Volcano Facts
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How many volcanoes in the world? The highest volcano in the world?The largest volcano in the world? The deadliest volcano in the world? The largest volcanic eruptions?
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Number of volcanoes in the world
At any one time there are around 20 volcanoes erupting around the world, some have been erupting regularly for over a thousand years - Stromboli. If we take eruptions in the last 10 000 years there are probably 1500 volcanoes in the world which have erupted.75% of the worlds active volcanoes are in the "Ring of Fire" around the Pacific Ocean . Between 50 and 70 erupt each year and around 160 per decade. These figures just concern land volcanoes. Three quarters of lava erupted does so beneath the sea at constructive boundaries/ mid ocean ridges whee new oceanic crust is created.
10 most active volcanoes
Kilauea is regarded as the most active volcano at the present time as it has erupted more lava than any other volcano currently erupting. Stromboli has been continually (most days) erupting for at least the last 2000 years and Etna the last 3500 years. Basaltic volcanoes tend to continually erupt for longer periods. Kilauea (Hawaii), Mt Etna (Italy), Piton de la Fournaise (Réunion), Nyamuragira in The DR Congo produce the most lava and are all basaltic.
| Etna ,Italy 3500 years | Merapi, Indonesia 1967- |
| Stromboli, Italy 2000 years | Dukono, Indonesia 1933- |
| Yasur ,Vanuatu 800 years | Sakura-jima ,Japan 1955- |
| Ambrym ,Vanuatu 1935- | Suwanose-jima, Japan 1949- |
| Tinakula ,Solomon Islands 1951- | Santa Maria Guatemala ,1922- |
| Erta Ale ,Ethiopia 1967- | Pacaya Guatemala 1965- |
| Manam, Papua New Guinea 1974- | Arenal ,Costa Rica 1968- |
| Langila, Papua New Guinea 1960- | Sangay Ecuador 1934- |
| Bagana, Papua New Guinea 1972- | Erebus ,Antarctica 1972- |
| Semeru, Indonesia 1967- | Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion 1920- |
Most deadly volcanoes
| Volcano | Fatalities | Year | Main cause |
| Tambora, Indnonesia | 92 000 | 1815 | Starvation |
| Krakatau,Indonesia | 36 417 | 1883 | Tsunami |
| Mt Pelee,Martinique | 29 025 | 1902 | Pyroclastic Flow |
| Ruiz,Columbia | 25 000 | 1985 | Mud Flow Lahar |
| Unzen,Japan | 14 300 | 1792 | Volcano collapse and Tsunami |
| Laki,Iceland | 9350 | 1783 | Starvation |
| Kelut,Indnesia | 5110 | 1919 | Lahar |
| Galunggung,Indonesia | 4011 | 1882 | Lahar |
| Vesuvius,Italy | 3500 | 1631 | Lahar, lava flow |
| Vesuvius,Italy | 3360 | AD79 | Pyroclastic flow and ash fall |
10 largest eruptions in last 10 000 years
| Volcano | Coutry | Date | Cubic Km erupted |
| Tambora | Indonesia | 1815 | 100 |
| Taupo | New Zealand | 186AD | 100 |
| Kurile Lake | Kamchatka | 6640 BC | 70-80 |
| Aniakchak | Alaska | 3450 years ago | 50 |
| Crater Lake | USA | 6850 years ago | 30-40 |
| Kikai-Akahoya | Japan | 6300 years ago | 30-40 |
| Kuwae | Vanuatu | 1452 | 32-39 |
| Santorini | Greece | 3600 years ago | 30-33 |
| Ambrym | Vanuatu | 50AD | 19-25 |
| Krakatau | Indnesia | 1883 | 18 |
| Katmai | Alaska | 1912 | 12 |
| Pinatubo | Philippines | 1991 | 10 |
Largest ancient eruptions we know of
| Volcano | Country | Years Ago | Cubic Km erupted |
| Toba | Indonesia | 72 000 | 2800 |
| Yellowstone | USA | 2.1 Ma | 2450 |
| Yellowstone | USA | 600 000 | 1000 |
| Taupo | New Zealand | 26 000 | 800 |
| Long Valley | USA | 760 000 | 600 |
| Long Valley | USA | 760 000 | 580 |
| Yellowstone | USA | 1.3 Ma | 280 |
Highest Volcanoes by continent
Mauna Loa from the sea floor to its summit is 9000m making it the highest mountain on earth ( Everest has the highest mountai summit). Mauna Loa has erupted lava totaling 17 000 feet and is do heavy it has depressed the earths crust. Highest volcanoes by altitude into the atmosphere are below.
| Volcano | Height | Continent | Range | Country |
| Ojos del Salado | (22,615 ft) 3,688 m | South America | Andes | Chile / Argentina |
| Kilimanjaro | 5,882m(19,341 ft) | Africa | East African Rift Valley | Tanzania |
| Elbrus | 5,642 m (18,510 ft) | Europe | Caucasus | Russia |
| Pico de Orizaba | 5,636 m (18,491 ft) | North America | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt | Mexico |
| Damavand | 5,610 m (18,406 ft) | Asia | Alborz | Iran |
| Mount Giluwe | 4,368 m (14,331 ft) | Australia | Southern Highlands | Papua New Guinea |
| Mount Sidley | 4,285 m (14,058 ft) | Antarctica | Executive Commitee Range | Antarctica |
Number of volcanoes by country
| Indonesia 127Active including Krakatau and Merapi. I found 82 recorded eruptions in the last 10 000 years but there are many within that date with no date attached because of the number of volcanoes to study and accesibility.So I'm putting Indonesia at the top as the concencus is that it has more active volcanoes than anywhere else. |
| USA 169 Volcanoes ,including Mt St Helens and Kilauea. 93 on continent and 7 in Hawaii in last 10 000 years |
| Japan 92 Volcanoes ,including Unzen and Sakrijima , in the last 10 000 years |
| Iceland 50 Volcanoes , Including Hekla, Grimsvotn Eyjafjallajokull. |
| Some others of note |
| Phillipines 33 Volcanoes erupted in last 10 000 years,including , Mt Pinatubo. |
| New Zealand 23 Volcanoes erupted in last 10 000 years,including White Island, Tongariro,Tarawera,Ruapehu. |
| Mexico 28 Volcanoes erupted in last 10 000 years, including Paracutin, El Chichon, Popocatepetl. |
| Chile 62 Volcanoes erupted in the last 10 000 years,including Lascar. |
| Italy 15 erupted in last 10,000 years, including Vesuvius,Etna,Stromboli. |
| These figures are dependent on your criteria of which volcanoes to count, currently active? Include dormant? I ve gone for eruptions in the last 10 000 years. These figures give an idea but you l probably find other figures elsewhere. |
10 highest volcanoes
All the worlds volcanoes over 6000m are in The Andes. At 5882m Kilmanjaro is the tallest volcano outside The Andes.
| Volcano | Height | Country | Last erupted |
| Ojos del Salado | 6887m | Chile | last 10 000 years |
| Nacimiento de Jaguel | 6858m | Argentina | Ancient |
| Cerro Negro | 6800m | Nicaragua | Ancient |
| Llullaillaco | 6793m | Chile | Ancient |
| Nevado de Tres Cruces | 6788m | Chile | Ancient |
| Veladero | 6714m | Argentina | Ancient |
| Tipas | 6660m | Argentina | Last 10 000 years |
| Nevado de Incahuasi | 6610m | Argentina/Chile | Ancient |
| Sajama | 6542m | Bolivia | Ancient |
| Cerro el Condor | 6532m | Argentina | Last 10 00 years |