Volcanoes are one of the most magnificent wonders on earth. Their beauty is truly dangerous, as they can bring death to everything around them. Hot lava and volcanic bombs can easily wipe out everything that gets in their way, including the largest cities. For many millennia, mankind has already managed to verify the incredible power of active volcanoes. For example, Vesuvius, which took thousands of human lives and destroyed the largest cities of that era (Pompeii, Stabia, Herculaneus).

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

Opens the top 10 largest volcanoes in the world of Mauna Loa. This is one of the active megavolcanoes, which is located in the central part of the island of Hawaii. It is second only to the Tamu Massif in its volume. 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 thyroid 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 largest volcanoes on the planet - the 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 protected areas of UNESCO.

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

8 Huila Volcano

Huila Old Volcano is the most big volcano in Colombia, whose height is 5365 meters. It has a sharp elongated shape. Huila was thought to be dormant for many years, and after fifty years he began to show signs of activity. In the period from 2007 to the present day, more than 7 thousand small seismic events have occurred. The last eruption was recorded in 2011. 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 convergence of snow from the top of the mountain.

7. Popocatepetl

In the Mexican highlands is 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 Istaxuatl. These two hills got their names thanks to the legend. In it, the Aztecs told about unhappy love, where the girl was given in marriage to another. This happened because her parents did not wait until their daughter's beloved returned from the campaign. Soon the girl committed suicide. After some time, the warrior returned home with a victory, but did not find his beloved alive. The guy could not measure up 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 - highest peak Mexico and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height above sea level is 5675 meters. The locals call the volcano Sitlaltepetl. This, translated from one of the Aztec languages, means "mountain of the star."

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

In 1936, a conservation park was created, which included the mountain, the surrounding areas and the settlement. The area of ​​the protected area is almost 20 thousand hectares.

Over thirty years ago, there were about 14 glaciers on the top of the volcano. In connection with the problem of global warming, their number has decreased. To date, there are 9 of them. The largest of them is the Gran Norte with an area of ​​9 sq. km.

5. Misty

Misty 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, which is home to more than 1 million people. Most of the city's buildings are built from pyroclastic deposits of the volcano.

In the shape of a cone, Misty is a stratovolcano. It is characterized by explosive eruptions, which 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. Including glaciers, its height is 5895 meters. Kilimanjaro, like most of the largest volcanoes in the world, is 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. From the Swahili language, the name of the volcano is translated as "mountain that sparkles."

Even though Kilimanjaro is dormant volcano, it is visited by many scientists every year. The top of the volcano is covered with a huge snow cap, which has been formed there since the Ice Age. Due to global warming, its volume has sharply decreased over the past 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. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is located just 50 kilometers from Cotopaxi.

The peak of the activity of the volcano fell on the XVII-XVIII century. Last eruption happened as recently as 2015.

Cotopaxi in Quechua means "shiny or smoking mountain". Sometimes small puffs of smoke can be seen 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

San Pedro, at 6145 meters, is the largest stratovolcano in mountain system Andes. The cone of the volcano 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 summit of the mountain was made.

Not far from San Pedro is the volcano San Pablo. Outwardly, they look like two brothers who are connected with each other with the help of a high saddle.

1. Lullaillaco

Llullagliaco 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.

To date, Llyullaco is in a dormant state. The last period of activity was documented in 1877. Now quite often you can see how smoke is emitted from its muzzle.

The very first documented ascent to the summit of Llullagliaco took place in 1952. During the expedition, archaeologists found ancient sanctuary belonging to the Incas. A more thorough examination of the slopes of the mountain revealed several mummies, which were most likely sacrificed to the gods.

The ancient Romans believed that the god Vulcan commanded the destructive fire, hence the name of the geological hills. Today, scientific discoveries have made it possible to describe the origin of volcanoes, the nature of eruptions, and the danger to the population living nearby.

Consider the largest active geological elevations and give them a description. On the surface of the land, their number exceeds 900 pieces, hundreds more are located under the waters of the oceans.

The biggest eruption ever

All terrestrial volcanoes are divided into two types:

• operating;
• extinct.

Depending on the activity of the eruption, it can last either for several days or indefinitely. It is noteworthy that the atmosphere on planet Earth arose due to the strongest eruptions, during which a huge amount of soot, steam and carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere.

Location of the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet

Any eruption is assessed as an emergency. The force is calculated according to the VEI (Volcanic Eruption Index) scale and does not depend on the features of the crater and the size of the geological formation itself. The score is given according to two parameters:

1. the volume of the erupted mass;
2. ash column height.

When studying the consequences of volcanic activity, it turned out that some supervolcanoes are capable of changing the climate on the planet by their activity. This happened about 75 thousand years ago.

Supervolcano Toba eruption

The exact date of the beginning of the eruption of the Indonesian volcano is unknown, at that time the planet was going through the last ice age. Today, its crater is located in the center of the island of Sumatra, where big lake. Toba is extinct and will never be able to influence the climate again.

The eruption was so powerful that the ashes of Toba were later found in the region of Lake Malawi ( East Africa, Great Rift Valley). The volume of lava exceeded 2800 km 3, this had the most severe consequences:

• reduction in human, animal and bird populations;
• the release of ash into the atmosphere and the reduction of sunlight;
• decline average temperature on the planet by 3 degrees;
• destruction of a number of plants and microorganisms.

Toby Crater today is the lake of the same name

Supervolcano eruptions on Earth occur no more than once every 100,000 years.

The largest volcano in North America - Yellowstone

Supervolcano is not exactly a scientific term, it is used to evaluate the largest geological elevations that can cause significant harm to the planet and humanity. The eruption of such a giant can be estimated at 8 points on the VEI scale.

Consider the largest volcano in America and find out if it may erupt in the near future.

Yellowstone is a basin of volcanic origin on a hill called a caldera. It is located in the northwestern part of the United States (Wyoming) on ​​the territory of the Yellowstone Nature Reserve. Geologists have measured the size of the caldera: 55 by 72 kilometers, which is about a third of the protected area. The height of the volcano is 2805 meters.

Since the dimensions of the Yellowstone caldera are huge, they found it relatively recently.

Studies show that a series of three eruptions took place earlier, the first of which is dated 2.1 million years ago. Each of them was weaker than the previous one. The likelihood that Yellowstone will wake up is very small. Meanwhile, it is impossible to predict the beginning of activity. The US government annually invests in a project to cool the magma bubble.

The largest volcano in Europe - Etna

There are 2 supervolcanoes in Europe, their activity is not very high. However, people still remember the aftermath of the Vesuvius eruption that engulfed Pompeii and nearby cities.

To see the largest volcano in Europe, you should go to Italy to the island of Sicily. On east coast near the town of Messina is the volcano Etna with a height of 3295 meters. Studies have shown that the giant has hundreds of side craters, from which lava is knocked out one by one.

The breathtaking sight of the eruption of Etna on about. Sicily

Etna is a dangerous volcano, once every hundred years it floods the Sicilians with hot streams, destroying villages and towns. The ash left after that is rich in minerals and trace elements, so grapes, olives, and tangerines are grown on the slopes. In 2015, Etna ejected a lava flow 1 kilometer high.

The largest volcano in Russia - Elbrus

There are several active volcanoes in Russia that can wake up at any moment. Most of it is geographically located in Asia, but there is one that is also the highest point in Europe.

The largest volcano in Russia is the Caucasian Elbrus, which has been dormant for a long time and is not considered dangerous. The summit is located at an altitude of 5642 meters. Formed 2-3 million years ago, volcanic activity lasted 250 thousand years, after which he fell asleep. Today, hotels have been built in the foothills and on the slopes, tourist bases, rescue center, cable cars.

Do not forget that Elbrus is a sleeping volcano, and one day it will wake up

Studies in 2000-2010 showed that the activity of Elbrus is increasing, moss was found on the slopes near the top in place of glaciers. The volcano may wake up within the next 50-70 years.

TOP 10 largest volcanoes in the world

Active volcanoes are located all over the planet Earth. The largest dangerous areas are Central and South America, Indonesia, Kamchatka, Kurile Islands and Japan, Hawaii, and the US Northwest. Introducing the TOP 10 largest active volcanoes in the world by height.

1. Ojos del Salado (6893 m)

The highest volcano on Earth is the giant Ojos del Salado, located on the border between Argentina and Chile in South America. Considered extinct and not dangerous, but little activity has been observed. The Ojos del Salado crater is home to the highest lake in the world.

The greatest volcano on the planet, although active, may soon be considered extinct

The Incas, who lived here historically, considered the supervolcano sacred; climbers discovered sacrificial altars on the slopes of the mountain.

2. Lullaillaco (6723 m)

The high plateau of Puna de Atacama is dotted with large volcanoes. Lullaillaco is one of them. A number of volcanologists include Ojos del Salado in the list of extinct ones, in their opinion, Llullaillaco should take first place in the top. Geographically, they are neighbors. The last eruption occurred in 1877.

The volcano is located in the driest place on the planet, the Atacama Desert.

The Incas, who survived more than one great catastrophe, performed sacrificial rites. So, in 1999, the mummies of three well-preserved children were discovered here; they are stored in the Museum of Argentina.

3. San Pedro (6159 m)

In the central part of the Andes, the largest stratovolcano is San Pedro. Geographically lies in the province of El Loa in Chile. Last operated in 1960. Since there are few in this area settlements, it is not considered dangerous.

Next to San Pedro is the giant San Pablo

It is currently in a state of long dormancy, does not show activity. Climbers have conquered San Pedro more than once; the journey is considered difficult due to the dry climate.

4. Cotopaxi (5911 m)

Cotopaxi Volcano is the second highest peak in Ecuador. Dimensions of the crater: 800 by 550 meters. Stratovolcano is considered not only large, but also dangerous. It has been active over 50 times in the last 300 years.

Cotopaxi - a dangerous volcano

The last eruption occurred in 2015. The top of Cotopaxi is steep, covered with snow and ice, bases for climbers are built on the slopes.

5. Kilimanjaro (5895 m)

One of the most attractive sights of Tanzania, the highest volcano in Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro. Last Activity dated 200 thousand years to the present day, but a detailed study showed that the red-hot lava is located close, tremors can provoke its release at any moment. It is also interesting that the ice cap at the top has melted significantly over the past 100 years, its volume has decreased by 82%.

Kilimanjaro Kibo crater from above

Despite the concerns of volcanologists, Kilimanjaro is a mecca for climbers. The mountain is considered difficult to conquer. Consists of three peaks covered with glaciers:

• Mawenzi (eastern);
• Shira (western);
• Kibo (central).

The area of ​​Kilimanjaro is 6208 kilometers.

6. Misty (5821 m)

Let's go back to South America. The sixth place in the list is occupied by the Peruvian Misti volcano, the top of which is covered with snow only in winter. 20 kilometers from the hill lies the city of Arequipa, built from white pyroclastic material mined from the mountain.

Center of Arequipa, Misti Volcano in the background to the right

In 1985, the population observed weak activity, at the moment Misty is stable. Inca mummies were also found on its slopes.

7. Orizaba (5700 m)

Peak of Orizaba highest point Mexico. For more than 300 years, it has been in a phase of calm, volcanologists are watching it. Next to it is the Sierra Negra stratovolcano, on top of which there is a high-precision telescope. An observatory was built between the two peaks to observe the galaxy.

Trail to Orizaba Peak

The top of Orizaba is a small crater covered by a cork.

8. Elbrus (5642 m)

The largest volcano in Eastern Europe and Russia - Elbrus. It last erupted over 5,000 years ago. History knows hundreds of failures during ascents and not a single death from red-hot lava.

The scheme of climbing Elbrus

A much more dangerous supervolcano in Russia is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, which lies in Kamchatka. In the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth, it takes 12th place, it shows activity approximately every 5 years.

Activity of Klyuchevskaya Sopka

9. Popocatepetl (5422 m)

Translated from the Nahuatl language, the name of the active powerful stratovolcano literally means "smoking hill". It is the second highest peak in Mexico. Not far from it is The largest city country - Mexico City.

Threw out ashes and gases in 2019 without causing any harm to the population.

10. Sangay (5230 m)

The Sangay volcanic formation in Ecuador has three craters. The area around it is considered a protected area. Sangai is active, last ejecting lava flows in 2016. The world watched the action in horror, but there were no casualties.

Volcano Sangay in 2016

conclusions

1. The largest eruption studied by volcanologists occurred on the island of Sumatra thousands of years ago. Such a phenomenon can change the climate on the planet and harm humanity.
2. The largest volcano in terms of area North America- Yellowstone. If he enters the active phase, it will end in disaster.
3. largest in Western Europe Etna stratovolcano in Italy.
4. In Russia, the highest is Elbrus, the largest in area is Klyuchevskaya Sopka.
5. The largest volcano in the world is Ojos del Salado in Argentina and Chile. He is inactive. If volcanologists recognize it as sleeping, Llullaillaco next to it will rise to the first line.

Volcanoes in our mind represent the boiling of emotions. They are huge and unpredictable, and their action is destructive. In general, a volcano of passions. In fact, how big are they? And do they all continuously boil and smoke, throwing out red-hot lava? For the inhabitants of which regions do they pose a danger? How big is it? When was the world's largest volcano last erupting? What is the name and where is it located? Does activity depend on size?

Volcanoes of the planet

In fact, most of the volcanoes are located in the southern latitudes. Conventionally, the volcanic belts of the earth are divided into three groups: Pacific, Mediterranean-Indonesian and Atlantic. The most active zones are located along these lines, in each of which there are volcanoes - large, relatively small and gigantic. Map Latin America literally strewn with them, especially in the middle part, from Mexico in the north to Ecuador in the south. There are many of them in the countries of Central Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea). Southeast Asia is also rich in these wonders of nature, as is island states(Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Fiji Islands), whose names please the ears of exotic lovers. Nevertheless, there are volcanoes in other places, for example, in Kamchatka, in Japan, and also in Alaska, New Zealand and other regions with a cold and temperate climate.

In Europe, Vesuvius and Etna became notorious, causing the death, complete or partial, of entire cities (sometimes to the delight of modern archaeologists). Despite the tragedies, people continue to settle near the towering masses with smoking craters, tourists go to them, rightfully considering them to be real sights. Their sizes range from 350 meters (Taal, Philippines) to almost seven kilometers Ojos del Salado (border of Chile and Argentina). But height is not the main criterion for determining the largest volcano in the world. In America, they believe that he is in the state of Wyoming. And this opinion has serious grounds. The Yellowstone Volcano is considered the largest on the planet in terms of the area occupied on the map. But the criteria for sizing are ambiguous. For example, there are volcanoes much higher.

Old and young volcanoes

To assess the degree of danger of the proximity to the volcano, you need to understand what it is. After all, it's not just high mountain so called. So, volcanoes are located in those places on the earth's surface where the movement of the upper solid layer occurs. The interior of the Earth is filled with boiling magma, it seethes and sometimes asks to come out. In those places where it comes closest to the upper hardened edge, a volcano can arise under certain conditions. This process is long, sometimes taking millions of years, but it does not stop even for a moment. In this case, the age of the volcano does not really matter. For a long time extinct crater suddenly wake up. It is not always known when the previous eruption occurred. It is believed, however, that young volcanoes are the most active. Eruptions often occur quite unexpectedly.

What is inside?

Both the largest volcano in the world and the relatively small one have a similar internal structure. The mass of previously ejected petrified lava rises above the surface and presses on a layer of granite, basalt and other stone deposits, provoking the release of magma through the main trunk and its side branches. The eruption does not last long (sometimes several hours), then a precarious equilibrium sets in, sometimes leading to the freezing of the surface of the crater, in which a lake often appears. This parity of internal pressure and external conditions can be violated at any moment. And then the sky will darken from the ashes, so much carbon monoxide and other ozone-depleting compounds will rise into the air that all prohibitions on the use of freon in cans will seem completely inappropriate and useless. And all this happens, even if it is not the largest volcano in the world that erupts, but rather a medium or very “small” one.

But it's all on the earth's surface. And under the water passes its own volcanic life. And if "land" volcanoes emit substances harmful to the ozone layer into the atmosphere, then their underwater counterparts, on the contrary, help to restore it. This happens because by their activity they contribute to the vital activity of phytoplankton, which in turn produces oxygen in the process of photosynthesis. Due to the iron emitted by underwater volcanoes, the microelement supply of the food chain of a number of living microorganisms occurs.

Underwater seismic and volcanic activity lead to a change in the topography of the ocean floor, up to the appearance or disappearance of islands, and sometimes even causes the appearance of giant tsunami waves. But underwater volcanoes excite people to a lesser extent than those that can be seen with your own eyes, having made your way to the nearest national park or having made a tourist trip.

yellowstone miracle

The USA is a young country, its history is not calculated in many centuries, and even more so in millennia, as in many European or Asian countries. The more Americans love and appreciate everything that can be proud of in their homeland. If there is something very special in the country (better than in the whole world), then the guides do not forget to remind tourists about this, and numerous avenues vied with each other to point to such an attraction. This is what the United States authorities have really succeeded in, so it is in respect for nature. There are wonderful national parks all over the country. They began to be created back in the 19th century, many presidents paid great attention to them, and F. D. Roosevelt believed that they, like nothing else, convey the essence of the whole country.

Any resident of Wyoming knows where the largest volcano is located. "In America, of course!" he says confidently. Moreover, in Yellowstone national park, from which the process of creating reserves in the United States began in 1872. And this reserve is named after the volcano. It is really huge, but somehow flattened. Even having arrived here, not everyone will immediately understand that they are in the crater itself. The area occupied by the largest volcano in the world (and this is four thousand square kilometers) is twenty times the size of the US capital, the city of Washington. The height of the crater, in fact, is also by no means small, more than three kilometers, but, given such a vast base, it is somehow lost in the general landscape of the National Park.

Yellowstone is the largest volcano in the world. The US is very proud of it. It would take at least an hour to cross its extinct crater alone by car. Its dimensions are 72 kilometers long and 55 kilometers wide.

It is the area occupied by Yellowstone that gives grounds for its title. Looking at its cartographic plan, it is easy to conclude that although it is not the highest, it is still the largest volcano in the world in terms of volume. What is the name of his Ecuadorian competitor, who has risen to almost seven kilometers in height? More on this later. In the meantime, you can speculate about the potential danger posed by Yellowstone.

One of the threats to the US

Modern geodetic science allows us to assume with a high degree of certainty that it erupted infrequently, only a hundred times in its entire life. And its age is quite respectable, seventeen million years. The last time he showed his temper about 6400 centuries ago. A simple arithmetic calculation leads to the frightening thought that an eruption may soon begin again. And every year the probability of this event increases more and more. The data obtained using the means of objective control is alarming, since the beginning of the new millennium, the internal activity of the mountain has been growing. Inside a gigantic flattened cone with a collapsed center-crater, lava is noisy, and louder and louder. This hum scares not only the inhabitants of Wyoming and neighboring states. Pessimists argue that no thermonuclear war can be compared in terms of consequences with the destruction that the largest volcano in the world can cause. In the United States, life will become impossible, and not in some figurative, political or economic sense, but in the most literal, physical sense, and throughout the country. If you imagine that the largest volcano in the world woke up, there is something to be horrified. Sunlight will cease to flow, ash raised into the air will close the luminary. The greenhouse effect will lead to sharp decline temperature. The overall picture is reminiscent of a futuristic horror film in which the consequences of a nuclear war are plotted.

However, not all scientists are so pessimistic. In fact, no one knows exactly how events will develop in the event of a new eruption, and how serious the catastrophe will be if the largest volcano in the world begins to erupt. On the other hand, if something like this does happen, then no security measures will be effective. It is simply impossible to evacuate the entire population of the United States (and possibly Canada and Mexico) to a safe place. So you should not be afraid in any case, what to be, that cannot be avoided.

In general, all these fears are reminiscent of the concern of a listener of a lecture on the future of the universe, who was very frightened when he heard that in a hundred million years the Sun would go out and life on Earth would end, but calmed down, realizing that the speaker misspoke. It turns out that there is still a hundred billion years ahead, not a hundred million. Quite another matter!

Despite the monstrous threat to national security, any American student knows which is the largest volcano in the world and where it is located. And he is very proud that Yellowstone is an American landmark.

Other Greatest Volcanoes in the World, Active and Dormant

Despite its huge size, Yellowstone cannot boast of worldwide fame. It is known in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the inhabitants of the Old World, visiting America, are more often interested in other wonders, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Hollywood and the skyscrapers of New York, Dallas or San Francisco. Not every tourist will remember where the largest volcano in the world is located. Photos of Fujiyama, Vesuvius, Popocatepetl and other eternal masses are replicated in tourist brochures much more widely. These volcanoes have become a kind of visiting cards of the countries in which they are located, and often even cultural and national symbols. They compose songs, write poems about them, since ancient times they have become inanimate (and sometimes living) characters of folk sagas, legends and traditions. Perhaps, in addition to deep folklore roots, the fact that from time to time, unlike Yellowstone, they smoke, make noise and show other signs of “aliveness”, usually unpleasant, contributed to the popularity of these natural attractions. So where are the largest active volcanoes in the world and what is the secret of their popularity?

Calm Vesuvius

You can start from anywhere in the world. For example, from the old woman of Europe. Vesuvius is not the largest volcano. Its height would not make much impression on America, it is almost three times lower than Yellowstone. But this does not prevent him, decorating the Neapolitan landscape, from being considered the highest in Europe. It was Vesuvius that destroyed ancient city Pompeii. In previous centuries, the volcano erupted at different intervals, but quite often according to volcanic concepts. Sometimes a century and a half passed between revivals, and sometimes only fifty years. In 1631, four thousand Neapolitans became victims of the elements, and the crater, as a result of the rapid outflow of red-hot magma, fell by almost 170 meters.

The last eruption happened during World War II, in 1944. Then the cities of Massa and San Sebastiano became victims of destruction not related to the actions of the Allied bomber aircraft. A column of ash and smoke rose to a nine-kilometer height, showing mankind the full power of nature, in comparison with which the explosions of all bombs pale, at least as of 1944. In 1945, people used weapons commensurate with the forces of the earth's interior. It was in Japan.

Fujiyama: extinguished fire deity

Volcanoes are beautiful. Their silhouettes evoke poetic emotions, they make you think about the frailty of human life, eternity and many other philosophical issues that people rarely address in everyday life. Of course, people as prone to contemplation as the Japanese could not help but succumb to the charm of such a majestic spectacle as Mount Fuji. But in addition to purely aesthetic pleasure, the islanders also showed a completely practical mindset, using the image for commercial purposes. sacred mountain. Perhaps the same fate awaits the other largest volcanoes in the world. Photo, video and other products of the Japanese corporation Fuji are widely known all over the world.

Fujiyama itself is considered an extinct volcano, the last time she spewed lava and ash back in 1707. This symbol of Japan is really very beautiful, both Japanese and foreigners go to admire it. Artists often depict the snow-capped peak of the volcano in combination with cherry blossoms, another "visiting card" of the Land of the Rising Sun. Mount Fuji is 3,776 meters high.

Volcanoes of Ecuador and the largest active volcano in the world

There are more than six hundred active volcanoes on our planet. They are located on lines along which tectonic plates press each other with their edges. It is on these frontiers that revolutionary changes in the relief take place. mountain ranges. An example is the Andes. Here, according to Ecuador, is the largest active volcano in the world, it is called Cotopaxi. Its height exceeds 5911 meters. This, of course, is a lot, but the reasons for such a high title of this volcano remain a mystery. The fact is that its neighbors in the Andes - Lullaillaco and Ojos del Salado - are higher than it (6739 and 6887, respectively). This discrepancy can only be explained by commercial considerations. It’s just that a developed system has been created around Cotopaxi tourism infrastructure, which prompts visiting guests to inspire that they have visited the largest volcano in America, this time in Latin. To see Ojos del Salado, you need to make a long and difficult journey.

Volcano in the country - happiness or sorrow?

Many countries of the world somehow do without volcanoes. No, and don't. Neighborhood with a fire-breathing mountain always threatens with unpredictable consequences. If the element rages, destruction and casualties are inevitable, and humanity has not yet learned to counter these threats. The most that can be done in this case is to try to leave the dangerous territory in a timely manner. However, since such a natural formation does exist in a number of countries, it should be treated as something useful.

Tens of thousands of tourists, climbers and climbers climb the craters, descend into them, sometimes risking their lives. Such is human nature, although they say that "the smart one will not go uphill."

Eric Peterson, a Swedish climber, died on Batur in Bali. The Kamchatka volcano Kamen claimed the lives of three Belarusian travelers. The Japanese volcano Ontake, located two hundred kilometers from Tokyo, suddenly woke up, throwing up a huge amount of ash into the sky, which led to the death of at least three dozen tourists. And all these tragedies have happened literally in the last year. Not the largest volcanoes in the world pose a mortal danger, although they cannot be called small either. The luckiest countries are those in which volcanoes are dormant, and even better if they are completely extinct.

Most of the volcanoes on our planet are located in the "ring of fire", which stretches along the shores of everything Pacific Ocean. And 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, height 3470 m, Democratic Republic Congo

This 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, the eruption killed 147 people and left 120,000 homeless. The last eruption to date occurred in 2016.

2. Taal, height 311 m, Philippines


This is one of the smallest active volcanoes on our planet. It has erupted 34 times since 1572. Located on the island of Luzon, on Lake Taal. The strongest eruption of this volcano in the 20th century occurred in 1911 - 1335 people died in 10 minutes and in general all living things at a distance of up to 10 km. In 1965, 200 people died. Last eruption - 1977

3. Mauna Loa, height 4169 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 occurred in 1984, the last strong eruption in 1950.

4. Vesuvius, height 1281 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 catastrophe, two cities - Pompeii and Herculaneum - disappeared from the face of the Earth. In modern history, the last eruption of Vesuvius happened in 1944.

5. Merapi, height 2,930 m, Indonesia


This most active active volcano in Indonesia is located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. "Merapi" is translated as "mountain of fire". The volcano is young, so it puffs with enviable regularity. Large eruptions occur on average every 7 years. In 1930, about 1300 people died, in 1974 two villages were destroyed, in 2010 353 people died. Last eruption - 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 occurred in 1980, when 57 people died. The eruption was of a rare type - "directed explosion". The process of the volcanic eruption and the spread of the ash cloud was photographed by photographer Robert Landsburg, who died during this eruption, but kept 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 highest active volcano in Europe. During its existence, it 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 central crater of the volcano threw a fountain of lava to a kilometer high. The last eruption is February 27, 2017.

8. Sakurajima, height 1117 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 above 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 4276 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). Latest 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. It has erupted 20 times since 1519. 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 Mount Unzen in 1792 is one of the five most destructive eruptions in human history in terms of the number of human casualties. The eruption caused a tsunami 55 meters high, which killed more than 15 thousand people. And in 1991, 43 people died during the eruption. No eruptions have been observed 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 was one big Island. However, the most powerful eruption of 1883 destroyed the island and the volcano. Today, Krakatau is still active and small eruptions occur fairly regularly. Last activity - 2014.

13. Santa Maria, height 3,772 m, Guatemala


The first recorded eruption of this volcano occurred in October 1902, before that he "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 of recent years: 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 A very restless volcano.