Volcano Facts


Fascinating Volcano Facts 🌋 Volcano FAQs

Frequently asked questions and interesting volcano facts.

  • ADDucation’s list of volcano facts was compiled by Robert Junker, last updated 04 Sep 2023.
Volcano Facts  Fascinating & Interesting Facts about Volcanos
What and where is the largest volcano in the world? At around 62 miles (100 km) diameter the largest volcano in the world, by area and volume, is Mauna Loa on Big Island in Hawaii.
Which is the most active volcano in the world? Kilauea on Big Island, Hawaii has had over 70 eruptions since 1794.
What and where is the highest active volcano in the world? Ojos del Salado, at 22,595ft /6887m, in the central Andes on the Chilean Argentinian border is the highest active volcano in the world. Ojos del Salado hasn’t erupted in recorded history but is still classed as an active volcano.
What is is the highest volcano on land or sea in the world? Mauna Loa on Big Island, Hawaii is the highest volcano in the world. Mauna Loa rises 9,170 m / 30,085 ft from sea level to summit and descends another 8000 m / 26400 ft underwater. This makes Mauna Loa’s total height around 17,170 m / 56,000 ft.
Which country has the most volcanoes? With 173 volcanoes the USA is the country with the most volcanoes in the world.
Which country has the most active volcanoes?
 With 76 active volcanoes Indonesia is the country with the most active volcanoes.
What was the most violent explosive volcanic eruption in recorded history? There have only been three “super-colossal” volcanic eruptions which rated 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) in recorded history. The top 3 are:
  • Mount Tambora on Sumbawa Island, Indonesia in 1815 is the most recent.
  • Paektu Mountain on the North Korean Chinese border around 946 AD also known as the Millennium Eruption or Tianchi eruption.
  • Minoan eruption of Thera around 1600 BC devastated the Greek Santorini island.
Most deadly eruptions
  •  Tambora, Indonesia, 92,000 victims in 1815
  • Perbuatan, Krakatoa, Indonesia, 36,000 victims in 1883
  • Mont Pelée, Martinique, over 30,000 victims in 1902.
How many active volcanoes are there worldwide? There are around 1500 active volcanos around the world with dozens of new volcanic eruptions each year.
Pyroclastic flow A pyroclastic flow can be up to 800° C hot.
Lava Magma which spews out on the surface.
Magma Molten rock from the earth’s crust (6-43 miles / 10-70 km deep) can reach temperatures of up to 1832° F (1000° C).
Pumice Volcanic rock often used as an abrasive that floats in water.
Subaqueous volcanoes Volcanoes also erupt on the seabed. Extinct ones are called seamounts or Guyots (after Swiss researcher Arnold Guyot). One of the most active underwater volcanoes is the Alto de Pico in the Azores which has a height of 29,527 feet (9000 m) measured from the sea floor and is therefore even higher than Mount Everest..
Volcanoes in space Volcanoes are also found on other planets in our solar system. The biggest is Olympus Mons and is on Mars. It dwarfs those on earth with its majestic width of some 370 miles (600 km) and height of almost 14 miles (22 km) high.
See also: Highest Volcanoes… | Cloud Names & Types…

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