The most famous and largest volcanoes in the world. The name of the volcanoes. Volcanoes of the Earth: list, photo

Volcanoes are not only a spectacular and dangerous sight. It is thanks to volcanic activity that life arose on planet Earth. The atmosphere and hydrosphere were created by the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Today, some fire-breathing mountains are inactive, while others cause trouble and disturbance to humanity.

Volcano Vesuvius. Italy

It is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes Europe. It was he who, in August 1979, destroyed several ancient Roman cities, including Pompeii. He wakes up every 20 years or so. Last time- in 1944.

Volcano Yellowstone Caldera. USA

About a third of the territory of Yellowstone National Park is occupied by an active volcano. Inside it, a bubble of magma is constantly heating thermal springs, which is manifested in the formation of geysers and mud pots.

Volcano Krakatoa. Indonesia

The last time it erupted in 1883, as a result of which the island on which the volcano is located was destroyed. The process lasted from May to the end of August. The victims of ash and tsunami were 36 thousand people and 259 settlements... Today, the 1.5 km zone around the island is closed to the public.

Volcano Mauna Loa. Hawaii

It is the second largest of the megavolcanoes, the summit of which is covered with snow from January to March. Sometimes he wakes up and pours out lava flows.

Kilimanjaro volcano. Tanzania, Africa

The volcano consists of 3 extinct peaks. However, scientists discovered that only 400 meters below the crater of the mountain is incandescent lava. In addition, the centuries-old ice cap that covered the peak has almost melted.




Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Iceland

Not so long ago, the volcano paralyzed the work of several European airports. The eruption was rated at 4 points on the VEI scale. Some researchers believe that the awakening of Eyjafjallajokull may be the trigger for the eruption of Katla.

Volcano Cotopaxi. Ecuador

This is the most active volcano... After more than 150 years of silence, Cotopaxi came to life again in 2015. Fortunately, no one was hurt.




Volcano Merapi. Java island

One of the most active volcanoes erupts at least twice a year, and there are major eruptions every seven years. Local residents have to evacuate. The peak of Merapi is constantly smoking.




Volcano Popocatepetl. Mexico

The most powerful eruption took place in 2000. It was preceded by a 15-year heightened activity of the Fire Mountain. In March 2016, Popocatepetl raised a column of steam, gas and ash to a height of 2 km. The cities of Mexico City and Puebla are at risk.

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

The origin and varieties of volcanoes

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

The erupting magma is called lava, and the upland with the hole is called a volcano. The eruption is accompanied by emissions of ash and steam. Lava moves at a speed of over 40 km / h, with a temperature of about 1000 degrees Celsius. Depending on the nature of the eruption and related phenomena, volcanoes are divided into numerous types. For example, Hawaiian, Plinian, Peleian and others.

As it flows out, the lava solidifies and overlaps in layers, creating the shape of a volcano. So, there are volcanoes of conical shape, gentle, domed, strato- or layered, as well as complex shapes. In addition, they are divided into active, dormant and extinct, depending on the degree of activity of the eruptions.

World's largest volcanoes

There are approximately 540 active volcanoes, the number of extinct ones is even greater. All of them are located mainly in the Pacific, East African, Mediterranean fold zones. The greatest activity is manifested in the regions of the South and Central America, Kamchatka, Japanese, Iceland.

There are 330 active volcanoes in the Pacific belt alone. Large volcanoes are found in the Andes, on the Asian islands. In Africa, Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, is considered the highest. It is a potentially active volcano that can wake up at any moment. Its height is 5895 meters.

Two world volcanic giants are located in Chile and Argentina. They are considered the tallest on Earth. Ojos del Salado is extinct, erupting in AD 700, although it occasionally emits water vapor and sulfur. Argentine Llullaillaco is considered active, the last time it erupted only in 1877.

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

Name

Location

Height, m

Eruption year

Ojos del Salado

Andes, Chile

Llullaillaco

Andes, Argentina

San Pedro

Andes, Chile

Cotopaxi

Andes, Ecuador

Kilimanjaro

Tanzania, Africa

Unknown

Andes, Peru

Cordillera, Mexico

Caucasus mountains, Russia

Popocatepetl

Cordillera, Mexico

Andes, Ecuador

Ring of Fire of the Pacific Ocean

Water The Pacific hide three lithospheric plates. Their outer edges go under the lithospheric plates of the continents. The Pacific Ring of Fire is located along the entire perimeter of these joints - small and large volcanoes, most of which are active.

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

Large volcanoes of the Pacific belt are located in the Andes (Orizabo, San Pedro, Misty, Cotopaxi), Sumatra (Kerinchi), Ross Island (Erebus), Java (Semeru). One of the most famous - Fujiyama - is located on the island of Honshu. In there is the volcano Krakatoa.

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

Mediterranean belt

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

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

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

Large volcanoes of Russia (list)

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

The largest volcanoes are located in Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands. The highest in all of Eurasia (among the operating ones) is considered (4835 meters). Its last eruption was recorded in 2013. In the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, there are not at all large volcanoes... For example, the height of Baranovsky is 160 meters. Over the past decade, Berg (2005), Ebeko (2010), Chikurachki (2008), Kizimen (2013) and others have shown their activity.

The largest volcanoes in Russia are presented in the table.

Name

Location

Height, m

Eruption year

650 BC NS.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kamchatka Krai

Unknown

Ushkovsky

Kamchatka Krai

Tolbachik

Kamchatka Krai

Ichinskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kronotskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Kamchatka Krai

Zhupanovskaya Sopka

Kamchatka Krai

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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List of active volcanoes in the world

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

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 some of the impressive, but sleeping.

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the most imposing, nicknamed "The Mountain of Fire". It is located on about. Java, reaches a height of 2914 m. Every 7 years, large-scale emissions are carried out, twice a year - small ones. Smoke is constantly coming out of its crater. One of the most significant tragedies associated with activity took place in 1006. Then a fierce 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 outbursts caused the death of 1,300 people.

The last release of Merapi occurred in 2010, when 350 thousand people had to be evacuated. Some of them decided to return and died in the lava flow. Then 353 people were injured.

In that the last disaster The Fiery 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.

Sakurajima's activity increases every year, and until 1946 there were only 6 emissions. Since 1955, it has been erupting constantly.

Note: one of the largest catastrophes occurred in 1914, when 35 people were killed. In 2013, 1,097 emissions of insignificant force were recorded, and in 2014 - 471.

Aso, Japan

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

Aso last spewed lava in 2011. Since then, about 2500 aftershocks have occurred here. 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 site active tourism... In winter, skiing is available on the slopes of Aso.

Nyiragongo, Republic of the Congo

Nyiragongo belongs to the Virunga mountain system and is the most active in Africa. The height is 3470 m. In its crater there is a huge seething lava lake, the largest in the world. During an eruption, lava flows out almost completely, destroying everything around 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 recorded. 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 a nearby town. The reason was the rupture of the crater wall. The catastrophe 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 the nearby settlements.

Galeras, Colombia

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

One of the largest eruptions was recorded in 1993. The disaster led to the death of 6 volcanologists and 3 tourists in the crater. The catastrophe 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

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

The last time he reminded of himself on January 19, 2017. At the time of the catastrophe, 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-intensity activity. Throws out a huge amount of ash and gases. In 79, Vesuvius shook all of Italy, destroying the cities of Pompey and Stabia. They were covered with a thick layer of ash, reaching up to 8 m. The city of Herculaneum was flooded with mud streams, since the eruption was accompanied by mud rains.

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

Vesuvius last erupted in lava flows in 1944, razing the cities of San Sebastiano and Massa. The number of victims was 27 people. After that, the volcano died down. A volcanological observatory was built here to track his 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 equal to 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 the villages that are spread out nearby.

Despite the dangers, the Sicilians densely inhabit the slopes of Etna. They even created a national park here.

Popocatepetl, Mexico

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

Popocatepetl has erupted over 15 times in 500 years, most recently in 2015.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Russia

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

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

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

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

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

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

Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Cotopaxi belongs to the Andes mountain range. It 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 release of lava and sulfur was accompanied by an earthquake. The catastrophe destroyed the city of Latacunga and the surrounding area. 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 already extinct ones, but there are also active ones.

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

Extinct and dormant volcanoes

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

What is the difference between an extinct and a dormant volcano? The extinct ones have not been active 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. A mountain was formed at the junction of the Nazca and South American lithospheric plates. Today the slopes of the mountain are covered with glaciers.

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

Kilimanjaro, Africa

If someone is asked to name the most high mountain Africa, he will call - the most famous mountain on the African mainland. Consists of 3 peaks, the highest of them is Kibo (5,891.8 m).

Kilimanjaro is considered asleep, now only gases and sulfur are escaping from its crater. It is expected to be active when the mountain collapses, leading to a massive eruption. The most formidable scientists consider the top of Kibo.

Yellowstone, USA

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

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

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

The eruption is stopped by streams of water that cool the magma bubble and burst outward 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 disaster not only in the country, but throughout the planet.

Elbrus, Russia

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

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

Big and Small Ararat, Turkey

Big Ararat (5165 m) is located on Armenian highlands, 11 km away is Small Ararat (3927 m).

The eruptions of Big 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. Locals call it Mkinvartsveri, which translates as "ice mountain". The height of the giant is 5033.8 m.

Kazbek is not active today, but he belongs to the potentially dangerous. It last erupted in 650 BC.

The mountain has very steep slopes, mudslides are possible.

Conclusion

Volcanoes are among the most attractive tourist sites... Today they are no longer so dangerous, since their activity can be predicted by scientists volcanologists. 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, to listen to the forecasts of seismologists, since tragic accidents among tourists often occur.

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

Volcanoes, for all their danger, represent one of the most beautiful and majestic wonders of nature. Active volcanoes look especially beautiful at night. But this beauty brings death to everything around. Lava, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows consisting of hot volcanic gases, ash and stones can even wipe out big cities... Mankind managed to become convinced of the incredible power of volcanoes during the infamous eruption of Vesuvius, which killed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabia. And there are many such examples in history.

The largest volcanoes in the world - let's talk today about these dangerous, but beautiful giants. Our list includes volcanoes of varying degrees of activity - from conditionally dormant to active. The main selection criterion was their size.

Height 5,230 meters

An active stratovolcano located in Ecuador opens the rating of the largest volcanoes on Earth. Its height is 5230 meters. The top of the volcano consists of three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters. Sangay is one of the youngest and most restless volcanoes in South America. Its first eruption took place in 1628. The last one took place in 2007. Now volcanic activity the giant from the Equator is rated as moderate. Tourists who visited National park Sangay, on the territory of which the volcano is located, can climb to its top.

Height 5455 meters

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

Height 5 642 meters

There are also large volcanoes in Europe. In the North Caucasus, there is a stratovolcano with a height of 5642 meters. This is the highest peak in Russia. Elbrus is one of the seven highest mountain peaks planets. Scientists differ on the activity of the giant. Some consider it an extinct volcano, while others consider it a dying volcano. Sometimes Elbrus becomes the center of small earthquakes. Here and there on its surface, sulphurous gases come out of cracks. Scientists, who believe that Elbrus may wake up in the future, are of the opinion that the nature of its eruption will be explosive.

Height 5,675 meters

It takes the seventh place in the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth, highest peak Mexico. The height of the volcano is 5675 meters. It last erupted in 1687. Orizaba is now considered a dormant volcano. Its top offers stunning panoramic views. In order to protect the volcano, a nature reserve was established.

Height 5,822 meters

On the 6th place in the list of the largest volcanoes is located in the south of Peru. Its height is 5822 meters. Misty belongs to active volcanoes. It last erupted in 1985. In January 2016, an increase in fumarolic activity was observed on the volcano - steam and gas holes appeared. This is one of the signs of an impending eruption. In 1998, six Inca mummies were found near the volcano's inner crater.

An interesting fact - many buildings in the city of Arequipa, located 17 kilometers from the volcano, are built from white deposits of the Misti pyroclastic flows. Therefore, Arequipa is called the "White City".

Height 5,895 meters

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

Height 5,897 meters

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

Height 6 145 meters

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

Height 4 205 meters

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

Height 6,739 meters

In the first place among the largest volcanoes in the world is an active starting volcano. It is located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Its height is 6739 meters. The last eruption of the giant took place in 1877. Now it is in the solfatara stage - from time to time the volcano releases sulfurous gases and water vapor. In 1952, during the first ascent of Llullaillaco, an ancient Inca sanctuary was found. Later, on the slopes of the volcano, archaeologists discovered three baby mummies. Most likely they were sacrificed.

It is interesting. The Yellowstone caldera, which is about 55 km by 72 km in size, is called a supervolcano. It is located in Yellowstone national park USA. The volcano has not been active for 640 thousand years. Under its crater there is a magma bubble more than 8 thousand meters deep. During its existence, the supervolcano erupted three times. Each time this caused major cataclysms that change the face of the Earth at the site of the eruption. When the supervolcano wakes up again, it is impossible to predict. Only one thing can be said with certainty - a cataclysm of this magnitude is capable of bringing our civilization to the brink of existence.

In the initial stage of the Earth, volcanoes, in all likelihood, were located in many places on its surface, but then they began to arise along certain belts, huge faults of the Earth and in the oceans. Most of the volcanoes have not survived. Those volcanic mountains that are now found on the surface of the planet, arose relatively recently.

Volcanic belts

Volcanoes are not randomly located on Earth, but are subject to certain patterns.

Modern volcanoes are concentrated on Earth along certain zones (belts) characterized by high tectonic mobility. Destructive earthquakes usually occur in these belts; the heat flux from the bowels of the Earth is several times higher here than in quiet regions. There are three main zones of the location of volcanoes: areas where the continental crust is bordered by the oceanic crust; continental group, mainly system mountainous countries Europe and Asia, as well as Africa, advantage within deep faults; oceanic trenches, especially the Pacific Ocean.

There are thousands of them on the continents. It is not known exactly how many active volcanoes there are on Earth, but the figure 500 most likely reflects their number. The largest on our planet is the Pacific Ring of Fire, where there are 526 volcanoes. Of these, 328 erupted in historical time. Volcanoes enter the Pacific Ring of Fire on our territory Kuril Islands(40) and the Kamchatka peninsula (28). The most active volcanoes in terms of the frequency and strength of the eruption are the volcanoes Klyuchevskoy, Narymsky, Shiveluch, Bezymyanny, Ksudach.

The second major volcanic belt stretches across the Mediterranean, the Iranian plateau to the Sunda archipelago. It contains such volcanoes as Vesuvius. (Italy), Etna (Sicily Peninsula), Santorini (Aegean Sea). The volcanoes of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia also fall into this belt. Two volcanoes Elbrus (5642 m) and two-peaked Kazbek (5033 m) rise on the large Caucasian ridge. In Transcaucasia, on the border with Turkey, there is the Ararat volcano with a cone covered with a snow cap. A little to the east in the Elbrus ridge, framing the Caspian Sea from the south, there is the most beautiful volcano Demavend. There are many volcanoes (63, of which 37 are active) in the Sunda Archipelago (Indonesia).

The third major volcanic belt stretches along Atlantic Ocean... There are 69 volcanoes here, of which 39 erupted in historical time. The largest number of volcanoes (40) is on the island of Iceland, located along the axis of the underwater mid-ocean ridge, and 27 of them have already declared their activity in historical time. Iceland's volcanoes erupt quite often.

The fourth volcanic belt is relatively small in size. It occupies East Africa (40 volcanoes, of which 16 are active). The most famous volcano in this belt is Kilimanjaro (height 5895 m).

Outside these four volcanic belts, volcanoes are almost never found on the continents.