Extinct volcanoes on the map. Extinct volcanoes of the world - are they safe for tourism

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

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

Thirsty for extreme sports, even the most dangerous natural objects - active volcanoes - do not stop.

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List of active volcanoes in the world

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

In total, there are about 900 active volcanoes on land.

About 60 geological formations of the earth explode every year. Consider the most dangerous of the active, as well as a few impressive, but dormant.

Merapi, Indonesia

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

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

The last release of Merapi occurred in 2010, when 350,000 people needed to be evacuated. Some of them decided to return and died in the lava flow. 353 people suffered then.

In that last catastrophe, Fire Mountain threw out a mixture of ash and gas at a speed of 100 km / h, while the temperature reached 1000 ° C.

Sakurajima, Japan

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

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

Note: one of the largest disasters occurred in 1914, when the elements claimed the lives of 35 people. In 2013, 1097 emissions of insignificant force were recorded, and in 2014 - 471.

Aso, Japan

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

Aso last erupted lava in 2011. Since then, there have been about 2500 aftershocks. In 2016, the ejection process was accompanied by an earthquake.

Its useful to note: despite the danger associated with the extreme activity of Aso, about 50 thousand people live in the caldera, and the crater itself has become a popular object of active tourism. In winter, skiing is possible on the slopes of Aso.

Nyiragongo, Republic of the Congo

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

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

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

Galeras, Colombia

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

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

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

Colima, Mexico

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

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

Vesuvius, Italy

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

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

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

The last time Vesuvius erupted lava flows in 1944, leveling the cities of San Sebastiano and Massa. The number of victims was 27 people. After that, the volcano subsided. A volcano observatory was built here to track its activities.

Etna, Italy

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

Etna has, according to various estimates, 200-400 side craters. Every 3 months, one of them erupts. Quite often, this leads to the destruction of villages, spread out nearby.

Despite the dangers, the Sicilians densely populate the slopes of Etna. It even created a national park.

Popocatepetl, Mexico

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

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

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia

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

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

The most destructive was the catastrophe of 1938, when Klyuchevskaya Sopka was active for 13 months.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

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

Its characteristic feature is the outpouring of lava, passing without explosions and ash emissions. Lava erupts through the central vent, cracks and fractures.

Cotopaxi, Ecuador

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

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

Iceland

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

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

Extinct and dormant volcanoes

Volcanoes that have lost their activity are extinct and dormant. It is safe to visit them, so these sites are more popular among travelers. On the map, such geological formations are marked with black asterisks, in contrast to active ones, marked with red asterisks.

What is the difference between an extinct and dormant volcano? Extinct ones do not show active activity for at least 1 million years. Presumably, their magma has already cooled down and will not be able to explode. True, volcanologists do not exclude that a new volcano may form in their place.

Aconcagua, Argentina

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

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

Kilimanjaro, Africa

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

Kilimanjaro is considered dormant, now only gases and sulfur come out of its crater. It is expected to be active when the mountain collapses, leading to a massive eruption. Scientists consider the peak of Kibo to be the most formidable.

Yellowstone, USA

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

Yellowstone has erupted three times. The last eruption took place 640 thousand years ago, at the same time a caldera cavity was formed.

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

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

The US authorities are taking all measures to prevent the eruption of Yellowstone, because it can kill 87 thousand people. One of the projects is the installation of a geothermal station, but this will require drilling wells that can provoke a catastrophe not only in the country, but throughout the planet.

Elbrus, Russia

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

The activity of Elbrus is evidenced by geothermal springs located nearby. Scientists disagree on when to expect the next eruption, but it is known for sure that it will lead to the convergence of the mudflow.

Big and Small Ararat, Turkey

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

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

Kazbek, Georgia

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

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

The mountain has very steep slopes, mudflow landslides are possible.

Conclusion

Volcanoes are among the most attractive tourist sites. Today, they are no longer so dangerous, since volcanologists can predict their activity. Research is being conducted on the use of the energy of geological formations for the benefit of mankind.

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

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

The volcano is one of the most beautiful, unexpected and terrible mysteries of nature. There are more than two hundred of them on Earth, and each one impresses with its height and power. Even volcanoes that are considered extinct cannot be trusted, because one day they can “wake up” and start erupting lava. Which of the active volcanoes is considered the highest? Where are they the most? We will talk about this and much more in this article.

The area with the most active volcanoes

A volcano is a crack in the earth's crust through which ash, steam, fiery lava, and gases are thrown out. The appearance of the volcano resembles a mountain. Why are volcanoes divided into active and extinct?

If the slightest activity of a giant mountain was recorded in the history of mankind, then the volcano is considered active. It doesn't have to be ejected. By activity is meant even if it just emits steam and ash once every hundred years.

Many active volcanoes are located in the Malay Archipelago, which is territorially adjacent to Asia and Australia. On the territory of Russia there is also a dangerous zone of active volcanoes. It is located in Kamchatka with the capture of the Kuril Islands. According to scientists, at least 60 volcanoes show signs of activity there every year.

The largest volcano in the world

Mauna Loa is the name of a giant that surpassed all other volcanoes in the world in its size. It is located in Hawaii. Translated from the local language, the volcano is called "Long Mountain".

The activity of the giant was first recorded in 1843. Since that moment, it has erupted 33 times already, which makes it perhaps the most active volcano on the planet. The last eruption occurred in 1984. Then the lava covered 30 thousand acres of land. After the eruption, the territory of Hawaii increased by almost 200 hectares.

Above sea level, Mauna Lao has a height of 4,169 m, and if you count the height from the very center, you get almost 9 thousand m. This is even higher than the highest mountain in the world - Everest.

Mauna Lao is not only the largest, but also the most powerful volcano. 75 thousand cubic kilometers - this is its total volume.

The highest active volcano in the world

In this part, even among scientists, opinions are divided. As for the height above sea level, there is no doubt, the Llullaillaco volcano is considered the highest - 6,723 m. It is located in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. Its last eruption was recorded in 1877.

Another part of the scientists gives the laurels of primacy to another volcano located in the Andes, but already on the territory of Ecuador - Cotopaxi. Its height above sea level is slightly lower than its competitor - 5,897 m. However, its last eruption was in 1942. And it was much more powerful than the Llullaillaco eruption.

All scientists agree on one thing - Cotopaxi is the most beautiful volcano. It has an elegant crater and incredibly beautiful greenery at the foot. However, such beauty is very deceptive. Over the past 300 years, 10 powerful eruptions have been recorded. All 10 times the city of Latacunga, which is located near the foot of the giant, was completely destroyed.

The most famous volcanoes in the world

Despite the fact that the previous volcanoes are the largest and most beautiful, few have heard of them. But there are two leaders who are known to everyone since school lessons - Fujiyama, Vesuvius and Kilimanjaro.

Fujiyama is located in Asia, on the island of Honshu, not far from the Japanese capital. Since ancient times, local residents have erected a volcano in a cult. It rises to 3,776 meters above sea level and has a beautiful outline. The last powerful eruption was recorded in 1707.

Vesuvius is an active volcano in southern Italy. By the way, this is one of the three active volcanoes in the country. Although Vesuvius is not as high as other volcanoes (only 1,281 m above sea level), it is considered one of the most dangerous. It was he who completely destroyed Pompeii, as well as Herculaneum and Stabiae. Its last eruption took place in 1944. Then the cities of San Sebastiano and Massa were completely destroyed by lava.

Kilimanjaro is not only the highest African volcano, but also the highest point on the continent. Scientists believe that the history of Kilimanjaro goes back two million years. The volcano is located 300 meters south of the Equator. Despite this, a large number of glaciers have accumulated at its foot.

The tallest extinct volcano in the world

The highest extinct volcano is also located on the territory of two countries - Chile and Argentina. The peak of the Ojos del Salado volcano (translated from Spanish as “Salty Eyes”) is located on the Chilean side. The height of the peak is 6,891 m above sea level.

In the entire history of human existence, Ojos del Salado has never erupted. There were several cases when he threw out water vapor and sulfur. The last time this happened was in 1993.

This fact made many scientists think about whether Ojos del Salado should be included in the ranks of active volcanoes? If this happens, it will become the highest active volcano in the world.

Into groups depending on when their last eruption was and how likely the next eruption was. The terms active, dormant, and extinct have long been used to refer to these groups, although in recent years, volcanologists have revised the definitions of active and extinct volcanoes. But such a definition is not very scientific, since historical records appeared in different places of the world at different times. So, in Hawaii, the first written records appeared about 200 years ago, and in Europe there are records that are more than 2000 years old. Today, volcanologists believe that a volcano that has erupted over the past 10,000 years may wake up again and should be classified as active.

An active volcano was previously called a volcano that is either erupting now, or records with a detailed report have been preserved about its eruptions. Pliny described a giant cloud hanging over Vesuvius, and the ash falling "hotter and thicker" on Herculaneum during the eruption. This is what the city of Herculaneum might have looked like when the Roman Pliny described the grandiose eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. which he was a witness. His message is considered one of the written accounts of the eruption.

Although written records of eruptions in Hawaii are no more than 200 years old, there are many ancient legends that may be based on actual eruptions. Many legends speak of Pele, the beautiful but short-tempered goddess of volcanoes. Angry, she stamps her feet and an earthquake begins. She also summons and digs a "pit of fire" in the ground with her magical wand. Some Hawaiians make sacrifices to Pele, believing she lives inside Kilauea, an active volcano in Hawaii,

dormant volcanoes

Dormant volcanoes are called those that do not show signs of activity, but, according to scientists, they can become active again. Dormant volcanoes are also called, which are now classified as active, but are not currently erupting. Some dormant volcanoes emit gases such as sulfur and carbon dioxide. These gases are formed as magma gradually cools inside a volcano. They come to the surface through cracks called fumaroles. Sometimes volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, are deposited along the edges of fumaroles.

Extinct volcanoes

A volcano is considered extinct if it has not shown signs of activity for 10,000 years and, therefore, the probability of its eruption in the future is extremely small. But sometimes an "extinct" volcano suddenly erupts and it has to be transferred to the category of active ones. The El Chichon volcano in Mexico was considered extinct until it suddenly began to erupt in 1982. After this eruption, scientists studied the volcano and found traces of a previous eruption that apparently occurred only about 1,200 years ago.

Ship Rock in New Mexico is part of an extinct volcano. Winds and rains gradually destroyed the slopes of the volcano, exposing its channel with magma frozen inside.

Edinburgh Castle in Scotland was erected on the ruins of an ancient volcano that died out 340 million years ago. The slopes of the volcano were carried away by ice during the Ice Age.

In the department of Puy-de-Dome (France) there are over 200 extinct volcanoes. They probably originated over the "hot spot" and have been active for the past two million years.

Eruption frequency

It seems that some volcanoes erupt at regular intervals. Scientists do not know why this is so. Mauna Loa and Kilauea in Hawaii erupt every two to three years on average. St. Helena volcano erupts about once every 150 years. The Stromboli volcano near Sicily has been erupting almost continuously for hundreds of years. Every 15-30 minutes, lava erupts from its mouth. Apparently, even the ancient Greek sailors were guided by the glow of its crater. It is also said that during the Second World War pilots used this volcano as a landmark. Every 15-30 minutes, small explosions occur in the mouth of the Stromboli volcano, ejecting lava.

Eruption dating

To determine when a volcano erupted in the past, geologists take samples from the various rock layers that make up the volcano. During an eruption, organic matter is often preserved in layers of lava or ash: plants, pollen, and seeds. With the help of radiocarbon dating, geologists can calculate the age of these substances, and thus determine when the eruption occurred. They can even reveal the nature of this eruption. For example, layers of ash indicate the explosive nature of the eruption. The volcanic rock samples show the various layers formed during the eruption. By studying these layers, geologists determine when an eruption occurred. The volcanic rock samples show the various layers formed during the eruption. By studying these layers, geologists determine when an eruption occurred.

On the Armenian Highlands. It is located on the territory of Turkey, but for a long time belonged to Armenia and is a symbol of this state. The mountain consists of two peaks - Big and Small Ararat, the cones of which were formed after the volcanic eruption. The first has a height of 5165 meters, the second - 3925 meters above sea level. They are located at a fairly large distance from each other and look like two separate mountains. Both peaks are extinct, although activity in the depths of this area has clearly not stopped: in 1840, a small eruption occurred in the vicinity, which caused an earthquake and an avalanche.

Elbrus and Kazbek

The highest point in Europe - Elbrus - is also often called a stratovolcano, although this title can be disputed, as it happened in the historical period, in the 1st century AD. Although the scale of this eruption was insignificant compared to what this volcano did in prehistoric times. It was formed more than twenty million years ago, at the dawn of its existence it erupted many times, throwing out a huge amount of ash.

Kazbek is also called extinct, but its last earthquake occurred in 650 BC. Therefore, many scientists rank it among the active ones, because not much time has passed by geological standards.

Other extinct volcanoes

There are more truly extinct volcanoes, which have not shown their activity for more than ten thousand years, than active ones - several hundred, but they are almost unknown among the broad masses, since most of them, due to their antiquity, do not differ in height and large size. Many of them are located in Kamchatka: these are Klyuchevaya, Olka, Chavycha, Spokoiny, some of them are in the form of islands formed as a result of the eruption. Several volcanoes, presumably incapable of eruption, are located in the Baikal region: Kovrizhka, Podgorny, Talskaya peak.

One of the Scottish castles is built on the remains of a very ancient extinct volcano, which last erupted more than three hundred million years ago. Almost nothing remains of its slopes - during the ice age, glaciers broke them. In New Mexico, there is Ship Rock, also a remnant of an ancient volcano: its walls are almost completely destroyed, and a channel with solidified magma is partially exposed.

For a long time, the Mexican volcano El Chichon was considered extinct, but in 1982 it suddenly began to erupt. Scientists began to study it and found out that the previous eruption occurred not so long ago - a little over a thousand years ago, they simply did not know anything about it.

Volcanologists sometimes compare volcanoes to living beings that are born, develop, and eventually die. The age of volcanoes is hundreds of thousands and even millions of years old. With such a "lifespan" one eruption per century corresponds to a rather vigorous rhythm. Some volcanoes are content with one eruption in about a millennium. It happens that the dormant phases last for 4000-5000 years. As a rule, active volcanoes include volcanoes that erupted in historical time or showed other signs of activity (emission of gases and steam).

An active volcano is a volcano that has erupted periodically at the present time or at least once in the last 10,000 years.

Volcano ETNA (Sicily) Eruption 1999

This is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. From 1500 BC e. More than 150 eruptions have been noted.

The highest volcano in Russia. One of the young volcanoes, its age is 5000-7000 years. One of the most active, has erupted more than 30 times over the past 300 years.

volcano tectonics crack extinct

Volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Kamchatka.

Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Ocean.

The highest volcano in the world, its height is more than 10,000 m, if you count from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

The youngest volcano in Hawaii, and the most active in the world. From one crater on its eastern flank, lava has been flowing continuously since 1983.

Volcano Kilauea. Hawaiian Islands.

There are about 1300 active volcanoes on Earth. An active volcano is a volcano that periodically erupts at the present time or in the memory of mankind.

When volcanoes erupt, a large amount of solid matter is delivered to the earth's surface in the form of solidified lava, pumice, and volcanic ash.

Volcanoes bring deep matter from the bowels of the Earth to the surface. During the eruption, a large amount of water vapor and gas is also released. At present, scientists have come to the conclusion that volcanic water vapor formed a significant part of the Earth's water shell, and gases - the atmosphere, which was subsequently enriched with oxygen. Volcanic ash enriches the soil. Eruption products: pumice, obsidian, basalt - are used in construction. Near volcanoes, deposits of minerals, such as sulfur, are formed.

A volcano that has never erupted in 10,000 years is called dormant. The volcano can remain in this state for up to 25,000 years.

Volcano Maly Semachik. Kamchatka.

Lakes often form in the craters of dormant volcanoes.

Dormant volcanoes often begin to act. In 1991, the strongest in the twentieth century. The eruption threw 8 cubic meters into the atmosphere. km of ash and 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide. A haze formed that enveloped the entire planet. By lowering the illumination of its surface by the Sun, this led to a drop in the average global temperature by 0.50 C.

Volcano Pinatubo. Philippines.

Volcano Elbrus. Caucasus. Russia.

The highest volcano in Russia, erupted over 1500 years ago.

Extinct volcanoes are volcanoes that have been dormant for many thousands of years. Volcanologists consider a volcano extinct if it has not erupted for at least 50,000 years.

Mount Kilimanjaro. Africa.

When volcanic activity finally stops, the volcano gradually collapses under the influence of weathering - precipitation, temperature fluctuations, wind - and over time is compared to the ground.

In areas of ancient volcanic activity, there are heavily destroyed and eroded volcanoes. Some extinct volcanoes have retained the shape of a regular cone. In our country, the remains of ancient volcanoes can be seen in the Crimea, Transbaikalia and other places.