The most powerful volcanoes on the planet. The largest volcano in the world What is the name of the largest volcano

Some of the most magnificent wonders on earth are volcanoes. Their beauty is truly dangerous, as they can bring destruction to everything around them. Hot lava and volcanic bombs can easily wipe out from the face of the earth everything that gets in their way, including the largest cities. Over many millennia, humanity has already become convinced of the incredible power of active volcanoes. For example, Vesuvius, which took thousands of human lives and destroyed largest cities that era (Pompeii, Stabia, Herculaneum).

The article describes largest volcanoes in the world. This list contains volcanoes from different parts of the world, regardless of seismological activity. The main criterion for selection was their height.

10. Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa opens the top 10 largest volcanoes in the world. This is one of the active megavolcanoes, which is located in the central part of the island of Hawaii. In terms of volume, it is second only to the Tamu Massif. Its height is over four thousand meters. Scientists suggest that Mauna Loa originated over seven hundred thousand years ago. Today it is considered an active volcano.

Mauna Loa has an irregular shield shape with gentle slopes. In the vicinity of the volcano you can find many species of rare plants and wild animals. The mountain and lands from the southeastern part are included in the reserve.

On the eastern side of the Andes mountain system is one of the most large volcanoes on the planet - active volcano Sangay. It has a steep conical shape, and numerous layers of lava and tephra can be seen on its top. The uniqueness of this volcano lies in the presence of three craters. On the territory of the mountain and its nearby territory a national natural park, which belongs to the list of UNESCO protected areas.

Scientists suggest that the Sangay volcano was formed about 14 thousand years ago. Its height is over 5 thousand meters. From the 1930s to the present day, Sangay has been characterized by very frequent periods of activity. The first documented volcanic eruption was in 1628.

8. Huila Volcano

Starovolcano Huila is the largest volcano in Colombia, with a height of 5365 meters. It has a steep elongated shape. Huila was considered dormant for many years, but after fifty years he began to show signs of activity. From 2007 to the present day, more than 7 thousand small seismic events have occurred. In 2011 it was registered last eruption. Huila poses a great danger to the inhabitants of the four regions that are in its vicinity.

This volcano and its surrounding areas are home to many species of wild animals. The rich flora and fauna is due to the presence of numerous water sources, which were formed due to the melting of snow from the top of the mountain.

7. Popocatepetl

The Mexican highlands are home to one of the largest active stratovolcanoes in the world, Popocatepetl. Its height is 5426 meters. The name of the volcano comes from the Nahuatl language, which means “Smoking Hill”. Next to it is Mount Iztaxuatl. These two hills received their names thanks to a legend. In it, the Aztecs talked about unhappy love, where a girl was given in marriage to another. This happened because her parents did not wait for their daughter’s lover to return from the hike. Soon the girl committed suicide. After some time, the warrior returned home victorious, but did not find his beloved alive. The guy could not come to terms with the loss and also committed suicide. As a sign of their eternal love, the gods turned the lovers into two mountains.

6. Orizaba

Orizaba is the highest peak in Mexico and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height above sea level is 5675 meters. Locals The volcano is called Citlaltepetl. This is translated from one of the Aztec languages ​​as “mountain of stars.”

On at the moment The volcano is dormant, but it has not completely gone out. About 27 eruptions have been documented, the last of which was observed in 1846.

In 1936, a protected park was created that included the mountain, surrounding areas and the settlement. Square protected area is almost 20 thousand hectares.

Over thirty years ago there were about 14 glaciers at the top of the volcano. Due to the problem of global warming, their number has decreased. Today there are 9 of them. The largest of them is Gran Norte with an area of ​​9 km2.

5. Misty

Misti is the largest active volcano in South America. It is located in the southern part of Peru. Its actual height is 5822 meters above sea level. Not far from the hill is the city of Arequina, home to more than 1 million people. Most of the city's buildings are built from pyroclastic deposits from the volcano.

The cone shape of Misti is a stratovolcano. It is characterized by explosive eruptions that alternate with the outflow of lava. One of the features of the volcano is the presence of three concentric craters. In the 15th century, very strong eruptions were observed. The most recent seismological activity was documented in 1985.

4. Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is the highest African volcano. It is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania. Taking into account glaciers, its height is 5895 meters. Kilimanjaro, like most of the world's largest volcanoes, remains dormant. At the moment, local residents are observing little seismological activity. Kilimanjaro has a conical shape and consists of three craters.

There are many theories that explain the origin of the name in different ways. The name of the volcano is translated from Swahili as “mountain that sparkles.”

Despite the fact that Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano, many scientists visit it every year. The top of the volcano is covered with a huge snow cap, which has formed there since the Ice Age. Due to global warming, its volume has decreased sharply over the last century.

3. Cotopaxi

In the list of the largest volcanoes in the world, Cotopaxi ranks third. The height of the volcano is 5911 meters, it is located in Ecuador on the western side of the Eastern Cordillera ridge. The capital of Ecuador, Quito, is located just 50 kilometers from Cotopaxi.

The peak of volcanic activity fell in the 17th-18th centuries. The last eruption occurred quite recently - in 2015.

Cotopaxi means "shining or smoking mountain" in the Quechua language. Sometimes you can see small puffs of smoke above its mouth, which are formed due to the release of water and sulfur. Since the volcano is dormant, its summit is covered with a thick layer of glaciers and snow.

2. San Pedro

At 6,145 meters high, San Pedro is the largest stratovolcano in the Andes mountain range. The volcanic cone is formed by basalt and andesite layers. The last seismic activity was observed in the 60s of the last century. In the summer of 1903, the first documented ascent to the top of the mountain was made.

Not far from San Pedro is the San Pablo Volcano. Outwardly, they look like two brothers who are connected to each other using a high saddle.

1. Llullaillaco

Llullallaco is the largest volcano on Earth. Its height is 6739 meters. It is located on the high plateau of Puna de Atacama, between Argentina and Chile.

Today Llullallaco is in a dormant state. The last period of activity was documented in 1877. Nowadays, you can quite often see smoke emanating from its mouth.

The very first documented ascent to the top of Llullallaco occurred in 1952. During the expedition, archaeologists found ancient sanctuary, owned by the Incas. Upon closer examination of the slopes of the mountain, several mummies were discovered, which were most likely sacrificed to the gods.

There are hundreds of volcanoes on the surface of the Earth. Among them are the most high volcanoes, the most powerful volcanoes, the largest volcanoes. And they have one thing in common - each rises tens and hundreds of meters and frightens with its power: it is possible that the volcano will begin to release steam and ash.

Where are the most active volcanoes?

Volcanoes are geological formations that appear in the earth's crust above cracks. And it is through them that ash, lava, loose rocks, water vapor and gases break through to the surface.

A volcano is called active if it showed signs of activity (for example, emitting gas and steam) in historical time for humans.

The largest number of active volcanoes is located in the Malay Archipelago. It is the largest on the planet, located between the continents of Australia and Asia. And in Russia, a large cluster of volcanoes is located in Kamchatka and Kuril Islands. About 60 volcanoes erupt in this part every year. But there is data on 627 volcanoes that showed signs of life in the last 10 thousand years.

The largest volcano

One of the largest volcanoes in the world is called Mauna Loa. It literally translates to "Long Mountain" in Hawaiian. The volcano occupies most of the island of Hawaii and is considered perhaps the most active in the world. Mauna Low has erupted exactly 33 times since it was first recorded in 1843. The last time the volcano came to life was in 1984. Then approximately 30 thousand acres of land were covered with lava, and the area of ​​the island itself increased by 180 hectares. Mauna Low rises 4169 meters above sea level. But if you measure the height of the volcano from the bottom, the figure will be twice as high - 9 thousand meters. This is even higher than the famous Mount Everest.

Hawaiian is not only the largest and most powerful volcano, it is also the most massive. Its volume from base to top is 75 thousand cubic kilometers. By the way, there are many legends around Mauna Low. According to one of them, Pele, the queen of volcanoes, was expelled from her home older sister, who was the goddess of water and sea. When Pele tried to build her own home, her sister sent waves to destroy it. As a result, Pele settled on the island and made herself a house called Mauna Low, it was so massive that the waves could not overwhelm it.

Tallest active volcano

Some call Llullaillaco the highest active volcano. It is located in the Chilean-Argentine Andes. Its height is 6 thousand 723 meters. The largest eruption of the largest volcano was last recorded in 1877.

However, on the question of which is the tallest active volcano in the world, the opinions of scientists differ. Some believe that Cotopaxi is the highest. It is located in the South American Andes, in Ecuador. Its height is less than the previous one, only 5 thousand 897 meters. But the last major eruption was recorded in 1942. Cotopaxi can rightfully be called the most beautiful in Ecuador. This is thanks to the riot of greenery at the foot and the graceful crater. However, the picture is deceptive. Cotopaxi, like a number of others, is the most dangerous volcanoes. In Ecuador, since 1742, 10 fairly large eruptions have been recorded that destroyed the city of Latacunga (it lies very close to Cotopaxi).

The most famous volcanoes

However, all of the above volcanoes are hardly known to the general public. The most famous volcanoes in the world are Vesuvius, Fuji or, for example, Etna.

Vesuvius is located in southern Italy near Naples and is active. True, the volcano is not very large, its height is only 1281 meters. Vesuvius is one of three active volcanoes in the country. And one of the most dangerous in the world. Today, more than 80 eruptions are known to humanity, and the most famous one occurred 2 millennia ago - in 79. It was then that the cities of Pompeii, Stabiae, and Herculaneum were destroyed. The last eruption was recorded in 1944; lava destroyed the cities of Massa and San Sebastiano.

The highest volcano in Africa and generally the highest point of the continent is Kilimanjaro. The volcano is located in Tanzania, 300 kilometers south of the equator. One of the peaks of Kilimanjaro - Kibo - reaches 5895 meters. Uhuru Peak is the highest point of the volcano. Scientists suggest that Kilimanjaro is more than a million years old. And what’s most surprising is that even though the volcano is located almost on the equator, many glaciers have accumulated on its slopes.

The largest volcanoes can be seen in Asia. The famous Fuji is located on Japanese island Honshu, which is 150 kilometers from Tokyo. The volcano has an almost perfect conical outline and has been an object of cult for local residents since ancient times. The height of the mountain is 3776 meters. Now the volcano is weakly active; the last time experts recorded an eruption was in 1707.

The most powerful volcanic eruption

But the most powerful volcanic eruption in history occurred in 1883. On May 20, Krakatoa began to show activity. It was on this day that residents of the Indonesian capital began to hear the first rumbles: people began to feel shaking from the volcano, which is located 50 kilometers from the capital. Such phenomena lasted three months, the volcano either subsided or became more active. Layers of floating pumice accumulated on the surface.

On August 27 of that year, the largest volcanic eruption that man has ever seen occurred. The rumble was heard even 5 thousand kilometers from the epicenter. The ash rose to a height of 30 kilometers. The volcanic structure scattered over a vast area, within a radius of up to 500 kilometers. The gas-ash column rose 70 kilometers, that is, it rose all the way into the mesosphere. The ash covered more than 4 million square kilometers and occupied a total of 18 cubic kilometers. The force of the explosion was estimated at 6 points. According to experts, this is 200 thousand times more powerful than the explosion that destroyed Hiroshima.

As a result of the eruption, about 300 villages and towns in Indonesia were wiped off the face of the earth. Result: 37 thousand dead, the bulk of the people were overwhelmed by a tsunami about 30 meters high.

The highest volcano in the world

The tallest volcano in the world is translated from Spanish as “salty eyes.” Ojos del Salado is located on the border of Argentina and Chile, and rises to 6891 meters. The record peak is located on Chilean territory.

The volcano is called inactive. This is because not a single eruption has been recorded in the history of mankind. However, sometimes Ojos del Salado reminds itself. For example, in 1993, a release of water vapor and sulfur was noticed.

By the way, as the editors of the site managed to find out, some geographers have already reclassified the volcano as active. Thus, removing Llullaillaco from the first place on the list of the highest active volcanoes. However, the debate on this issue has not yet subsided.

Also interesting is the fact that the highest mountain in Russia, Elbrus, is also a volcano.
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Volcanic activity is one of the forces of nature that can change the face of the Earth. And at the moment, underground forces continue their titanic work. Created from many layers of lava, monstrous sizes, largest volcanoes in the world lurking under the surface of the water or hanging over nearby cities.

Which ones are considered the largest? Scientists have not yet come to a consensus. Some believe that the rating should be based on altitude above sea level. Others say that it is necessary to take into account the area over which lava flows spread, forming a new surface. The third is that the human factor is most important: the danger to human settlements.

10. Etna - height 3295 meters

The highest volcano in Europe is located on the island of Sicily and is still active. The last eruption began on December 25, 2018. Due to frequent eruptions, it is impossible to accurately determine its height - it is constantly changing. For example, over the past 30 years, Etna has “lost” more than 20 meters in height. Currently it rises above the island at 3295 m.

The mountain is famous for its bad character - its slopes are dotted with craters, from where lava steadily pours out every couple of months. About once a century, eruptions occur on a larger scale, posing a direct danger to human settlements inhabiting the slopes. However, this does not stop stubborn people - due to frequent eruptions, the soil on the slopes of the mountain is rich in elements useful for plants, allowing them to reap large harvests.

9. Erebus - 3794 meters

If other volcanoes are located in the inhabited part of the world, then Erebus is located on the uninhabited continent of Antarctica. This is the largest active volcano in the southern polar region. Despite the lifeless ice expanses surrounding it, Erebus leads a very active life. And him geographical location- exactly above several faults in the earth's crust - contributes a lot to this.

Even though people don’t live near Erebus, it still affects their lives in a negative way. From the depths of the volcano, streams of gases contained within the Earth periodically burst out, mainly methane and hydrogen, which destroy the ozone layer. It is believed that the thinnest ozone sea is exactly in the area where the volcano is active.

8. Klyuchevskaya Sopka - 4835 meters

Like Etna, the height of Klyuchevsky volcano is constantly changing. Although it lost about 15 meters after the eruption five years ago, it still remains the highest active volcano in Russia and Asia.

Although, compared to other peaks of Kamchatka, Klyuchevskogo Volcano loses in frequency, it successfully compensates for this in power. For example, the 1938 eruption lasted 13 months and caused the formation of several craters up to 1900 m high. And the 1980 eruption tore off and threw into the air to a height of more than 500 m a block of ice with an area of ​​at least half a kilometer.

But the most spectacular and most terrible eruption was in 1994, when an impressive column of ash more than 12 km high rose above the volcano, and a plume of volcanic ash extended from the eruption site for many tens of kilometers and disappeared somewhere in the ocean.

7. Orizaba - 5636 meters

“The top of the volcano must touch the sky itself,” the ancient Incas probably thought and gave it the name Citlaltepetl, or “Star Mountain.” It is the tallest active volcano in North and Central America, and the third highest peak in the region. It can be seen from afar - many miles from the coast, the cone of Orizaba can be seen from the side of a ship traveling through the Gulf of Mexico to the port of Veracruz.

Although the volcano is now sleeping, its calm is deceptive - it led a very active existence from the moment the conquistadors came to these places until the 19th century, and in recent years, the station located at its foot has recorded constant internal activity.

6. Elbrus - 5642 meters

The most high mountain at the same time it is the largest volcano in Russia and Europe. Glaciers descending from the snow-covered surface give rise to several significant rivers that feed the plains of the Caucasus region.

In addition to its beauty, the snow-white cone with two peaks and a small saddle between them is distinguished by its meek and peaceful character. Elbrus has been dormant for a long time, and its last eruption was more than 5,000 years ago. Despite the external severity, climbing Elbrus is easy and simple - the climbing routes to the top of the sleeping patriarch are among the easiest.

5. Kilimanjaro - 5885 meters

The magnificently handsome Kilimanjaro is the calling card of Africa, its largest volcano. The sleeping giant is actually three volcanic cones that are visible from almost anywhere in neighboring Tanzania and Kenya.

Unlike many of the volcanoes in the ranking, Kilimanjaro is the most famous volcano in the world, a typical stratovolcano. If you ask a child to draw it, most likely, he will draw a conical mountain, from the top of which ash, burning gases and very viscous lava are erupting, which quickly hardens, growing the cone higher and higher. This is a stratovolcano. The size of Kilimanjaro is 4800 km3, and its height is 5885 m. The last time the volcano was active was at the dawn of mankind - 360,000 years ago.

4. Ojos del Salado - 6,893 meters

If the second and third places in the ranking are the largest volcanoes in the world, if you count from the seabed, then Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world located above the surface of the sea. It rises 6,893 m above the ground. The giant mountain is located on the border between Argentina and Chile.

Although the last active volcanic eruption occurred before the invention of writing by mankind - no data about it has been preserved - however, Ojos del Salado cannot be called sleeping in the full sense of the word. In the depths of a huge mountain, a mysterious hidden work seems to be taking place, the echo of which reaches the inhabitants of the earth in the form of clouds of steam and ash. The last such activity took place as recently as 1993.

3. Mauna Loa - 9800 meters

Mauna Loa is an underwater volcano, the summit of which (along with five others) gave rise to Big Island archipelago of Hawaii. The size of Mauna Loa is 40,000 km3, the area is 75,000 m2, and the height (if you count from the seabed) is as much as 9,800 m. And it is the highest active volcano in the world - the last eruption of Mauna Loa was only 34 years ago, in 1984 year. In just the last 170 years, Mauna Loa has frightened people with its activity, throwing out lava 33 times.

2. Mauna Kea - 10058 meters

“Sister” Mauna Loa rises almost 4267 m above sea level. Doesn't seem like much, right? However, there is more potential hidden in Mauna Kea than meets the eye - its foundation lies deep under the water column at a depth of more than 6000 m. This makes Mauna Kea. If it were entirely located on land, it would break the record of all the highest volcanoes in the world, beating the “terrestrial” favorite Ojos del Salado by almost 3000 m.

The summit of Mauna Kea has very low humidity and almost never clouds - now home to one of the largest observatories in the world.

Mauna Kea arose above the earth's hot spot - a place where hot and molten magma rises up from the Earth's mantle layer. Over millions of years, the outward molten rock created the surface of everything Hawaiian archipelago. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano; this means that it has been inactive for more than 4,000 years, and the hot spot for magma reaching the surface has shifted. However, inaction does not mean that he will doze forever.

1. The largest volcano in the world: Tamu Massif - 4000 meters

“How, just 4000 meters - and the largest volcano in the world?” - the reader may be indignant. Yes, Tamu's height is not very impressive. But let's take a closer look at it from all sides.

Most of the biggest natural objects humanity discovered the world a long time ago, at the dawn of its existence. But the Tamu massif - the largest volcano on planet Earth - managed to hide from people for many years.

It is amazing that humanity knew more about the huge volcanoes on Mars than about the giant mountain under our very nose. The reason for this is both the remote location (it is located more than 1,600 km east of Japan) and the depth. Its top is immersed in the thickness of the World Ocean for 2000 km. It was only in 2013 that scientists discovered that the stunning mountain of lava on the ocean floor was in fact a single volcano.

Its volume is approximately 2.5 million km3, and its area is more than 311 km2. Fortunately, it has been dormant for a long time - Tamu's last eruption was about 144 million years ago.

The most dangerous volcano in the world

The Yellowstone supervolcano is considered the most active and dangerous today. Located in national park USA, it poses a huge threat not only to the state of Wyoming, but to the entire planet. It is believed that the eruption of the Yellowstone Volcano could lead to climate change throughout the Earth.

As a result of the disaster, more than 70% of the US territory will be destroyed. Magma and ash will cover the area with a 3-meter layer. Losses will amount to more than 10 million lives, and the territory will become uninhabitable due to high levels of radiation.

Today, visiting the park is limited; entry into some areas is completely prohibited. Scientists are carefully examining the caldera; an eruption could begin in the coming decades.