Volcanoes

Volcanoes come in many shapes and sizes, and their eruptions vary hugely in both frequency and intensity. Many volcanoes are tourist attractions and are worth a visit provided you take due care, in particular keeping a safe distance from eruptions.

Eruptions are extremely dangerous; the worst of them cause complete devastation over wide areas, sometimes with a large death toll. Despite the risk, due to the renowned fertility of volcanic soil, there are often large agricultural settlements close to volcanoes.

Understand

Neither volcanoes nor eruptions are particularly common. A list at the Smithsonian shows 1319 volcanoes which have erupted in the Holocene Epoch (since the end of the last Ice Age, about 10,000 BCE). Another shows frequency of eruptions 1960-2022; the range is 52 to 90 eruptions per year, most of them small. After an eruption most volcanoes will be calm for a while before pressure builds up enough for another blast; the interval can be anything from a few weeks to many centuries, depending on the local geology.

Pacific Ring of Fire

• Pacific Ring of Fire. This is a group of active tectonic areas, including more than half the world's active volcanoes, around the Pacific Ocean. On the east, this means the Andes and the Pacific Coast Ranges. On the west, the ring runs through Russia's Kamchatka, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Melanesia and all the way to New Zealand.
  If you want to plan a trip to see many volcanoes, one option would be a Round-the-Pacific flight. (updated Jan 2024)
• Decade Volcanoes. These are 16 active volcanoes selected by scientists as particularly worthy of study because they both have a history of large eruptions and are located near populous areas. These may be the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth in terms of potential to create large disasters. (updated May 2020)

There are hundreds of active volcanoes around the world, but many more that are dormant or extinct. One can still appreciate the awesome power of nature from these volcanoes, without the hazards that go with active ones.

Measurement scale

There is a scale for the force of eruptions called the Volcanic Explosivity Index or VEI; the main factor is the volume of ejecta, the amount of material spewed out. The scale is logarithmic; a VEI-5 eruption produces at least 1 km³ of ejecta, VEI-6 10 km³, VEI-7 100 km³, and VEI-8 1000 km³.

Really large eruptions are quite rare. The 20th century had three VEI-6 eruptions, ten VEI-5, and a few thousand smaller ones, but none of VEI-7 or above. As of early 2024, the 21st century has not had any VEI-7 or larger events either.

There have been only five VEI-7 events in the last 2,000 years – Lake Taupo (New Zealand) in 180 CE, Ilopango (El Salvador) around 431, Mount Paektu (on the Korean-Chinese border) around 946, Mount Rinjani (Indonesia) in 1257, and Mount Tambora (Indonesia) in 1815. As for VEI-8, there has not been such an event in recorded history; the most recent was at Lake Taupo about 26,500 years ago.

The VEI-7 Tambora eruption of 1815 put out 160 cubic km (38 cubic miles) of ejecta, including enough dust and ash to cause "the year without a summer", widespread crop failure and some famine as far away as the US and Europe. Said "year without a summer" led the German Karl Drais to invent a "walking machine" which is today considered the first ancestor of the modern bicycle.

Classifying volcanoes

According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, the major volcano monitoring organization based in Washington, DC, volcanoes can be classified as follows:

• active if
  • it has erupted within the last 10,000 years (recently in geological terms)
  • or it shows considerable activity – hot springs, fumes, earthquakes, etc.
• dormant (French for sleeping) if it is considered active but is currently quiet
• extinct if it is no longer active

However, there is no international consensus on these definitions; each organisation may use somewhat different terms or different definitions. In any case, the terms are not precise; a volcano classed as active may do nothing interesting for hundreds of years, and volcanoes considered dormant sometimes erupt. A volcano classed as extinct is quite unlikely to come back to life, but there is no absolute guarantee.

Mayon Volcano, Philippines

Perhaps the best-known type of volcano is the stratovolcano which is built up from multiple layers of ash and lava over centuries, giving a conical shape. Several of the world's most famous volcanoes, such as Mount Fuji, Krakatoa, Vesuvius and Mount Etna, are of this type. Filipino tourist literature claims their Mayon Volcano has the world's most perfect cone.

A complex stratovolcano has multiple cones or multiple calderas; examples include Kilimanjaro, the Three Sisters in Oregon and Taal Volcano in the Philippines.

A somewhat less common type is a shield volcano, formed when the lava is less viscous and therefore spreads out much further. Most of Hawaii's volcanoes are of this type.

• Types of eruption. Volcanologists classify eruptions into several types. In general, a traveller need not care about this, but those who want to understand the science should look at the classification.  

A phreatomagmatic eruption may have huge explosions when a large amount of water is instantly turned to steam on contact with superheated magma. The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa was VEI-6, much smaller than the VEI-7 Tambora eruption a few decades earlier, but it is more famous because the explosions were absolutely enormous. The Hunga Tonga eruption of 2022 was similar since that volcano is under the sea.

Supervolcanoes

Supervolcanoes are the largest volcanoes on Earth, but are not easily recognizable as such. Many are so big that, for many years, even geologists did not appreciate that these features were volcanoes in their own right.

“ Volcanoes form mountains; supervolcanoes erase them. Volcanoes kill plants and animals for miles around; supervolcanoes threaten whole species with extinction by changing the climate across the entire planet. ”

—National Geographic

Supervolcanoes are generally in the form of large calderas, which are giant volcanic depressions formed either by large explosive eruptions or quiet long-term drainage of magma. They often have associated lava flows or domes, and in many cases there are smaller volcanoes within the caldera. Many of the calderas are now lakes, and sometimes the smaller volcanoes are islands in the lake.

Examples of supervolcanoes include Yellowstone in the United States, Lake Toba and Mount Tambora in Indonesia, the Phelgraean Fields near Naples in Italy, Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, and Lake Taupo in New Zealand. Most supervolcanoes have undergone unimaginably huge eruptions (VEI-7 or 8) in the geologic past; these are what created the huge caldera. However, such eruptions are tens or hundreds of thousands of years apart. There is no reason to worry that Yellowstone, for example, will explode during your visit; it had several huge eruptions in the past, but none since a VEI-8 event 640,000 years ago.

Geothermal areas

See also: Hot springs

Throughout volcanic areas of the world, one may also encounter geothermal areas. These places are often, but not always, associated with volcanic activity. Hot springs, geysers, mud pools and fumaroles (steam/gas vents) are common scenic features in geothermal areas, and hot springs can be great places to take a dip. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Iceland are especially famous for hot spring baths. Geothermal areas are also an environmentally friendly source of energy, and Iceland takes advantage of this very well.

Yellowstone National Park is probably the best known example of a geothermal area, as molten magma lies not far beneath its ancient caldera. Nearby Thermopolis, Wyoming has the world's largest hot spring plus a dinosaur museum and Native American petroglyphs. Geysir in Iceland, which is the namesake for all geysers in the world, is another famous geothermal region. New Zealand, with its volcanoes in the North Island, is also known for extensive geothermal areas, with Rotorua perhaps being the best known one. The indigenous Maori people of New Zealand, who traditionally cooked their food by burying it underground with heated rocks (known as a hangi), often make use of the geothermal heat instead if they live in a geothermally active area. Similarly, Iceland has a tradition of baking rye bread underground using the geothermal heat. Kamchatka in Russia is known for its picturesque Valley of the Geysers, but its remote location makes it only accessible by helicopter, meaning that it receives far fewer tourists than the other places mentioned here.

Stay safe

Scientists can make predictions about volcanic activity, and those predictions are good enough that travellers should check for current warnings when planning any trip to a volcanic area. However, the problem is complex and not all volcanoes are closely monitored, so predictions are generally not precise and sometimes not entirely reliable. Local media or tourist offices are the usual sources for warnings, but many countries have a government-run volcano monitoring organization which is the definitive source.

Etna's 2011 eruption, Sicily, Italy.

Public safety authorities may order hazard areas evacuated and visitors should certainly follow such advice. However, the onset of some volcanic events can be quite sudden, and authorities are sometimes slow to act since evacuations are disruptive, expensive and sometimes controversial. When an order is given, it may be difficult to comply since transportation may be disrupted or overcrowded.

If you are near a volcano that begins to act restless — perhaps earth tremors or expelling steam or dust — you should consider leaving the area without waiting for an evacuation order. "Get out while the gettin's good."

Volcanoes are complex and can be quite different from each other, so for most of them it is a good idea to have an expert guide who knows the particular mountain you want to visit. On the other hand, climbing some volcanoes without a guide is reasonable; for example Mount Fuji has not erupted since 1708, scientists are not issuing warnings, and there are well-marked trails.

Volcanic activity is often associated with earthquakes or tsunamis, and some volcanoes are high enough that altitude sickness is a risk. Each of those has another whole set of hazards; see the linked articles.

Equipment

Good footwear is essential since many volcanic rocks have sharp edges and some are hot; also, the terrain is often irregular and good boots will reduce the risk of a stubbed toe or turned ankle. A sturdy pair of hiking boots are the usual choice; look for thick soles, preferably in a material such as Vibram which does not melt easily.

Other equipment — such as heavy work gloves, a helmet, safety googles, a walking stick, a facemask for dust or a gas mask for poisonous fumes — is sometimes needed as well. For some volcanoes, mountaineering skills and equipment are needed. On a few, snakebite is also a hazard and high leather boots are the simplest protection.

Hazards

Volcano hazard zones can extend for dozens of kilometers, and there are multiple hazards.

An erupting volcano is extremely dangerous. Unless you have an excellent reason for going near one, the best advice is to stay away and watch it from a considerable distance, or even from the safety of your home or hotel on the TV news. It takes a major eruption to destroy a city, create or sink an island, or produce a huge death toll, but even the smallest eruption can destroy buildings and kill people.

“ It's tempting to go to the throat of the volcano to get the data, because if you do you're a hero ... It's a battle between your mind and your emotions. If your emotions win out, you can get yourself in a lot of trouble. ”

—Ken Wohlitz, From an obituary written by a scientist, for colleagues who died in an eruption

Even in areas with highly developed tourist infrastructure, there can be dangers - in 2019 a hiker was killed by a violent, unexpected eruption on Stromboli and twenty-two died when Whakaari erupted while a number of tour parties were visiting it.

A Hawaiian road buried by lava

Hazards found only during eruptions are:

• Lava is molten rock spewing forth from the volcano. In addition to the direct danger, a large lava flow radiates enough heat to ignite vegetation and kill animals at a considerable distance.
• Pyroclastic flows are streams of red-hot ash and debris that rush downslope from their source vents, incinerating anything flammable in their path. They can reach temperatures up to 800°C (over 1400°F) and travel at up to 150 km/h (almost 100 mph).
• Volcanic bombs are rocks thrown upward by eruptions; many are ejected as blobs of molten rock that solidify while airborne, so they may still be dangerously hot when they land. Large ones are generally not thrown far or high, but they can be any size up to that of a house and are spectacularly dangerous. Smaller ones can be thrown thousands of meters high and may land dozens of km away, and even an egg-sized rock can kill if it drops from a great height. A hard hat will reduce this danger somewhat, but not to anywhere near zero.
• Jökulhlaups are floods caused by the volcano melting parts of a glacier, possibly a part that functions as dam of a glacier lake. On Iceland there have been peak discharges in the order of magnitude of floods of the Amazon River. Bridges downstream from Vatnajökull used to get destroyed on a regular basis. Volcanoes can also cause floods when a crater wall collapses releasing the lake within, by melting snow that is not part of a glacier, or by blocking rivers.

Other hazards are present whether or not the volcano is erupting:

• Lahars are avalanches of mud created when a deposit of volcanic ash becomes mobile when it gets wet from rainfall or from a flood. They can occur long after eruptions, travel many kilometers at high speed, and be devastating. While there are usually some warning signs before eruptions, lahars often occur with no warning.
• Steam is dangerous, perhaps just scalding but in some cases (Krakatoa or some geysers) explosive. In many cases, hot water or hot mud are nearly as hazardous.
• Lethal gasses are gasses from eruptions or from vents, typically carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide; assume any vent with steam may also have nastier gasses. Often, but not always, the stink of sulphurous compounds provides a warning; avoid areas with a rotten egg smell. Also try to stay upwind of any vents releasing gasses. Walking toward a vent, keep the wind at your back; walking away, keep it in your face.
• Vog or volcanic smog is a nasty combination of water droplets with dissolved gasses, possibly plus volcanic dust. Since SO₂ in water becomes sulphurous acid, this is highly irritating to eyes and throat. In high concentrations or for vulnerable people — asthma, heart or lung disease, children, pregnant women, the elderly, etc. — it can be fatal. If you are exposed, a face mask gives some protection and drinking lots of water will soothe the throat.
• Falling rocks and landslides are more probable when the earth is restless. Avoid steep slopes and cliff edges, and be cautious if you need to be in vulnerable places.

Pyroclastic flows consume everything in their path.

Any of those can kill, but the ones that claim the most lives are pyroclastic flows and lahars because they often occur suddenly, they move very fast, and they can travel surprisingly long distances. Do not go anywhere that they are likely. If you get hit by either of these, your chances of survival are almost zero. If you are in the path, you are unlikely to outrun it, even with a vehicle; your best chance may be to try to get off the path by moving perpendicular to the flow or diagonally.

Staying on high ground when observing a volcano gives you a better view and reduces several hazards. The dangerous gasses are heavier than air and collect in low-lying areas, and lava, pyroclastic flows, lahars and floods all tend to follow the contours of the land. A combination of distance and altitude also reduces the risk from volcanic bombs. Often the best place to observe is from high on the other side of a valley, well away from the volcano; bring binoculars.

Most photographers will shoot a volcanic eruption from a good distance with a telephoto lens, but others find they get better results by moving closer; this may reduce blurring due to dust and ash and the distortions caused by hot air. It should be attempted only with considerable caution, and only with an expert guide.

Ashfall, volcanic mudflows, and the effects of earthquakes can extend for hundreds of kilometers away from the volcano. The most famous victim of ashfall was the Roman city of Pompeii, buried in 79 CE by Mount Vesuvius. Those two were only about 8 km (5 miles) apart, but ash can also be transported by air in vast quantities over a huge area. The enormous (VEI-8) prehistoric eruption of Yellowstone spread a layer of ash, close to two meters thick in places, over much of the US and parts of Canada and Mexico.

Volcanic ash tends to stop aircraft and vehicle engines, so transportation may be disrupted. An eruption in Iceland in 2010 shut down airports for weeks more than 1,000 km away in mainland Europe, but mostly the affected area is smaller, less than 100 km from the volcano. In some cases, boats and roads may also be shut down.

Dormant volcanoes

When a volcano is dormant, you are mostly safe even close to it, but there are some issues. Lava flows can still be hot for years after an eruption and only a thin crust of rock may be covering them. Old lava flows can be sharp as broken glass, so you should wear hiking boots or very thick shoes. To add to these dangers, lethal gases may be seeping out of vents near the volcano – and some can have a new eruption without much warning.

Lahars can also occur around dormant volcanoes, whenever a deposit of volcanic ash gets wet. They can travel many kilometers, and be devastating. While there are often some warning signs before eruptions, lahars can have no warning. Watch out for possible lahars when there are heavy rains.

Geothermal areas

Geothermal areas also have hazards. Hot springs and mud pools can be dangerous due to heat, acidity, or poison, so do not go near these areas unless you know for sure that they are totally safe. Geysers are a common feature of major geothermal areas, and can erupt hot water or mud unexpectedly.

Landslides are also common in geothermal areas, as even volcanic rock can become weakened over time. Acidic fumes can seep out of fumaroles (steam/gas vents) or hot springs. Noxious gases can also be encountered coming out of holes in the ground, and the gases can reach dangerous levels in enclosed spaces like caves, manholes, or pool enclosures. Carbon dioxide, which is a byproduct of volcanic activity, is known for going into enclosed spaces and it can kill swiftly with little or no warning.

Destinations

This section lists some of the more active or better known volcanoes in the world today; some of these can still be explored from up close. Wikipedia has lists of volcanoes for various regions, which include many we do not list.

Recently active volcanoes get red markers below. Dormant or extinct volcanoes get blue markers; we include some that geologists classify as active but that have not erupted for hundreds of years. Related phenomena, such as geothermal areas without actual volcanoes, get black markers.

Africa

Cameroon

• 1 Mount Cameroon (Mongo ma Ndemi). The only volcano outside of Europe to have records of an eruption before the Common Era in 5 BCE. It remains active today: its most recent eruption was in 2012. Near the city of Buea.  

D.R. Congo

The Nyiragongo lava lake from the rim (around 500–700m above)

• 2 Mount Nyiragongo. An active volcano in Virunga National Park in the far eastern D.R. Congo, near Goma and the Rwandan border. One of just four volcanoes in the world with a persistent lava lake, the others being Erta Ale (Ethiopia), Kilauea (Hawaii), and Mount Erebus (Antarctica). The volcano is usually accessed by overnight hike (8–10 hr up first day, hike down the following morning), with the night spent in tents on the rim of the caldera with stunning views of the lava lake and the surrounding region. Unfortunately, it is located in a conflict zone and access is occasionally blocked due to the presence of rebels and criminal gangs. It is a Decade Volcano.  

Ethiopia

In Dallol crater

The Danakil Depression, part of the Great Rift Valley, has some unearthly landscapes, several geothermal areas and two volcanoes.

• 3 Erta Ale (Danakil Depression). One of only four volcanoes with a lava lake.  
• 4 Dallol (Danakil Depression). Has a large crater with much geothermal activity.  

This is also an important area for paleontology with some man-made tools over three million years old.

Kenya

• 1 Mount Kenya. The second highest peak in Africa at 5,199 m, an extinct volcano from which the modern country of Kenya derives its name. Both a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Tanzania

• 2 Mount Kilimanjaro. This stratovolcano is Africa's tallest mountain at 5895 m (19,340 ft). It has a series of concentric summit craters apparently less than 10,000 years old and may have last erupted less than 2000 years ago. The name Kilimanjaro means "shining mountain" in Swahili, no doubt due to the once-extensive glaciers which are unfortunately disappearing rapidly each year. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• 5 Ol Doinyo Lengai ("Mountain of God" in the Masai tongue). In Ngorongoro Conservation Area, this is the only volcano on Earth that erupts natrocarbonatite lava. This type of lava emerges black, cools to grey, and oxidizes to white.  

Rwanda

• 6 Volcanoes National Park. This park is famous as the home of mountain gorillas. Visiting requires an advance reservation, an expensive permit, and some hiking.  

Islands near Africa

• 7 Piton de la Fournaise (on Réunion Island). An active shield volcano in a national park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• 8 El Teide. This volcano in Tenerife is the highest active volcano in the Canary Islands at 3715 m (12,188 ft). A flank vent at El Teide was observed erupting by Christopher Columbus and his crew in 1492. El Tiede is one of the Decade Volcanoes. It is in Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Madagascar has several volcanic fields but has not had an eruption since 6050 BCE.

Asia

Asia has many volcanoes which are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, plus some others.

China

• 3 Arxan Geopark (Inner Mongolia). Part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, has volcanoes, crater lakes and hot springs.  
• 4 Leiqiong Global Geopark (雷琼世界地质公园) (Haikou, Hainan and Zhanjiang, Guangdong). A UNESCO geopark spanning Hainan Island and the Leizhou Peninsula. The park’s Haikou District contains one of the few dormant volcanic clusters from the Holocene period (about 10,000 years ago). The volcanic cluster comprises 40 volcanoes and some 30 caves, however, most visitors only see the most spectacular volcano and crater. The park’s other main district is the Zhanjiang District, which is centered around a maar lake known as Huguangyan Lake.  

Mount Paektu

• 9 Mount Paektu (Baekdu Mountain). This is an active stratovolcano on the North Korean/Chinese border, with a beautiful crater lake. It plays an important role in both Korean and Manchu culture and mythology, as well as the cult of personality of the ruling Kim family in North Korea. The Chinese side is in the Changbaishan National Nature Reserve. It is much more difficult to visit the other side, in North Korea's Baekdu Mountains region. An area on the Korean side is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
  It had a VEI-7 blast in about 946 CE and most recently erupted in 1903. Some experts believe an eruption in the 21st century is likely.  
• 5 Tengchong Volcanic Geothermal National Geological Park (腾冲火山地热国家地质公园) (Tengchong, Yunnan). Large national park protecting the geologically significant parts of the Tengchong Volcanic Field, including a cluster of extinct volcanoes and an active geothermal field known as Rehai (热海) meaning Hot Sea. The Rehai Scenic Area has many hot springs and other hydrothermal features such as fumaroles and geysers.  

India

• 10 Barren Island. This is the only volcano in the Andaman Islands and the only active volcano in India. Day trips can be arranged from Port Blair. No additional permit is required, but it is not possible to land on the island, only to view it from the boat. (updated May 2020)

Indonesia

With 167 known active volcanoes, Indonesia is the world's most volcanic country by far. The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (website in Indonesian) is the government agency responsible for monitoring and warnings.

Some of the better-known ones, listed east-to-west, are:

Tambora caldera
6 km (3.7 miles) across

Krakatoa in 1883

• 11 Mount Tambora (Sumbawa). This stratovolcano is one for the truly adventurous; only about 50 visitors a year make it to its very remote location.
  In 1814 Tambora was 4,200 m (13,800 ft) high. It erupted with such force (VEI-7) the following year that 1,400 m (4,600 ft) was lost from its top. That was much the largest eruption in recent history, about ten times more powerful than the Krakatoa eruption a few decades later. It put enough dust and ash into the atmosphere to cause a "volcanic winter" that affected most of the Northern hemisphere; livestock deaths and crop failures caused the worst famine of the century.  
• 12 Mount Rinjani (Lombok). Indonesia's second highest volcano with a stunning crater lake. It's a two-day trek to the crater rim. Rinjani's twin peak, Mount Salamas, was destroyed by a VEI-7 blast in 1257 CE.  
• 13 Mount Agung. A highly visible volcano in the interior of Bali. "Agung" means "great" in Indonesian. The volcano is considered sacred by Balinese people, and its slopes are home to the beautiful temple complex of Besakih. Its last eruption, in 1963, was quite devastating.  
• 14 Mount Batur (Bali). A very accessible active volcano which takes just 2 hours to climb.  
• 15 Mount Bromo (Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, East Java). Known for its unreal scenery, this is a popular tourist destination. It is one of five newer volcanoes within the caldera of a large ancient one and is surrounded by a sea of sand. Climbing Mount Bromo gives a good view of nearby Mount Semeru.  
• 16 Mount Semeru (Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, East Java). Indonesia's third highest active volcano, best viewed from a distance: eruptions in December 2021 and again in December 2022 buried some villages in ash and killed a few dozen people. A permit from the park office is required to climb Semeru, but these are not always available, depending on conditions on the mountain.  
• 17 Mount Merapi (Central Java). Perhaps Indonesia's single most active volcano (no mean feat). It looms large over the major cities of Yogyakarta and Solo, and the very popular temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. Merapi has erupted 68 times since formal record-keeping began in the 16th century. Its eruption on May 11, 2018, prompted the evacuation of areas within a 5-kilometre (3.1 mi) radius of the volcano, and the closure of the Yogyakarta airport. It is a Decade Volcano.  
• 18 Krakatoa. This is an island in West Java province with several volcanoes on it which produced a series of large explosions in 1883. The largest is estimated to have been equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT, about four times the largest H-bomb ever tested, and the sound was heard 5,000 km (3,100 mi) away. The dust cloud had worldwide effects; global temperatures dipped by over a degree. This was a VEI-6 event.  

Japan

Fuji

• 19 Mount Fuji (Chubu, central Honshu). Located near Tokyo, this is Japan's highest and most beautiful volcano. It is also the most climbed mountain in the world and a place of religious significance in Shinto worship. It last erupted in 1708.  
• 20 Mount Aso (Kyushu). This is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world with the largest caldera.  
• 6 Mount Daisen (Chugoku, western Honshu). A dormant stratovolcano, also significant in Shinto.  
• 21 Mount Unzen (Kyushu). This is a complex stratovolcano. It is a Decade Volcano.  
• 22 Sakurajima (Kyushu). This is an active stratovolcano just outside of densely populated areas of Kagoshima City. It is a Decade Volcano.  

Philippines

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology lists 24 volcanoes as "active"; 21 of those have erupted in the last 600 years. Another 25 are listed as "potentially active" and 355 as "inactive".

The four most active, in order, are:

Trail marker on Kanlaon

• 23 Mayon Volcano (in Albay province). Often described as the world's most perfect volcano cone, Mayon had a fatal eruption in 1993.  
• 24 Taal Volcano (in Batangas province). This is a complex volcano system described as a "lake in a volcano in a lake" and one of the most picturesque landscapes in the Philippines. It has a history of destructive eruptions and is the country's only Decade Volcano. An eruption in early 2020 forced the evacuation of several towns.  
• 25 Mount Kanlaon (on Negros island). The highest mountain on Negros and highest in the Visayas, a 2,465 m (8,087 ft) stratovolcano. There are marked hiking trails. It is about 100 km from either of the island's two major cities, Bacolod and Dumaguete. A sudden eruption in 1996 killed several hikers. An eruption in June 2024 forced evacuation of parts of the city of Canlaon and shutdown of tourist facilities.  
• 26 Mount Bulusan (in Sorsogon province). A stratovolcano with several other craters, volcanic lakes and hot springs. There is a national park around it.  

Except for Kanlaon, these are all in southern Luzon.

Other volcanoes, listed north-to-south, include:

Clouds at Mount Pulag

• 7 Mount Pulag (Cordilleras region, northern Luzon). A dormant volcano, highest mountain on Luzon and third in the Philippines at 2,928 m (9,606 ft). It is in Mount Pulag National Park and is relatively easy to climb with marked trails. The view from near the top offers both the "sea of clouds" effect shown in the photo and, at night, excellent stargazing since it is high and there is no light pollution.  
• 27 Mount Pinatubo (near Bacolor in Pampanga province, central Luzon). A stratovolcano which had a VEI-6 eruption in 1991, the second largest on Earth in the 20th century.  
• 8 Mount Makiling (in Laguna province, southern Luzon). A dormant stratovolcano, sacred in the old local religion. At its foot is the town of Los Baños, a popular resort on a lake and close (63 km) to Manila. It is named for its hot springs, certainly pleasant and reputedly therapeutic.  
• 9 Lake Apo (near Valencia in Bukidnon province, Mindanao). A scenic crater lake, caldera of an extinct volcano. The region has several other volcanoes.  
• 10 Mount Apo (near Davao in Mindanao). This dormant stratovolcano is the highest peak in the Philippines at 2,954 meters (9,692 ft). It is fairly often climbed, but this is not easy; it requires mountaineering skills and equipment, and a guide.  
• 11 Bud Dajo (on Sulu, near Jolo). An extinct volcano, sacred in the old local religion. It was the scene of a battle in 1906 in which US Navy ships shelled people hiding in the crater.  

Turkey

• 12 Mount Ararat. A dormant permanently snow-capped volcano with two distinct peaks. It is the most sacred site in the world for the Armenian people, who consider it to be the site of the founding of their nation.  

Russia

Kamchatka, Russia's largest Pacific peninsula, has several active volcanoes and some hot springs and geysers.

• 1 Valley of Geysers. The area is known for its beauty, but notoriously inaccessible; the only way to get there is by helicopter.  

Two volcanoes, close to each other and to Kamchatka's's capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been jointly designated a Decade Volcano.

• 28 Avachinsky.  
• 29 Koryaksky.  

The largest area of igneous rock (7 million km², 3 million mi²) on Earth is the 2 Siberian Traps . The eruption, about 250 million years ago, is thought to have continued for about two million years and to have caused the largest extinction event in history.

Atlantic

• 3 Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This is the longest mountain range on Earth, on a tectonic plate boundary where the plates are moving away from each other at about 2.5cm (one inch) a year. In distant prehistoric times, the Appalachian Mountains, the Scottish Highlands and the Atlas Mountains were all parts of one mountain range, later split by tectonic activity along the ridge.  

Most of the ridge is submerged, but parts of it are above water. In the North Atlantic, Jan Mayen, between Greenland and Norway, has the northernmost active volcano on Earth, and Iceland and the Azores are also on the ridge. In the South Atlantic, Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island and Bouvet Island are on the ridge.

The Canary Islands are in the Atlantic but not on the ridge; this article therefore lists them under #Islands near Africa.

The Caribbean Sea is part of the Atlantic, but this article groups that region's volcanoes under #Central America and Caribbean.

Azores

This whole group of islands is of volcanic origin.

• 30 Faial. This relatively quiet island has both an active volcano and a beautiful large caldera.  

Iceland

Slopes of Hekla and surrounding landscape.

See also: Icelandic hot springs

Iceland has many active volcanoes, among them:

• 31 Hekla. In medieval times Hekla was thought to be a gateway to Hell. It has had five eruptions since 1947 (the last being in 2000), and is regarded as unpredictable.  
• 32 Katla. One of the country's largest volcanoes at 1512 m. It has a long history of being quite active, but has not had a major eruption since 1918.  
• 33 Askja. In a remote area on the island's central plateau, not accessible in winter.  
• 34 Eyjafjallajökull. A glacier that covers the caldera of an active volcano. It famously disrupted European air travel for weeks with an ash cloud released during an eruption in 2010.  
• 35 Reykjanes peninsula (Southwest Iceland). Starting in October 2023, this region has had many earthquakes; the small town of Grindavik was evacuated and the tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon was shut down. In mid-December a series of volcanic eruptions began; the sixth eruption ended in early September 2024, and it seems likely that was not the last.  

Some Icelandic volcanoes are featured in fiction. Snæfellsjökull is in Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Surtshellir has a long accessible lava tube, supposedly once home to the fire giant Surtr. Many parts of the Game of Thrones TV series were shot in Þingvellir National Park.

Europe

Culturally and politically, Iceland is part of Europe. Geologically, however, it is part of the mid-Atlantic ridge, so this article lists it under #Atlantic. The Canary Islands are also politically part of Europe, specifically Spain, but this article classifies them geographically and lists them under #Islands near Africa.

Greece

• 36 Nisyros. This island in the Greek Dodecanese islands is the top of a volcano, mildly active with smoking fumaroles. It is possible to walk into the crater floor for a closer look.  
• 37 Santorini. This island in the Aegean Sea is the largest of a ring of islands around an ancient caldera, and probably Greece's most famous volcano. It had a VEI-7 eruption around 1600 BCE. Some historians suggest the associated tsunami and earthquakes destroyed the Minoan civilization on nearby Crete, or that the devastation of these islands is the origin of the Atlantis myth, but both those theories are quite controversial.
  The volcano is still active, for it last erupted in 1950 out of Nea Kameni ("New Burnt" in Greek), an island made up of lava flows in the middle of the caldera bay. It is the country's only Decade Volcano.  

Italy

• 38 Vesuvius. This is a dormant volcano near Naples. It has not been smoking since it last erupted in 1944, but it is still very closely and carefully monitored because of its seriously hazardous proximity to that city, which is southern Italy's most populous. It is famous for its eruption in 79 CE, which buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under layers of pumice, ash and lava fragments.  
• 39 Mount Etna (Sicily). This is Europe's tallest volcano at 3,350 m (10,990 ft) and is quite active. (updated May 2020)

Both Etna and Vesuvius are Decade Volcanoes.

• 13 Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei). This is the caldera of a supervolcano near Naples; the town of Pozzuoli is within it. It had a VEI-7 eruption some 39,000 years ago.  
• 14 Ischia. This island in the Bay of Naples has a volcano classed as active; its last eruption was in 1302. It is a popular tourist destination with thermal spas.  
• 4 Vesuvius Observatory (Osservatorio Vesuviano) (in Naples). This centre monitors the three volcanoes in the Campania region: Vesuvius, the Phlegraean Fields and Ischia.  
• 40 Stromboli. This volcano in the Aeolian Islands has been in near continuous activity since at least the time of the Ancient Greeks and has been billed as the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean". Also featured in Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth.  

North America

Most North American volcanoes are in the Pacific Coast Ranges, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

USA

The Aleutian Islands and the associated Alaska Peninsula are volcanic in origin and have several active volcanoes.

• 41 Novarupta (Katmai National Park, Alaska). This volcano was formed in 1912 by the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, a VEI-6 event. It is near the base of the peninsula.  
• 5 Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes (Katmai National Park, Alaska). This is a large (100 km², 40 mi²) valley filled with ash from pyroclastic flows of the 1912 Novarupta event, in places up to 700 feet (210 m) deep. It still has some fumaroles releasing steam, but not nearly as many as in 1916 when it was named. There is no vegetation and the landscape is unearthly enough to have been used in astronaut training.  
• 42 Mount Redoubt (about 180 km (110 mi) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska). The largest active volcano in mainland Alaska.  

The Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest has active volcanoes, two of which have had major eruptions since 1900. We list them north-to-south.

Volcano evacuation route signs are common in the Pacific Northwest

• 43 Mount Baker (Washington State). This is one of the five major stratovolcanoes in the area that have produced over 200 eruptions in the last 12,000 years.  
• 44 Mount Rainier (Washington State). At 14,410 ft (4,390 m), this is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range, about twice the height of the adjacent mountains. The volcano, which last erupted in the late 19th century, is the only Decade Volcano in the continental United States. It is considered quite dangerous because it is only about 50 km (30 miles) from Seattle and is encased in over 35 sq mi (91 km²) of snow and ice, enough to cause massive flooding and dangerous lahars if there were a large eruption.  
• 45 Mount St. Helens (Washington State). This volcano is famous for an eruption in 1980 that was a VEI-5 event, one of the largest of the century. Since late 2004, it has been erupting once again, but not nearly as violently – this time, a new lava dome is slowly being extruded in its crater.  
• 46 Mount Hood (Oregon). At 11,239 ft (3,426 m) this is the highest mountain in the state of Oregon and a major outdoor recreation area. Located about 50 mi (80 km) east-southeast of Portland, the mountain is visible from the city on clear days and usually forms the backdrop for the Portland skyline in postcards and photographs of the city.  
• 15 Crater Lake National Park (Southern Oregon). The lake was formed after a volcano collapsed.  
• 47 Lassen Peak (California). This 10,457 ft (3,187 m) volcano last erupted in 1915. The surrounding National Park features steam vents, mud pots, and painted dunes.  

Hawaii also has many volcanoes.

Mexico

Popocatepetl

Volcan Colima (left) and Nevado de Colima (right)

• 48 Popocatepetl (near Mexico City). Popocatepetl often has a volcanic plume above its crater which is 5,450 m (17,880 ft) high. The name means "smoking mountain" in the native Nahuatl language.  
• 49 Pico de Orizaba, Puebla. This is the highest volcano in North America at 5,636 m (18,491 ft). It last erupted in 1846.  
• 16 La Malinche (Puebla State). Considered an active stratovolcano, though it last erupted in 1170 BCE. Elevation 4,461 m (14,636 ft).  
• 50 Paricutin, Michoacan. Young volcano that first appeared in 1943. It was the first time geologists could observe a volcano from birth, through its active phase of several decades, to its eventual dormancy. The volcano destroyed two nearby villages.  
• 51 Nevado de Colima and Volcan de Colima, Colima and Jalisco. Twin volcanoes on the border of two states in southwestern Mexico. Volcan de Colima is one of the most active volcanoes in North America having erupted 40 times since 1576. The volcano has an elevation of 3,820 m (12,530 ft). It is a Decade Volcano.  
• 17 Guadalupe Island (off Baja California). A dormant volcano designated a nature reserve.  

Canada

Canada has no volcanoes which have erupted in the last few thousand years, and only a few which are classed as active; it is thought to have had only about 50 eruptions in the past 10,000 years. However there are many dormant volcanoes, part of the same geological system that produces active volcanoes in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

• 18 Garibaldi Provincial Park, southern British Columbia (on the Sea to Sky Highway). This is a popular hiking destination with lovely mountain scenery and many glaciers. There are several volcanoes around Garibaldi Lake; most are classed as active because they have erupted in the last 10,000 years but none have erupted in the last 2,000. A lava dam collapsed in 1855 causing extensive flood damage, and access to some areas is still restricted due to landslide dangers.
  There has been an upsurge in steam venting and earth tremors in the 21st century, which is worrying since the volcanoes are close enough to threaten Vancouver.  

Central America and Caribbean

Many of Central America's volcanoes are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, but a few in Central America and all of the Caribbean's form another active zone.

Costa Rica

• 52 Arenal (near La Fortuna). This is the youngest volcano in Costa Rica. Its eruptions were frequent until 2010, but since then it has been calm. Several companies in nearby towns offer tours.  
• 53 Rincón de la Vieja (Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park). An active volcano in a national park that has two other national parks, a wildlife refuge, and an experimental forestry area as neighbours. There is good hiking.  

Masaya crater

Guatemala

Lake Atitlán is spectacularly beautiful and is one of the country's main tourist destinations. There are several volcanoes among the hills around the lake:

• 54 Volcan Atitlan (Volcán de Atitlán). Considered active, last erupted in 1853.  
• 19 Volcán San Pedro.  
• 20 Volcán Tolimán.  

Another major tourist destination is Antigua Guatemala. There are several volcanoes nearby and guided hikes are available from the town to any of them.

• 21 Volcán Acatenango. Visitors normally camp near the summit, getting a fine view of the more active Volcan de Fuego.  
• 55 Volcán de Fuego. This is a vigorously active volcano, extremely interesting but also extremely dangerous. It is usually reached by first going to Acatenango, then across to Fuego. Sensible visitors will stop at Acatenango.  
• 56 Pacaya Volcano (Volcán de Pacaya).  

The country also has several other volcanoes.

• 57 Volcán Tacaná (Guatemala). The surrounding area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.  
• 58 Volcán Santa María, Volcan Santiaguito (Gagxanul) (near Quetzaltenango).  

Nicaragua

• 59 Volcan Masaya (near Masaya). Active volcano complex with multiple craters and calderas, it last erupted in 2008.  
• 60 Volcan Mombacho, Granada. 1,344 meter high stratovolcano on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Last erupted in 1570.  
• 61 Ometepe. The island of Ometepe is made up from the volcanos Concepción (active) and Maderas (dormant).  

Caribbean

• 62 Mount Pelée. An eruption here in 1902 wiped out the town of Saint-Pierre (Martinique). Attractions of the rebuilt town today include a volcano museum and wreck diving around the many ships sunk by that eruption.  
• 63 Soufrière Hills (Montserrat). The volcano, previously considered dormant, began erupting again in 1995, causing the destruction of the southern half of the island (including its capital and airport in 1997). It is still active, though mostly a nuisance seeping lava and spewing ash into the air.  
• 22 Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Dominica). A UNESCO World Heritage Site with four dormant volcanoes, best known for a huge geyser called the Boiling Lake.  
• 23 Sint Eustatius (Lesser Antilles). This small Dutch island is dominated by a scenic dormant volcano. It is a quiet destination known for fine diving.  

South America

Chile

• 64 Volcan Láscar (near San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile).  
• 24 Ojos del Salado. Highest volcano in the world at 6,893 m (22,615 ft), with what is likely the world's highest lake near the summit. Except for the risk of altitude sickness it is relatively easy to climb; the slopes are mostly gentle and there is rarely snow since it is in the extremely dry Atacama Desert. There are several smaller volcanoes near it.  
• 25 Llullaillaco. This is the world's second highest volcano at 6,739 m (22,110 ft). It is surrounded by a national park.  
• 65 Volcán Villarrica, Villarrica, Araucanía. 

Colombia

• 66 Galeras (near Pasto). A Decade Volcano.  
• 67 Nevado del Ruiz (on the border of Caldas and Tolima departments). An active stratovolcano about 130 km west of Bogota. The volcano has erupted many times in recent history, most famously in 1985 when it killed more than 20,000 people in the town of Armero, which was buried by the world's largest recorded lahar.  

Ecuador

• 68 Cotopaxi (near Quito). One of South America's most spectacular volcanoes, world's highest active volcano.  
• 69 Laguna Quilotoa. This is a volcano with a beautiful crater lake. A popular, but fairly demanding, hiking route called the Quilotoa Loop leads to it and passes several other volcanoes.  
• 70 Sangay National Park. This park has several volcanoes including the very active Sangay Volcano.  

Oceania

The Pacific Ring of Fire runs through parts of Oceania, and other areas such as Hawaii also have volcanoes.

Hawaii

The entire Hawaiian island chain is volcanic in origin. Most of the volcanoes are of the shield volcano type, spread out rather than sharply conical

• 71 Kilauea (Big Island). This volcano has been erupting continuously out of its flank vent, known as Pu'u O'o ("Hill of the O'o bird" in the native Hawai'ian language) since 1983. You can normally peer safely into its magma chamber from an observation point a couple of miles away in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after nightfall.  

• 72 Mauna Loa (Big Island). Hawaii's highest historically active volcano, topped by the Moku'aweoeo Caldera. It is also the largest volcano by volume in the world. Don't be fooled by its gentle slopes – with its highest point at 4170m/13,683 ft) and the summit often covered in snow during the winter, the climb can be both difficult and dangerous for inexperienced hikers, and altitude sickness is a hazard for almost anyone. It is Hawaii's only Decade Volcano. Its most recent eruption was in November and December 2022.  
• 26 Mauna Kea (Big Island). This is the highest volcano in Hawaii at 4205 m (13,796 ft), and is pockmarked with cinder cones. Its high elevation is a magnet for astronomers with their giant telescope facilities, and even skiers. It is a dormant volcano; its last eruption was about 2460 BCE.  
• 73 Haleakala (East Maui volcano) (Maui). This is the tallest volcano on the island of Maui and makes up most of the island. It is renowned for its erosional crater and the cinder cones nestled inside. The name means "House of the sun" in Hawai'ian. There is a Haleakalā National Park around it.  
• 6 Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes (University of Hawaii, Hilo campus). There is nothing here for tourists, though visiting scientists are welcome. The web site has a fine photo gallery.  

New Zealand

• 74 Tongariro National Park. This park has three active volcanoes, Mount Ruapehu, Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe. Ruapehu, New Zealand's highest volcano, has a crater lake that forms and fills when the volcano is not erupting. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• 75 White Island. is a volcanic island in the Bay of Plenty, southeast of Auckland, and the most active volcano in New Zealand. Tours used to go to the island, until an eruption in 2019 killed a large number of visitors. (updated May 2020)
• 76 Taupo. This town is located next to New Zealand's largest lake, which is the caldera of a supervolcano. It had a VEI-7 eruption in 180 CE that produced red skies as far away as Rome and China. Around 25,000 BCE it had a VEI-8 blast.  

Papua New Guinea

Mt Tavurvur, New Britain, PNG

• 77 Mount Tavurvur. This is a very active stratovolcano right next to the city of Rabaul on the island of New Britain. Much of the town was destroyed in a 1994 eruption. It last erupted in 2006, shattering windows up to 12 km (7.5 mi) away and sending an ash plume 18,000 m (59,000 ft) into the stratosphere.  
• 78 Mount Ulawun. This is another active stratovolcano on New Britain. It is New Guinea's only Decade Volcano.  

Tonga

• 79 Hunga Tonga (in the south-west of Ha'apai, north of Tongatapu). This undersea volcano had a series of eruptions starting in December 2021. On January 15 2022 it had largest eruption anywhere since Mount Pinatubo in 1991; this was a VEI-5 or 6 event and caused heavy damage in much of Tonga. An undersea cable was cut knocking out much of Tonga's communications and there was enough dust to close airports and make reconnaissance flights (which both Australia and NZ sent) difficult.
  The eruption included an explosion loud enough to be heard as far away as Alaska and Australia, the largest volcanic explosion since Krakatoa in 1883. Tsunami warnings were issued in most Pacific nations, there was damage in areas as far apart as the US west coast and the Russian far east, and two people were killed by the waves in Chile.  

Antarctica

Over 130 volcanoes have been discovered in the frozen wastelands of Antarctica, and with many erupting underneath the dense ice sheets they are not particularly practical to visit.

• 80 Mount Erebus. At 3,794 metres (12,448 ft) Mount Erebus is the most active volcano on the continent. There used to be aerial tours over it from New Zealand until a fateful crash in 1979. Both the Scott and the Shackelton expeditions toward the South Pole passed near this volcano. (updated May 2020)
• 27 Mount Sidley. This extinct volcano is Antarctica's tallest volcano at 4181 m (13,717 ft).  

Australia

• 81  Heard Island and McDonald Islands. Almost 4000 kilometres from the Australian mainland, these two volcanoes are the only sort of active volcano anywhere in Australia (excluding the Australian Antarctic Territory). They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it's one of the only places with zilch introduced species and few human impacts. Access to the islands is not allowed, unless via permit. (updated Jan 2022)

Travel agencies

In many areas — at least the Philippines, Italy and Costa Rica — many local travel agencies offer guided tours to their region's volcanoes. There are also agencies that specialize in volcano tourism.

• Volcano Adventure Indonesia, Sukapura, Indonesia, tel. +62-335-581439, +62-81319090225. Tours to Mount Bromo and elsewhere in Indonesia.
• VolcanoDiscovery, Germany, tel. ☏ +49 2241-2080175, ☏ +30 2107522310. This tour operator specializes in international volcanoes and one of its most important programs is for Indonesian volcanoes. The tours are trekking & photography tours with small groups and an intensive personal service. The tours are usually about 7–14 days.

See also

• UNESCO Global Geoparks Network
• Earthquake safety
• Mountain ranges