Volcanoes are attractive due to their beauty, but they can also conceal destructive force, causing massive loss of life and severe destruction. Although volcanic eruptions themselves are relatively rare and are monitored by scientists, they still pose a huge source of danger for people who choose to live near them. Here is a list of the 10 most active volcanoes:

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10

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA

Mauna Loa Volcano is one of the largest volcanoes on our Earth in terms of height and area covered. It is also one of the five volcanoes that form the island of Hawaii in America. Mauna Loa - active volcano, which has likely been erupting for 700,000 years. The most recent eruption occurred relatively recently, from March 24 to April 15, 1984.

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9

This famous volcano is located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, it is located about 50 km from the capital of this country - Manila. Taal is one of the active Philippine volcanoes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. It erupted many times, bringing nearby settlements around the lake there are victims and destruction. The last eruption occurred in 1977, but signs of activity have been recorded regularly since 1991, characterized by both high activity and small seismic fracturing.

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8

Ulawun, Papua New Guinea

The most active volcano in Papua New Guinea is Ulavun, which is also one of the most dangerous. It is the highest volcano and the highest peak in the Bismarck Archipelago. The very first recorded eruption of Ulavun occurred in 1700. From then until now, 22 eruptions have occurred. Several thousand people permanently live near the volcano. During a major eruption in 1980, ash was thrown up to a height of 18 kilometers, producing pyroclastic flows that swept along the entire flanks of the volcano and devastated an area of ​​20 square kilometers.

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7

Nyiragongo, Congo

One of the most active volcanoes in Africa and one of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times since 1882. The most recent destructive eruption of Mount Nyiragongo occurred on January 17, 2002, when hot lava destroyed 40% of the city of Goma.

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6

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is the most famous and active volcano in Indonesia, erupting regularly since 1548. It is located very close to the city of Yogyakarta, where thousands of people live on the slopes of Merapi. The volcano has been active for 10,000 years.

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5

Galeras, Colombia

Galeras is already active, by at least, about 1 million years. The volcano is located in southern Colombia, near the border with Ecuador. In this country, Galeras is the most active volcano.

After only 10 years of dormancy, Galeras became active again in 1988. In 1993, a terrible disaster occurred when an expedition of several scientists went to the Galeras crater. The eruption happened very unexpectedly and led to the death of nine people: six scientists and three tourists.

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4

Sakurajima is an active composite volcano and former island. Often called the Vesuvius of the East, eruptions occur almost constantly. Remnants of eruptions formed highlands in this region from white sand. The volcano is dangerous due to its location in a densely populated area - near the city of Kagoshima, which is very close to the volcano.

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3

Popocatepetl is an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico (elevation 5426 m). Residents of the city of Puebla, which is only 40 km east of the volcano, can enjoy views of the snow-capped and glacier-covered mountain of almost all year round. The last major eruption occurred in 2000. Fortunately for the residents, then scientists were able to warn the government in time, and people were evacuated from the disaster area in time.

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2

Vesuvius, Italy

Mount Vesuvius is located 9 km east of Naples at a short distance from the coast. This is the only volcano in Europe that has been erupting for the last hundred years. Vesuvius has erupted many times, most recently in 1944. Today, Vesuvius is considered one of the most destructive volcanoes in the world due to the 3 million people living nearby and the high probability of its eruptions.

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1

Yellowstone Caldera, USA

This is the most dangerous active supervolcano, which means that the volume of emissions from this volcano could be more than 1000 cubic kilometers, which would have devastating consequences. Volcanic super-eruptions typically cover large areas with lava and volcanic ash, enough to threaten the extinction of entire species. Such a super-eruption could be one of the reasons for the death of our civilization, because when this volcano erupts, it causes the activity of other volcanoes, which leads to massive tectogenesis.

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Conclusion

These were the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world. We hope you liked our material.

Volcanoes, for all their danger, are one of the most beautiful and majestic wonders of nature. Active volcanoes look especially beautiful at night. But this beauty brings death to everything around. Lava, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows consisting of hot volcanic gases, ash and stones can wipe out even major cities. Humanity has seen the incredible power of volcanoes during the notorious eruption of Vesuvius, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae. And there are many such examples in history.

The largest volcanoes in the world - today we’ll talk about these dangerous but beautiful giants. Our list includes volcanoes of varying degrees of activity - from relatively dormant to active. The main selection criterion was their size.

Height 5,230 meters

The ranking of the largest volcanoes on Earth opens with an active stratovolcano located in Ecuador. Its height is 5230 meters. The summit of the volcano consists of three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters. Sangay is one of the youngest and most restless volcanoes in South America. Its first eruption occurred in 1628. The last one took place in 2007. Now volcanic activity The giant from the Equator is rated as moderate. Tourists who visit the Sangay National Park, where the volcano is located, can climb to its peak.

Height 5,455 meters

In 9th place among the largest volcanoes in the world is. It is located in the Mexican Highlands. The height of the volcano is 5455 meters. Even in a calm state, the volcano is constantly shrouded in a cloud of gases and ash. Its danger lies in the fact that there are densely populated areas around the volcano, and Mexico City is located 60 kilometers from it. The last eruption of the giant occurred quite recently - on March 27, 2016, it threw out a kilometer-long column of ash. The next day Popocatepetl calmed down. If the Mexican giant erupts strongly, it will threaten the safety of several million people.

Height 5,642 meters

There are large volcanoes in Europe. In the North Caucasus there is a stratovolcano, the height of which is 5642 meters. This is the highest peak in Russia. Elbrus is one of the seven highest mountain peaks on the planet. Scientists have different opinions about the activity of the giant. Some consider it an extinct volcano, while others consider it a dying one. Sometimes Elbrus becomes the center of small earthquakes. In some places on its surface, sulfur dioxide gases emerge from cracks. Scientists who believe that Elbrus may wake up in the future express the opinion that the nature of its eruption will be explosive.

Height 5,675 meters

The seventh place in the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is occupied by the highest peak of Mexico. The height of the volcano is 5675 meters. It last erupted in 1687. Now Orizaba is considered a dormant volcano. From its top, stunning panoramic views open up. In order to protect the volcano, a reserve was created.

Height 5,822 meters

In 6th place on the list of the largest volcanoes is located in the south of Peru. Its height is 5822 meters. Misti is an active volcano. It last erupted in 1985. In January 2016, an increase in fumarole activity was observed on the volcano - steam and gas holes. This is one of the signs of an impending eruption. In 1998, six Inca mummies were found near the inner crater of the volcano.

An interesting fact is that many buildings in the city of Arequipa, located 17 kilometers from the volcano, are built from white deposits of the Misti pyroclastic flows. That's why Arequipa is called the "White City".

Height 5,895 meters

The fifth place among the largest volcanoes on the planet is occupied by the highest point of the African continent -. Scientists have concluded that this giant stratovolcano, 5895 meters high, is potentially active. Now it periodically releases gases and there is a possibility of the crater of the volcano collapsing, which could trigger an eruption. There is no documentary evidence of Kilimanjaro's activity, but there are local legends that speak of an eruption that occurred about 200 years ago.

Height 5,897 meters

In fourth place on the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth is the second largest peak of Ecuador. This is an active volcano with a height of 5897 meters. The first time its activity was recorded was in 1534. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than 50 times. Kotpahi's last major eruption occurred in August 2015.

Height 6,145 meters

An active stratovolcano located in Chile, it ranks 3rd among the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height is 6145 meters. The last volcanic eruption occurred in 1960.

Height 4,205 meters

The second place among the largest volcanoes in the world is occupied by the volcano located on Hawaiian Islands. In terms of volume, it is the largest volcano on Earth, containing more than 32 cubic kilometers of magma. The giant was formed more than 700 thousand years ago. Mauna Loa is an active volcano. In 1984, its eruption lasted almost a month and caused enormous damage. local residents and the area surrounding the volcano.

Height 6,739 meters

In first place among the largest volcanoes in the world is the active Startvolcano. It is located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Its height is 6739 meters. The giant's last eruption took place in 1877. Now it is in the solfata stage - from time to time the volcano emits sulfur dioxide gases and water vapor. In 1952, during the first ascent of Llullaillaco, an ancient Inca sanctuary was found. Later, archaeologists discovered three child mummies on the slopes of the volcano. Most likely they were sacrificed.

This is interesting. The Yellowstone caldera, which measures approximately 55 km by 72 km, is called a supervolcano. It is located in Yellowstone National Park USA. The volcano has not been active for 640 thousand years. Under its crater there is a bubble of magma more than 8 thousand meters deep. During its existence, the supervolcano erupted three times. Each time this caused major cataclysms that changed the appearance of the Earth at the site of the eruption. It is impossible to predict when the supervolcano will wake up again. Only one thing can be said with certainty: a cataclysm of this magnitude can bring the existence of our civilization to the brink.

Today there are several hundred active volcanoes on our planet; among all this diversity there are both the most powerful and largest, and the highest. Each of the volcanoes has one important characteristic that unites them all - they have great potential and power. Volcanoes rise majestically above the ground from several hundred to several thousand meters above the ground.

In addition, volcanoes have two unpleasant characteristics - they are very dangerous and unpredictable.

THE LARGEST VOLCANOES

We can probably safely say that the most massive among its relatives in the whole world is located in Hawaii and has the name Mauna Loa. Indeed, it can be called a real giant, and it occupies a huge area on the Hawaiian Islands. Firstly, this volcano can scare anyone with its gigantic size, and secondly, today it is the most active volcano in the world. The first eruption of Mauna Loa recorded by people occurred in 1843, since then there have been 43 such eruptions.

The last time a fairly powerful eruption occurred was in the 20th century, namely in 1984. It was then that a huge amount of lava poured out of the crater of the volcano; it covered an area of ​​more than 12 thousand hectares of land. Also, solidified lava significantly increased the area of ​​the island itself. Mauna Loa rises 4,170 meters above sea level, but do not forget that the volcano goes under water for a similar distance. Therefore, if you combine the height above sea level and the depth below sea level, it turns out that this volcano is the highest, and also that it is the largest mountain on the planet. According to this total indicator, Mauna Loa even surpasses the famous Jomalungma.

Among a large number of scientists, there is an opinion that Llullaillaco should be considered the most massive volcano on Earth, and we are talking about volcanoes that are currently active. This volcano is located in the Andes, and more specifically, among the Argentine and Chilean Andes. Llullaillaco has a height of 6723 meters; the last time it awoke was in 1877, but all local residents remembered this eruption.

Llullaillaco volcano

But there is disagreement among scientists about which volcano should be called the largest. For example, some believe that the tallest and most big volcano located in South America, near the equator. This actually means a huge volcano called Cotopaxi, whose height is 5879 meters. Despite its lower altitude than Llullaillaco, the Cotopaxi volcano has a richer history of eruptions, the last time this happened in 1942.

Cotopaxi volcano

And if Cotopaxi cannot be called the largest volcano on Earth, then it definitely deserves the epithet “most beautiful”. Judge for yourself - at the foot there is simply an abundance of green vegetation of the tropical jungle, and the top of the volcano is covered with a white snow cap. Of course, like the entire family of volcanoes, Cotopaxi is also quite dangerous, since during the entire period of observation it woke up more than a dozen times and erupted a huge amount of lava from its crater. During one of these eruptions, the city of Latacunga was completely destroyed.

THE HIGHEST VOLCANO

If we talk about such a characteristic as height, then the highest of all volcanoes on Earth is Ojos del Salado. This volcano is located between two countries - Chile and Argentina. Translated from Spanish it translates as “salty tears.” The height of this volcano is 6890 meters above sea level, with the highest peak located on Chilean territory. This cannot but please the citizens of Chile; moreover, they are proud of the presence of such a high volcano in their country.

Various scientists have conducted large number expeditions to this volcano, conducted a lot of research there and ultimately came to the unanimous opinion that Ojos del Salado had not erupted even once. More specifically, we are talking about the last two million years. Despite the fact that the volcano is dormant, as recently as 1993 it released large amounts of sulfur and water vapor into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is not only the highest volcano on the planet, but also the calmest to date.

THE LARGEST VOLCANO ERUPTION

The most powerful volcanic eruption, documented information about which has survived to this day, is the eruption near the capital of Indonesia - the city of Jakarta. Its inhabitants felt all the fear and power of the volcano. The tragic events occurred back in 1883, it was then, on May 20, that a local volcano called Krakatau awoke. At first, the eruption was manifested by strong underground tremors, the earth literally shook. It is worth noting that Krakatoa itself is located 50 kilometers away from Jakarta. Actually, over the course of three months, tremors of varying strength occurred from time to time, but the worst began on August 27, it was on that day that Krakatoa truly woke up.

It began with a terrible explosion; it was even heard by those who were 5 thousand kilometers from the volcano. Then a huge cloud of ash rose into the sky, and the volcano threw it to a height of 30 kilometers. If we talk about the gas-ash column, it flew all the way to the mesosphere. Then a deafening explosion sounded, today it corresponds to a force of 6 points. settling long time Ashes covered almost the entire territory of Indonesia. The terrible explosion triggered a devastating tsunami, the impact of which killed 37,000 people in one day. Some eyewitnesses claimed that in some areas the wave reached a height of 30 meters.

As a result, the volcanic eruption completely destroyed 165 villages and cities. Huge clouds of volcanic ash settled throughout the Earth for several years and influenced the climate throughout the planet for two years.

In our minds, volcanoes represent the boiling of emotions. They are huge and unpredictable, and their effects are destructive. In general, a volcano of passions. But really, how big are they? And do they all continuously boil and smoke, throwing out red-hot lava? For residents of which regions do they pose a danger? How big is it? When was the last time the largest volcano in the world erupted? What is it called and where is it located? Does activity depend on size?

Volcanoes of the planet

In fact, most of the volcanoes are located in 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, each of which contains 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 natural wonders, as are the island states (Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Fiji Islands), whose names delight the ears of exotic lovers. However, there are volcanoes in other places, for example, in Kamchatka, Japan, and also in Alaska, New Zealand and other regions with cold and temperate climates.

In Europe, Vesuvius and Etna became notorious, causing the destruction, 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 real attractions. Their sizes range from 350 meters (Taal, Philippines) to the almost seven-kilometer 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 it is located in the state of Wyoming. And this opinion has serious grounds. The Yellowstone volcano is considered the largest on the planet in terms of area occupied on the map. But the criteria for determining sizes are ambiguous. For example, there are volcanoes much higher.

Old and young volcanoes

To assess the degree of danger in the vicinity of a volcano, you need to understand what it is. It’s not just that a high mountain was named that way. So, volcanoes are located in those places on the earth's surface where the upper solid layer moves. 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 solidified edge, a volcano can arise under certain conditions. This process is long, sometimes taking millions of years, but it does not stop for a moment. Moreover, the age of the volcano special significance does not have. A long-extinct crater may suddenly awaken. It is not always known when the previous eruption occurred. It is believed, however, that young volcanoes are the most active. Eruptions often occur completely unexpectedly.

What's inside?

Both the largest volcano in the world and the relatively small one have a similar internal structure. The mass of previously ejected fossilized lava rises above the surface and presses on a layer of granite, basalt and other rock deposits, causing magma to escape through the main trunk and its side branches. The eruption does not last long (sometimes several hours), then an unstable equilibrium sets in, sometimes leading to the solidification of the surface of the crater, in which a lake often appears. This parity of internal pressure and external conditions may be violated at any time. And then the sky will darken with ash, so much carbon monoxide and other ozone-depleting compounds will rise into the air that all bans 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 a medium-sized or very “small” one.

But this is all on the earth's surface. And under water there is a volcanic life of its own. And if “land” volcanoes emit substances into the atmosphere that are harmful to the ozone layer, then their underwater counterparts, on the contrary, help restore it. This happens because with their activity they contribute to the life of phytoplankton, which in turn produces oxygen during the process of photosynthesis. Thanks to iron released by underwater volcanoes, microelement supply occurs food chain a number of living microorganisms.

Underwater seismic and volcanic activity lead to changes in the topography of the bottom of the world's oceans, up to the appearance or disappearance of islands, and sometimes causes the emergence of giant tsunami waves. But underwater volcanoes worry people to a lesser extent than those that can be seen with your own eyes by traveling to the nearest national park or making a tourist voyage.

Yellowstone miracle

The USA is a young country; its history does not span many centuries, much less millennia, like 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 good in the country (better than in the whole world), then the guides do not forget to remind tourists about it, and numerous avenues vying with each other to point out such an attraction. What the United States authorities have really succeeded in is caring 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 entire country.

Any resident of Wyoming knows where the largest volcano is located. "In America, of course!" - he will say confidently. Moreover, in Yellowstone national park, from which the process of creating nature 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 (which is four thousand square kilometers) is twenty times larger than the size of the US capital, 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. In the USA they are very proud of this. It will 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 rise to its title. Looking at its cartographic plan, it is not difficult 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 its Ecuadorian competitor, who rose to a height of almost seven kilometers? More on this a little later. In the meantime, we can speculate about the potential danger posed by Yellowstone.

One of the threats to the USA

Modern geodetic science allows high degree It is reliable to assume that it erupted infrequently, only a hundred times in its entire life. And his age is quite respectable, seventeen million years. The last time he showed his temper was about 6,400 centuries ago. Simple arithmetic leads to the frightening thought that an eruption may soon begin again. And every year the likelihood of this event increases. The data obtained using objective monitoring means is alarming; since the beginning of the new millennium, the internal activity of the mountain has been growing. Inside a giant flattened cone with a collapsed center-crater, lava roars, louder and louder. It's not just residents of Wyoming and neighboring states who are frightened by this hum. Pessimists argue that no thermonuclear war can match the consequences of the destruction that the largest volcano in the world can cause. In the USA, life will become impossible, and not in some figurative, political or economic way, but in the most literal, physical sense, and throughout the country. If you imagine that the largest volcano in the world has awakened, there is something to be horrified about. Sunlight stops flowing, the ashes raised into the air will cover the luminary. The greenhouse effect will lead to a sharp drop in temperature. The overall picture is reminiscent of a futuristic horror film, in which the plot plays out the consequences of a nuclear war.

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 disaster 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 to a safe place (and it is possible that Canada and Mexico will also suffer). So you shouldn’t be afraid in any case, what happens will happen.

In general, all these fears are reminiscent of the concerns of a listener to a lecture about 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 when he realized that the speaker had misspoken. It turns out that there are still a hundred billion years ahead, not a hundred million. It's a completely different matter!

Despite the monstrous threat to national security, any American schoolchild knows what the largest volcano in the world is 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 enormous size, Yellowstone cannot boast of worldwide fame. It is known in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and residents of the Old World, when 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 Fuji, Vesuvius, Popocatepetl and other eternal communities are much more widely circulated in tourist brochures. These volcanoes have become unique calling cards of the countries in which they are located, and often even cultural and national symbols. Songs are composed about them, poems are written, since ancient times they have become inanimate (and sometimes living) characters in folk sagas, legends and traditions. Perhaps, in addition to deep folklore roots, the popularity of these natural attractions was also facilitated by the fact that from time to time they, unlike Yellowstone, smoke, make noise and show other signs of “liveness,” usually unpleasant. Where are the largest active volcanoes in the world and what is the secret of their popularity?

Calm of Vesuvius

You can start from any part of the globe. For example, from old Europe. Vesuvius is not the largest volcano. America would not be particularly impressed by its height; it is almost three times lower than Yellowstone. But this does not prevent him, decorating the Neapolitan landscape, from being considered the tallest in Europe. It was Vesuvius that destroyed ancient city Pompeii. In previous centuries, the volcano erupted with varying frequency, but quite often in volcanic terms. Sometimes a century and a half passed between awakenings, and sometimes only fifty years. In 1631, four thousand Neapolitans became victims of the disaster, and the crater, as a result of the violent outflow of hot magma, sank almost 170 meters.

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

Fuji: the extinguished fire deity

Volcanoes are beautiful. Their silhouettes evoke poetic emotions, they make you think about mortality human life, eternity and many other philosophical issues that people rarely turn to 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 Fuji. But in addition to purely aesthetic pleasure, the islanders also showed a very practical mindset, using the image of the sacred mountain for commercial purposes. Perhaps the same fate awaits the world's other largest volcanoes. Photos, videos and other products of the Japanese corporation Fuji are widely known throughout the world.

Fuji itself is considered an extinct volcano; the last time it erupted lava and ash was back in 1707. This symbol of Japan is truly very beautiful; both Japanese and foreigners come to admire it. Artists often depict a snow-capped volcano top combined with cherry blossoms, one more " business card" Countries Rising Sun. The height of Fuji is 3,776 meters.

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 the lines along which tectonic plates press on each other with their edges. It is at these boundaries that revolutionary changes in the relief of mountain ranges occur. An example is the Andes. Here in Ecuador, it is believed that the largest active volcano in the world is located, it is called Cotopaxi. Its height exceeds 5,911 meters. This is, of course, a lot, but the reasons for such a high title for this volcano remain a mystery. The fact is that its neighbors in the Andes - Llullaillaco 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 tourist infrastructure has been created around Cotopaxi, which encourages visiting guests to believe that they have visited the largest volcano in America, this time in Latin. To see Ojos del Salado, you need to go through a long and difficult journey.

A volcano in the country - happiness or sorrow?

Many countries in the world somehow manage without volcanoes. No, and don't. Neighborhood with a fire-breathing mountain always threatens with unpredictable consequences. If the elements rage, 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 area in a timely manner. However, since such natural education does exist in a number of countries, it should be treated as something useful.

Tens of thousands of tourists, mountaineers and rock climbers climb the craters and descend into them, sometimes risking their lives. This is human nature, although they say that “the smart one won’t get ahead.”

Erik Peterson, a mountaineer from Sweden, died on Batur, Bali. Kamchatka volcano Stone took the lives of three Belarusian travelers. The Japanese volcano Ontake, located two hundred kilometers from Tokyo, suddenly woke up, throwing a huge amount of ash into the sky, which led to the death of at least three dozen tourists. And all these tragedies happened literally within last year. It is not the largest volcanoes in the world that pose a mortal danger, although they cannot be called small either. The luckiest countries are those where volcanoes are dormant, or even better, if they are completely extinct.

Vesuvius is an amazing volcano. Firstly, the leader in popularity, breaking all records of recognition, secondly, a long-liver (he declared himself even before ancient times and the famous Pompeii), thirdly, perhaps, one of the prolific volcanic eruptions and, fourth, the most unpredictable. None of the scientists even dare to guess when Vesuvius will once again begin to “be naughty.” Only strong eruptions during its entire period " professional activity“80 were recorded, and we’re tired of counting the mediocre and weak ones. At the same time, Vesuvius is clearly not planning to retire. At its top, tourists can safely bake eggs - the soil temperature is so high.

This is probably why the “anniversaries of pranks” of this world-famous volcano, which lives in sunny Italy near Naples, can be celebrated almost every month. Which is exactly what we are doing, dedicating our TOP 10 most famous volcanoes in the world to one of the dates of the eruption of Vesuvius.

Place 10. The most difficult to pronounce. I don’t know how big and powerful the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull is compared to Vesuvius, but it is reliably known that in 2010 it caused a lot of trouble for air carriers. Due to the wild amount of volcanic ash and steam, some flights were canceled and airport operations in Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Liverpool, Belfast Dublin, Stockholm and Oslo were stopped. But even this was not enough for the Icelandic volcano. He created an incredible amount of problems for many announcers, who probably trained long and hard to pronounce his name in one breath.

Place 9. The coldest. Surprisingly, but true: volcanoes are the most tenacious creatures, found almost everywhere. It would seem that such a “hot little thing” cannot live at minus fifty, but no! Volcanoes live peacefully on South Pole, in Antarctica. The highest of the Antarctic volcanoes is Mount Sidley, “tall” at 4285 meters. By the way, it is also the most inaccessible volcano. People conquered it only in 1990.

Place 8. The most legendary. Two volcanoes are competing for the title of the most legendary. One of them is the Mexican Popocatepetl, who last went to work in 2007, and the other is the European Elbrus. According to legend, Popocatepetl arose from... strong love. The daughter of the Aztec ruler Iztaccihuatl fell in love with the simple warrior Popocatepetl. However, the pope was against this unequal alliance and sent the young man to war, after which he spread a rumor about his imminent death. The daughter, unable to withstand the blow, committed suicide, and when the alive and unharmed Popocatepetl found out about this, he decided that life without a sweetheart is not life. And he followed his beloved into another world. The gods, amazed by the power of the love of the young people, decided to turn them into rocks so that they would remain next to each other forever. Well, on the top of Elbrus, myths and legends alternately settled either genies or the famous bird Simurgh, or even left the chained Prometheus there.

Place 7. Most religious. Etna is a fertile volcano, like Vesuvius. The eruptions alone exceeded almost two hundred. Almost every 150 years, Etna wakes up from hunger and begins to eat nearby cities. However, people adore her not for her bloodthirstiness, but for her respect for believers and her healing gift. There are several known facts of miraculous healing of patients who visited Etna, and after in 1928 a stream of hot lava froze in reverence before a Catholic procession, the Sicilians made Etna one of the symbols of the island. This volcano is also famous for its blues festivals that take place during its sleep.

Place 6. The fastest. Volcanoes are usually unpredictable, but sometimes scientists manage to find out in advance about an impending eruption. However, as in the parable of the boy and the wolves, some residents of nearby towns do not believe such predictions. And in vain. So on November 13, 1985, the Colombian volcano Nevado del Ruiz completely destroyed the city of Armero, located 50 kilometers from the “hot thing” with a height of 5400 meters. Moreover, everything about everything at the volcano took... only 10 minutes! The death toll exceeded 20 thousand people. But scientists warned...

Place 5. The most fabulous. Remember the fairy tale about the “Frog Princess”? To defeat Koshchei the Immortal, Ivan Tsarevich had to get a needle that was in an egg, an egg in a duck, a duck in a hare, a hare in a chest, and a chest in a tree. It is precisely according to the principle of “thing within a thing” that the Russian volcano Krenitsyn is built. It is “registered” on the Kuril Islands and is considered the largest in area, as it is located in Lake Koltsevoye (diameter about 7 kilometers), which is located in another, more ancient crater. So you can admire its beauty only from a helicopter. By the way, the volcano got its name in honor of the Russian navigator Pyotr Kuzmich Krenitsyn.

Place 4. The most influential. Indonesia is often called the land of volcanoes. It was here that the most influential of them was born - Krakatoa, who blew up the world on August 15, 1883. Its eruption caused a shock wave that circled the globe 7 times and a giant tsunami that wiped out 295 cities and towns in Java and Sumatra. As a result of his activities, more than 36 thousand people died, and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. Volcanic dust from Krakatoa surrounded the planet in a cloud, turning sunrises and sunsets a royal purple. Many scientists believe that it was this eruption that affected the ecology of the Earth.

Place 3. The most famous of the new arrivals. By the way, today Vesuvius is far from the only popular volcano. It was pushed by the Russian Plosky Tolbachik, which began to erupt in November 2012. Since then, scientists from all over the world and simply curious tourists have flocked to it in droves. The Kamchatka volcano also gave the world new copper minerals - melanotallite, ponomarevite, piipit, fedotovite, kamchatkit, klyuchevskite, alumoklyuchevskite and, of course, tolbachite.

Place 2. The highest. Well, how can it be in the TOP 10 without the highest?! It is rightfully the South American active volcano with the name Llullaillaco, which is funny for Russians. Its absolute height is 6739 meters, relative height is almost 2.5 kilometers. It would seem that that's all. Ah, no! Llullaillaco is known for its perpetual ice cap, borderland state (located on the border of Chile and Argentina), dry neighbor (Atacama Desert) and archaeological finds. In 1999, mummified bodies were discovered at the top of the volcano. bodies of three children supposedly sacrificed 500 years ago.

Place 1. The most romantic. Don't go to a fortune teller here! Without words, it is clear that Mount Fuji will be recognized as the most romantic, sophisticated, attractive, gentle and charming. Countless haiku, drawings, paintings and photographs are dedicated to her. Scientists consider Fuji to be an active volcano, although weakly active (the last eruption was recorded in 1707-1708). By the way, among the countless drawings of this beauty, there is not a single one that depicts the eruption itself. Fuji's neighbors include not only a Shinto temple, a weather station and a post office, but also the gloomy Aokigahara suicide forest, located right at the foot of the volcano. But such proximity does not bother Fujiyama at all. The Japanese believe that the forest only adds a flair of mystery and mysticism to their favorite, attracting tourists from all countries. However, this does not prevent residents of the Land of the Rising Sun from placing warning signs with telephone numbers of psychologists throughout Aokigahara. Yes, just in case.