Today, there are several hundred active volcanoes on our planet, among all this variety there are both the most powerful and largest volcanoes, as well as the highest. Each of the volcanoes has one important characteristic that unites them all - they have great potential and power. Volcanoes majestically rise above the ground from several hundred to several thousand meters above the ground.
In addition, volcanoes have two unpleasant characteristics - they are very dangerous and unpredictable.
THE LARGEST VOLCANOES
Probably we can safely say that the most massive among its congeners in the whole world is located in Hawaii and has the name Mauna Loa. Indeed, it can be called a real giant, and it occupies a huge area on Hawaiian Islands... Firstly, this volcano can frighten anyone with its gigantic size, and secondly, today it is the most active volcano in the world. The first eruption of Mauna Loa recorded by humans occurred in 1843, since that moment 43 such eruptions have been counted.
Last time a rather powerful eruption took place in the twentieth century, namely, in 1984. It was then that a huge amount of lava poured out of the mouth of the volcano, it covered an area of more than 12 thousand hectares of land. Also, frozen lava has significantly increased the area of the island itself. Mauna Loa rises 4170 meters above the sea level, while you should not forget that the volcano goes under water for a similar distance. Therefore, if you combine the height above sea level and the depth below sea level, it turns out that this particular volcano is the highest, and also that it is the most big mountain on the planet. According to this total indicator, Mauna Loa even surpasses the famous Jomalungma.
Among a large number of scientists, there is an opinion that Llullaillaco should be considered the most massive volcano on Earth, and we are talking about volcanoes that are active today. This volcano is located in the Andes, and more specifically, among the Argentine and Chilean Andes. Llullaillaco has a height of 6723 meters, the last time he awakened back in 1877, but everyone remembered this eruption locals.
Llullaillaco volcano
But in the scientific community there is disagreement about which of the volcanoes should be called the largest. For example, some believe that the tallest and largest volcano is located in South America, near the equator. This is actually a huge volcano and it is called Cotopaxi, whose height is 5879 meters. Despite the lower height than Llullaillaco, the Cotopaxi volcano has a richer history of eruptions, the last time this happened in 1942.
volcano Cotopaxi
And if Cotopaxi cannot be called the largest volcano on Earth, then the epithet "the most beautiful" it definitely deserves. Judge for yourself - at the foot there is simply an abundance of green vegetation of the tropical jungle, and a white snow cap covers the top of the volcano. Of course, like the entire family of volcanoes, Cotopaxi is also quite dangerous, since during the entire observation period he woke up more than a dozen times and spewed out a huge amount of lava from his vent. In one of these eruptions, the city of Latacunga was completely destroyed.
THE HIGHEST VOLCANO
If we talk about such a characteristic as height, then the highest of all volcanoes on Earth is Ojos del Salado. This volcano is located between two states - Chile and Argentina. Translated from Spanish, it translates as "salty tears". The height of this volcano is 6890 meters above sea level, with the highest peak located in the Chilean territory. This cannot but rejoice the citizens of Chile, moreover, they are proud of the presence of such a high volcano in their country.
Various scientists have carried out a large number of expeditions to this volcano, carried out a lot of research there and in the end result came to the unanimous opinion that Ojos del Salado has never erupted. More specifically, we are talking about the last two million years. Despite the fact that the volcano is in a dormant state, more recently, in 1993, it released a large amount of sulfur and water vapor into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is not only the most high volcano on the planet, but also the quietest by far.
THE BIGGEST VOLCANO Eruption
The most powerful volcanic eruption, documentary information about which has survived to this day, is an eruption near the capital of Indonesia - the city of Jakarta. All the fear and power of the volcano was felt by its inhabitants. Tragic events took place back in 1883, it was then, on May 20, that a local volcano called Krakatoa woke up. At first, the eruption was manifested by strong tremors, the earth literally shook. It should be noted that Krakatoa itself is located at a distance of 50 kilometers from Jakarta. Actually, within three months, tremors of various strengths occurred from time to time, but the worst thing began on August 27, it was on that day that Krakatoa woke up for real.
It began with the terrible force of the explosion, it was even heard by those who were 5 thousand kilometers from the volcano. Further, a huge ash cloud rose into the sky, and the volcano threw it to a height of 30 kilometers. If we talk about the gas-ash column, then it flew all the way to the mesosphere. Then a deafening explosion sounded, today it corresponds to a force of 6 points. The ash settling for a long time covered almost the entire territory of Indonesia. A terrible force of explosion provoked the appearance of a devastating tsunami, from the effects of which 37,000 people died in one day. Some eyewitnesses claimed that in some areas the wave reached 30 meters in height.
As a result, the volcanic eruption completely destroyed 165 villages and cities. Huge clouds of volcanic ash settled over the entire territory of the Earth for several years and influenced the climate throughout the planet for two years.
Despite their lethality, various volcanoes have long attracted people to them. Previously, people were attracted by fertile soils, enriched with minerals and trace elements due to the activity of volcanoes, now tourists are attracted by the beauty and majesty of these natural sites.
Where are the largest volcanoes on the world map?
Most of today's active volcanoes are located in Pacific volcanic ring- the area in which the largest number of eruptions and 90% of earthquakes occur on our planet.
The second most powerful seismic zone is the Mediterranean fold belt, stretching from the Indonesian islands to.
Strongest eruption in history
The most destructive eruption in its consequences is considered to be the catastrophe that occurred in 1883 during the explosion. volcano Krakatoa located in. During this cataclysm, more than 36 thousand people died, more than 165 cities and villages were completely destroyed, ash was emitted to a height of 70 kilometers.
The force of the explosion during the eruption exceeded the force of the explosion of a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima by 10 thousand times. Most of the deaths are the result of huge tsunami caused by the eruption. The island on which Krakatoa was located was almost completely destroyed during the disaster. The sound from the explosion spread to a distance of 5 thousand kilometers from the epicenter of the disaster.
Earth's greatest active volcanic mountains
The largest active volcanoes in the world in terms of volume:
- Mauna loa, Hawaii, with a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers;
- Kilimanjaro(Tanzania), which is considered dormant but has the potential to start activity, has a volume of 4,800 cubic kilometers;
- Sierra Negra volcano located in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) has a volume of 580 cubic kilometers.
Which country has the largest lava source?
In terms of its size, there is no equal to the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which has a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The title of the highest is contested by 2 volcanoes from South America:
- Llullaillaco located on the border of Argentina and Chile with a height of over 6 thousand meters;
- Cotopaxi located in Ecuador with a height of 5897 meters.
Description with titles
There are from 1000 to 1500 active volcanoes on our planet. Many of them are located near densely populated areas and pose a threat to human life. The most dangerous volcanoes, which are under special supervision, are included in List of Volcanoes of the UN Decade.
Merapi
Merapi, which translated from Indonesian means "Mountain of fire", recognized as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Asia. It is located in the south of the island of Java in Indonesia, and its peak rises to a height of 3 thousand meters.
Significant eruptions of Merapi occur with a frequency of about 7 years; during its history, Merapi has repeatedly caused the death of many people. In 1930, 1400 people became victims of the eruption, and in 2010 more than 350 thousand people had to be evacuated, 353 inhabitants of the island were killed.
Near Merapi is located Yogyakarta city, in the agglomeration of which more than 2 million people live. For its activity and danger to the lives of people, Merapi is included in the list of the Volcanoes of the Decade.
Sakurajima
Sakurazdima volcano (Japan) is located on Kyushu island, its summit rises to a height of 1110 meters. The first eruption recorded by the chronicles took place in 963, and the most powerful one dates back to 1914, but thanks to the tremors preceding it, most of the local residents managed to evacuate, “only” 35 people died.
Since the middle of the 20th century, the volcano has been constantly active. Every year happen thousands of small explosions and ash emissions.
In 2013, there was a large ash ejection, reaching an altitude of 4000 meters.
Sakurajima is also on the Volcanoes of the Decade.
Aso
Volcano Aso is also located on Kyushu island in Japan. The highest point of Aso is located at an altitude of 1592 meters. During the observation of the volcano, there were about 165 large and medium eruptions, many of which resulted in human casualties.
The last time people died as a result of volcanic eruptions was in 1979, when 3 people died and 11 were injured. But Aso is dangerous not only for its eruptions, poisonous vapors of volcanic gas regularly poison tourists who are trying to conquer Aso. The last such incident occurred in 1997, when two climbers were killed.
The last eruption Aso was noted in 2011; ash was emitted to a height of up to 2 kilometers.
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Nyiragongo
Nyiragongo is in the territory DR Congo in the Virunga mountain system (Africa). In the crater of the volcano is the world's largest lava lake, the depth of which can reach 3 kilometers. In 1977, a rupture of the crater wall occurred, as a result of which there was a large runoff of lava into the surrounding area, as a result 70 people died.
During observations of Nyiragongo since 1882, it was recorded 34 major volcanic eruptions... A feature of the eruptions of Nyiragongo is the extremely fast flow of lava, reaching a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. During a major eruption in 2002, 400,000 residents of the city of Goma, located near the volcano, were evacuated. Nevertheless, 147 of them died as a result of this cataclysm, and the city itself received significant damage.
All these factors make Nyiragongo one of the the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet, for which he was rightly included in the list of the Volcanoes of the Decade.
Galeras
Volcano Galeras is located in Colombia near the town of Pasto, which has a population of over 400 thousand people. Its height is over 4200 meters. Because of its danger, Galeras was included in the list of the Decade Volcanoes that pose the greatest threat in the foreseeable future.
It is believed that over the past 7000 years, Galeras has experienced at least 6 major eruptions, in 1993 the last of them was recorded.
Mauna loa
The Mauna Loa volcano is located on Hawaiian Islands belonging to the United States of America. This giant volcano covers more than half of Hawaii's area, with a peak height of 4169 meters above sea level, but most of the volcano is located under water. Together with the underwater part, its height from the base to the top reaches 9170 meters, which exceeds the height of Everest.
The eruptions of Mauna Loa occur according to the so-called Hawaiian type with the outpouring of lava, but without explosions and large ash emissions. Observations of the volcano have been conducted only since 1832, but during this time, 39 major eruptions of Mauna Loa have been recorded. This volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade due to the huge lava flows accompanying the eruption and the densely populated area in its immediate vicinity.
The top of the volcano and its slopes are included in the list UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Colima
The most active volcano in Central America located in the state of Jalisco. Thanks to her activity, Colima received the nickname "Little Vesuvius", its height exceeds 3800 meters.
Over the past 450 years, more than 40 large and medium volcanic eruptions have been recorded, the last of which occurred on September 12, 2016. More than 400 thousand people live near Colima, which makes it the most dangerous volcano in America... For this reason, the volcano was listed as a Volcano of the Decade.
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Vesuvius
Most famous volcano Mira is located on the Apennine Peninsula in. The lonely peak of Vesuvius, 1281 meters high, rises above the vast fields of the Campania province and is part of the Apennine mountain system.
Located just 15 kilometers from Naples, Vesuvius has repeatedly entered history with its catastrophic eruptions, only large ones were recorded about 80. In 79 AD, the most destructive eruption of Vesuvius during which famous cities died:
- Pompeii;
- Oplontis;
- Herculaneum;
- Stabia.
It is believed that at least 16 thousand people died during this cataclysm.
In 1944, the last happened on this moment eruption of Vesuvius, during this natural disaster cities were destroyed Weight and San sebastiano, 27 people became victims. Since then, Vesuvius has not shown strong activity, but the danger of a new eruption always remains. Vesuvius is one of the main attractions of the Campania province and its visit is included in excursion tour when traveling to Naples.
Etna
Another famous volcano in Italy is located in the east of the island of Sicily and is highest volcano, rising to a height of 2329 meters. Etna eruptions are observed several times a year. Several large eruptions of this volcano have been recorded in history, leading to devastating consequences:
- Destroyed in 122 AD Catania city;
- In 1169, during a large-scale eruption, Etna died 15 thousand people;
- In 1669 Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
- In 1928, the ancient Mascali city.
Despite the danger of the volcano, the inhabitants of the island continue to settle on its slopes. The reason for this is fertile soil enriched with minerals and trace elements contained in cooled lava flows and ash.
Etna is one of the main natural attractions of Sicily; tourists from all over the world come to see the volcano and climb to its top.
Popocatepetl
Volcano Popocatepetl, or El Popo, as the locals affectionately call it, is located in Mexico, 70 kilometers from the capital of this country, Mexico City. The height of the volcano is almost 5500 meters. Over the past 500 years, Popocatepetl has erupted more than 15 times, with the last occurring as recently as 2015. Near Popocatepetl is located dormant volcano Istaxihuatl.
A trip to these volcanoes is an essential part of excursion program when visiting Mexico City.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka
The highest volcano in Eurasia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula and is considered the most famous of the many volcanoes in Kamchatka. The highest point outside the Caucasus Mountains reaches an altitude of 4750 meters. It is the most active volcano in Eurasia, on average, its eruptions occur almost annually... The last significant eruption took place in 2013, the height of the ash ejection was 10-12 kilometers. The eruption was accompanied by mud streams and ash falls.
Cotopaxi
The active volcano Cotopaxi is located in South America on the territory of the state Ecuador as part of the Andes mountain system. The height of the Cotopaxi summit is 5897 meters. In the entire history of observations, 86 eruptions were recorded, the largest one leading to the complete destruction of the city of Latacunga in 1786. The last activity of Cotopaxi was noticed in 1942, after which the volcano is still dormant.
Famous extinct giants
In addition to active volcanoes, there are many extinct volcanoes on our planet that do not exhibit volcanic activity.
Supreme
The highest extinct volcano on the planet, Aconcagua, located in Argentina and included in mountain system Andes. Aconcagua is not only the tallest extinct volcano in the world, but also the highest peak in America, the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The height of Aconcagua exceeds 6950 meters.
Sleeping giants
Many extinct volcanoes are now considered just mountains, although some of them can potentially "wake up" and begin to show activity. Such volcanoes, which may become active in the future, are called "Sleeping".
- Famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa) it is a dormant volcano that is not active. Scientists believe that one day Kilimanjaro may wake up, then this potential volcano will become one of the highest in the world, because the height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters above sea level.
- The largest extinct volcano in Russia - 5642 meters. It is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Refers to the list highest peaks six parts of the world. Scientists consider the activity of the volcano not so much complete as fading.
- Most large volcano modernity cannot be visited and is very difficult to see as it is under water. Array Tamu located at the bottom The Pacific and is located approximately 1,600 kilometers east of the Japanese Islands. Its dimensions are 650 by 450 kilometers; in terms of its scale, the massif is one of the largest not only on Earth, but also in the entire solar system. The last volcanic eruption occurred 140 million years ago.
- Dormant volcanoes Big and Small Ararat are now located on the territory and belong to the category of volcanoes that do not show volcanic activity. The summit of Mount Big Ararat, reaching 5165 meters, is the highest point in Turkey.
- One of the highest peaks of the Caucasus, Mount Kazbek is also an extinct volcano. Kazbek is located on the border with Russia, the highest point of the mountain is located at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. During research in one of the caves of Kazbek, volcanic ash was found from an eruption that supposedly occurred 40 thousand years ago.
Colossal supervolcano Yellowstone was considered extinct, but scientists have found that it shows little activity, so now Yellowstone is classified as a dormant volcano. The last time the giant erupted was almost a million years ago.
It is believed that if Yellowstone wakes up, a potential eruption will become one of the largest catastrophes in the history of the Earth, every third inhabitant of the planet will die, and several US states will be completely destroyed.
Eruption of yellowstone will provoke many earthquakes, giant tsunami waves and eruptions of other volcanoes, which will affect almost every inhabitant of the planet. The ash ejected by the volcano will cover the earth's surface from the sun for a year and a half, and volcanic winter will come throughout the planet.
However, not all scientists believe that the consequences of this cataclysm will be so serious. In any case, the eruption of this volcano remains one of the main potential threats to humans.
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Watch a video about these and other volcanoes in the world:
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 the 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 these dangerous giants who can present a hot, loud and unexpected surprise at any moment.
1. Volcano Etna (Sicily, Italy) - active, one of the largest and most dangerous volcanoes in the world, located on east coast 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. Etna covers an area of 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 the three active volcanoes in Italy (above we mentioned Mount Etna). 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, most covered with snow. 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 city 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, six geologists died during research work 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. Volcano Mauna Loa (Hawaii, USA) - is considered the largest volcano on the Earth (together with the underwater part), namely 80,000 cubic kilometers (!). The summit and southeastern slope are part of the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, as is 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, the last eruption occurred 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 it is 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 shield-like 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. The ash cloud 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. A warm river flows from the slope of the volcano, the temperature of which 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) - volcanic group on Japanese island 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. but volcanic activity registered 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 an accurate assessment of 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 around the most dangerous volcano in the world have been circulating 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 the increased seismic activity of recent years suggests otherwise.
Most of the volcanoes of our planet are located in the "ring of fire", which stretches along the shores of the entire Pacific Ocean. In total, there are about 1.5 thousand volcanoes on Earth, of which 540 are active.
Here is a list of the most dangerous ones.
1. Nyiragongo, 3470 m, Democratic Republic of the Congo
It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Africa. Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded here. The main crater is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide, and contains a lake of actively bubbling lava. This lava is unusually fluid and its flows can reach speeds of 100 km / h. In 2002, an eruption killed 147 people and left 120,000 homeless. The last eruption to date occurred in 2016.
2. Taal, height 311 m, Philippines
It is one of the smallest active volcanoes on our planet. Since 1572, it has erupted 34 times. Located on the island of Luzon, on Lake Taal. The strongest eruption of this volcano in the 20th century occurred in 1911 - in 10 minutes, 1335 people and all living things died at a distance of up to 10 km. In 1965, 200 people died. Last eruption - 1977
3. Mauna Loa, height 4,169 m, Hawaii (USA)
There are many volcanoes in Hawaii, but this is the largest and most dangerous of all. Since 1832, 39 eruptions have been recorded. The last eruption took place in 1984, the last violent eruption in 1950.
4. Vesuvius, height 1 281 m, Italy
One of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world is located just 15 km east of Naples. The most famous historical eruption occurred in 79 AD. As a result of this disaster, two cities - Pompeii and Herculaneum - disappeared from the face of the Earth. V modern history the last eruption of Vesuvius happened in 1944.
5. Merapi, height 2 930 m, Indonesia
This active volcano in Indonesia is located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. "Merapi" translates as "mountain of fire". The volcano is young, so it puffs with enviable regularity. Large eruptions occur every 7 years on average. In 1930, about 1,300 people died, in 1974 two villages were destroyed, in 2010 353 people died. The last eruption was in 2011.
6. St. Helens, height 2,550 m, USA
Located 154 km from Seattle and 85 km from Portland. The most famous eruption of this active volcano happened in 1980 when 57 people died. The eruption was of a rare type - "directed blast". The process of the volcanic eruption and the spread of the ash cloud was captured by photographer Robert Landsburg, who died in this eruption, but preserved the film. The last activity to date was recorded in 2008.
7. Etna, height 3 350 m, Italy
Mount Etna is located on the east coast of Sicily. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe. Throughout its existence, it has erupted about 200 times. In 1992, one of the largest eruptions was recorded, during which the town of Zafferana barely escaped. On December 3, 2015, the volcano's central crater ejected a kilometer-high lava fountain. The last eruption was on February 27, 2017.
8.Sakurajima, height 1,117 m, Japan
The volcano is located on the Osumi Peninsula of Kyushu Island in the Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima. There is almost always a cloud of smoke over the volcano. The eruptions were recorded on August 18, 2013, in March 2009. The last eruption was recorded on July 26, 2016.
9. Galeras, height 4,276 m, Colombia
Over the past 7 thousand years, at least six large eruptions and many small ones have occurred on Galeras. In 1993, during research work in the crater, six volcanologists and three tourists died (then the eruption also began). Last recorded eruptions: January 2008, February 2009, January and August 2010
10. Popocatepetl, height 5426 m, Mexico
The name translates as "smoking hill". The volcano is located near Mexico City. Since 1519, it has erupted 20 times. The last eruption was recorded in 2015.
11. Unzen, height 1,500 m, Japan
The volcano is located on the Shimabara Peninsula. 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. The eruption caused a tsunami 55 meters high, which killed more than 15 thousand people. And in 1991, 43 people died during the eruption. There have been no eruptions since 1996.
12. Krakatoa, height 813 m, Indonesia 
This active volcano is located between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Before the historic eruption of 1883, the volcano was much higher and represented one big Island... However, the most powerful eruption in 1883 destroyed the island and the volcano. Krakatoa is still active today and small eruptions occur fairly regularly. The last activity was 2014.
13. Santa Maria, height 3,772 m, Guatemala
The first recorded eruption of this volcano took place in October 1902, before that it "rested" for 500 years. The explosion was heard 800 km away in Costa Rica, and the ash column rose 28 km. About 6 thousand people died. Today the volcano is active. The last eruption was recorded in 2011.
14. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, height 4835 m, Russia
The volcano is located in the east of Kamchatka, 60 km from the coast. It is the largest active volcano in Russia. Over the past 270 years, more than 50 eruptions have been recorded, the last in April 2016.
15. Karymskaya Sopka, height 1468 m, Russia
Also located in Kamchatka. More than 20 eruptions have been recorded since 1852. Eruptions in recent years: 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015. Very turbulent volcano.
