption was recorded in 2000. Richard Francis Burton is the first European to conquer the volcano. This happened in 1895.

9. Mauna Loa, 4169 meters

Highest active volcano Hawaiian Islands... Belongs to shield volcanoes, it has rather gentle slopes with a weakly expressed flat top.

The greatness and extraordinary beauty of the mountains leaves few people indifferent. Sometimes the snow-capped ridges inspire fear, sometimes they fascinate, inspire, beckon ...

8. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, 4835 meters

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent, located in Kamchatka. This is a fairly active volcano, eruptions occur here almost every two years. In this regard, the height Klyuchevskoy Sopka- the value is not constant.

7. Sangay, 5230 meters

Located in Ecuador, on the territory of the park of the same name, it is part of the Andes mountain system. The toponym is translated from the Indian as "to scare", and this is not surprising - Sangay is one of the most restless volcanoes on the continent. Sangay has three huge craters, which is not typical for andesitic stratovolcanoes. According to researchers, the volcano was formed about 14 thousand years ago. Since 1934, Sangay has erupted regularly, with the last peak in activity in 2016. The rarest representatives of the fauna are found around the volcano: ocelots, cougars, tapirs, Andean bears and porcupines.

6. Popokatepetl, 5426 meters

It is an active volcano located in Mexico, part of the Cordillera mountain system. Translated from the local language - "smoking hill" and is located next to another volcano - Istaxihuatl. The most famous ancient literary work is written about these peaks - the legend of Popocatepetl and Istaxihuatl. The first ascent was made in 1519 by Diego de Ordaz.

5. Orizaba, 5636 meters

The second name is Sitlaltepetl, which means "star-mountain". Orizaba is the highest Mexican peak and is located in the Cordillera mountain range. Geographically, the volcano is located in two states - Puebla and Veracruz. The stratovolcano is in a state of relative dormancy today, and the last time it erupted in 1846. In total, 27 periods of activity were recorded, including in the middle of the 16th and 17th centuries. For the Incas, Orizaba has always been a sacred mountain with which many legends and myths were associated. Since 1936, a nature reserve has been established on the volcano with the aim of protecting Orizaba from unauthorized ascents. Hundreds of climbers come here every year, for whom there are many routes of varying degrees of difficulty. The most favorable time to climb to the top is from mid-autumn to early spring.

4. Misty, 5822 meters

Located in South America, territorially belongs to Peru, in the winter months it is almost completely covered with snow. In 17 km from the stratovolcano there is a small town of Arequipa, whose population is more than 1 million people. In the country, the settlement is known as " White City”Due to the fact that most of the buildings were built of snow-white volcanic deposits. The Chile River flows past Misty, in the south of the summit there is another volcano - Pichu Pichu. The last eruption was recorded in 1985; in just a century, activity was manifested 5 times. In the 16th century, the inhabitants of Arequipa had to leave the city due to an extremely violent eruption, with huge ash emissions. At the end of the 20th century, mummified remains of the ancient Incas and a number of valuable artifacts were discovered on the slopes of El Misti. All found bodies and household items are kept today in the museum of the Andean sanctuaries.

South America is something unattainable and exotic for us. A lot of literary works have been written about these places, a huge amount has been filmed ...

3. Cotopaxi, 5897 meters

The toponym is translated from the Quechua language as "shining mountain". Cotopaxi is located in South America, in Ecuador and is the second highest peak in the country. The volcano belongs to the Eastern Cordillera ridge, has a crater measuring 550 by 800 meters, with a depth of almost half a kilometer. For the period from 1738 to the present day, a total of about 50 eruptions were recorded, the penultimate one occurred in 1877. However, 140 years later, on August 15, 2015, Cotopaxi began to show signs of activity again. The first explorer of the volcano was the German Alexander von Humboldt and the Frenchman Aimé Bonpland, but the peak was never submitted to them. A man climbed to the top of Cotopaxi in 1872. The German geologist Wilhelm Rice managed to do this, and a year later - the volcanologist and naturalist Moritz Alfons Stubel, also a native of Germany. The history of eruptions looks like this: the first recorded - 1534, then 1742, 1768, 1864, 1877, but until 1940 ash emissions were periodically observed.

2. San Pedro, 6145 meters

Considered one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, it is located in the Atacama Desert, in the El Loa province, Antofagastan region of Chile. Not far from the summit there is another attraction - the volcano San Pablo, connected to San Pedro by a high saddle. By the type of formation, San Pedro is a stratovolcano and is represented by such formations as dacites, andesites and basalts. The relative height of the peak is 2014 meters, the most recent recorded eruption was in 1960. For the first time, a man climbed San Pedro on July 16, 1903. The Chilean Philemon Morales and the Frenchman George Corti became mountain climbers.

By the end of the 19th century, people began to understand that if they did not protect the environment, but only mercilessly exploit it, then in a fairly short time ...

1. Llullallaco, 6739 meters

Llullallaco - The highest active volcano in the world, located in the Peruvian Andes, on the border between Argentina and Chile, on the plateau of the world's highest volcanoes - Puna de Atacama. At the very top, there is eternal glaciation, and the last eruption was observed here in 1877, and today Llullaco is in a state of relative rest. The volcano is a cone that continues to grow. The first ascent was made on December 1, 1952 by Billon Gonzalez and Juan Harzeim. The summit is an archaeological site, on the territory of which the burials of Inca children were discovered at the end of the 20th century. Three mummies, supposedly 4, 5 and 13 years old, were sacrificed about 5 centuries ago.