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. Force is calculated according to the VEI scale (Index volcanic eruption) 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 a large lake has spilled. 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 the 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

Russia has several active volcanoes who 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 - 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)

Ojos del Salado, located on the border between Argentina and Chile, is considered the highest volcano on Earth. 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. AT last time operated in 1960. Since there are few settlements in the area, 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. The last activity is dated 200 thousand years before today, but a detailed study showed that 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 is 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 in the 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

findings

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 have always evoked a lot of emotions in a person - from panic horror and fear to admiration and admiration for the incredible power of nature. Volcanic peaks are located almost all over the planet and regularly make themselves felt, spewing tons of ash into the air. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the rating of the top 10 highest active volcanoes, each of which is distinguished by its grandeur and unpredictability.

10. Cameroon (Fako), 4100 meters

Fako is the highest point of Cameroon, an active volcano. The last major eruption was recorded in 2000. Richard Francis Burton - the first European to conquer a volcano. This happened in 1895.

9. Mauna Loa, 4169 meters

The highest active volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. It belongs to the shield volcanoes, has fairly gentle slopes with a weakly expressed flat top.

greatness and extraordinary beauty mountains leave few people indifferent. Sometimes snow-covered ridges inspire fear, sometimes they fascinate, inspire, beckon...

8. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, 4835 meters

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent, located in Kamchatka. This is a fairly active volcano, eruptions occur here almost every two years. In this regard, the height of Klyuchevskaya Sopka is a variable value.

7. Sangay, 5230 meters

It is located in Ecuador, on the territory of the park of the same name, it is part of the Andes mountain system. The toponym is translated from Indian as "to scare", and this is not surprising - Sangai is one of the most restless volcanoes on the continent. Sangai has three huge craters, which is not typical for andesitic stratovolcanoes. According to researchers, the volcano was formed about 14 thousand years ago. Since 1934, Sangai has erupted regularly, the last time the maximum peak of activity was recorded in 2016. Rare representatives of the fauna are found around the volcano: ocelots, cougars, tapirs, Andean bears and porcupines.

6. Popocatepetl, 5426 meters

It is an active volcano located in Mexico, part of the Cordillera mountain system. Translated from the local language - "smoking hill" and is located next to another volcano - Istaxihuatl. The most famous ancient literary work is written about these peaks - the legend of Popocatepetl and Istaxihuatl. The first ascent was made in 1519 by Diego de Ordaz.

5. Orizaba, 5636 meters

The second name is Sitlaltepetl, which means "star-mountain" in translation. Orizaba is the highest peak in Mexico and is located in mountain system Cordillera. Geographically, the volcano is located on the territory of two states - Puebla and Veracruz. The stratovolcano is now relatively dormant, and last erupted in 1846. In total, 27 periods of activity were recorded, including those in the middle of the 16th and 17th centuries. Orizaba has always been for the Incas sacred mountain with which many legends and myths were associated. Since 1936, a reserve has been created on the volcano in order to protect Orizaba from unauthorized ascents. Every year hundreds of climbers come here, for whom many routes of varying degrees of difficulty have been laid. Most favorable time to climb to the top is the period from mid-autumn to early spring.

4. Misty, 5822 meters

Located in South America, territorially belongs to Peru, in the winter months it is almost completely covered with snow. 17 km from the stratovolcano is the small town of Arequipa, with a population of more than 1 million people. In the country, the locality is known as " White City» due to the fact that most of the buildings were built from snow-white deposits of volcanic origin. The Chile River flows past Misty, and another volcano, Pichu Pichu, is located south of the summit. The last eruption was recorded in 1985, in just a century, activity was manifested 5 times. In the 16th century, the inhabitants of Arequipa had to leave the city due to an extremely strong eruption, with huge ash emissions. At the end of the 20th century, mummified remains of the ancient Incas and a number of valuable artifacts were discovered on the slopes of El Misti. All found bodies and household items are stored today in the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries.

South America is something unattainable and exotic for us. A lot of literary works have been written about these places, a huge amount has been filmed ...

3. Cotopaxi, 5897 meters

The toponym is translated from the Quechua language as "brilliant mountain". Cotopaxi is located in South America, on the territory of Ecuador and is the second highest peak in the country. The volcano belongs to the Eastern Cordillera, has a crater measuring 550 by 800 meters, almost half a kilometer deep. For the period from 1738 to the present day, about 50 eruptions were recorded in total, the penultimate one occurred in 1877. However, after 140 years, on August 15, 2015, Cotopaxi again began to show signs of activity. The first explorer of the volcano was the German Alexander von Humboldt and the Frenchman Aimé Bonpland, but they never conquered the peak. A man climbed to the top of Cotopaxi in 1872. This was done by the German geologist Wilhelm Reiss, and a year later by the volcanologist and naturalist Moritz Alfons Stübel, also a native of Germany. The history of eruptions looks like this: the first recorded was 1534, then 1742, 1768, 1864, 1877, but until 1940, ash emissions were periodically observed.

2. San Pedro, 6145 meters

It is considered one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, located in the Atacama Desert, in the province of El Loa, Antofagastan region of Chile. Not far from the top is another attraction - the San Pablo volcano, connected to San Pedro by a high saddle. According to the type of formation, San Pedro is a stratovolcano and is represented by formations such as dacites, andesites and basalts. The relative height of the peak is 2014 meters, the most recent recorded eruption was observed in 1960. The first man climbed San Pedro on July 16, 1903. The climbers were the Chilean Filemon Morales and the Frenchman George Corti.

By the end of the 19th century, people began to understand that if they did not protect environment, but only to exploit it mercilessly, then in a fairly short time ...

1. Lullaco, 6739 meters

Llullalyaco - The highest active volcano in the world, located in the Peruvian Andes, on the border between Argentina and Chile, on the plateau of the world's highest volcanoes - Puna de Atacama. At the very top, there is eternal glaciation, and the last eruption was observed here in 1877, and today Llullaco is in a state of relative rest. The volcano is a cone that continues to grow. The first ascent was made on December 1, 1952 by Billon González and Juan Harzeim. Top - archaeological site, on the territory of which at the end of the 20th century the burials of Inca children were discovered. Three mummies believed to be 4, 5 and 13 years old were sacrificed about 5 centuries ago.

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The beauty and grandeur of a large volcano has always attracted man. The power of the acting giant is not exaggerated - ash enveloping for many kilometers and fiery lava, burning everything in its path, are described in many books and shown on TV. The larger and higher the volcano, the more destruction it can bring in the event of an eruption.

AT modern world scientists can predict the activity of an active volcano, thereby avoiding many victims, but the strength and duration of the “fiery breath of nature” is sometimes impossible to calculate. People are most interested in the highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates. This list includes those who have highest altitude above sea level.

Tungurahua

The height of the giant volcano, located on the territory of Ecuador, is 5023m. above sea level. The name stands for "fire throat". Since 1999, the volcano has become especially active, in connection with which it was decided to evacuate all nearby villages. A major eruption was recorded in 2012 and 2014, which is why local authorities have introduced an orange alert level. Throwing ashes to a height of almost 10 km. fell asleep several large settlements located at a distance of more than 150 km. A small activity of Tungurahua occurs at the present time.

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect, it means "awe-inspiring". This majestic and beautiful volcano has a height of 5230m. According to scientific data, a volcano with three craters, the diameter of which is more than 100 meters, was formed more than 14,000 years ago. The very first major eruption was recorded in 1628. Since the 30s of the last century, Sangai has been constantly erupting. The last activity was in 2007. To date, only a few offer to climb to the top of the volcano. travel companies, since the volcano is considered active and erupts from time to time. Nevertheless, there are always those who like to add adrenaline to life. Part of the way is overcome by car, the rest by special mules. The rise takes 2-3 days.

The volcano with a height of 5426m is active. Location - Mexico. uneasy funny name translates as "smoking hill". Around the volcano are densely located villages and cities with a total population of 20 million. Human. The last mention of any activity of the volcano was in 1994. But in 1947, a volcanic eruption threw out so much ash that it covered everything within a radius of 30 km. It is very popular with tourists and lovers of real, virgin nature.

Active volcano with a height of 5822m. located in Peru. The volcano has three huge craters, the diameter of the largest is 130m. Especially strong activity in the 15th century brought a lot of trouble to the nearby city of Arequipa, later called the "white city". The local population call the mountain sacred, the mountain of the gods. In 1998, at the foot of the volcano, archaeologists discovered several Inca mummies and valuable artifacts. Many are associated with the volcano. mystical stories. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. Peak tourist season falls in May-September, when the top of the volcano is not covered with snow. For the most fearless, a descent into one of the craters is provided.

The highest point in Africa (5895m above sea level) belongs to an active volcano. Kilimanjaro is mentioned in many feature films and literature, and is considered one of the most beautiful and popular.

There are no officially recorded eruptions of the giant giant, but local residents claim that the volcano behaved quite aggressively 200 years ago. Kilimanjaro is in high demand among tourists, as climbing the mountain is quite simple and does not require special skills. Unfortunately, the famous "snow cap" in recent times melts strongly, over the past 100 glaciers have decreased by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

Volcano with a height of 5911m. included in the list of the largest active volcanoes in the world. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted a little less than 50 times, and the last strong eruption was recorded last year on August 15th. The devastating eruption of 1768 is mentioned from the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano - “in the middle of spring, a huge column of steam and ash rose from the breathing vent of the volcano, and a few days later fiery lava poured. At the same time, a terrible earthquake began. The nearby city of Latacunga was completely destroyed.” Today Cotopaxi is called " calling card Ecuador". To conquer the top of the volcano, hundreds of avid climbers come here. But local authorities do not welcome this, due to the constant melting of glaciers, many accidents have been recorded.

San Pedro

A giant active volcano is located on the edge of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The height of the volcano above sea level is 6145m. The last activity was in 1960. Tourist routes does not have. Every moment can create real danger for residents of nearby villages.

Height - 6310m. The highest point in Ecuador. Today it is considered extinct, but around the 5th-7th century AD it spewed out tons of fiery lava. Absolutely the entire top of the volcano is covered with glaciers. As a result of the impact of global warming, the glacier has greatly decreased in size. In clear weather, the volcano can be seen at a distance of 150 km. Chimborazo is very popular among hikers and climbers. Some of them claim that in some places they hear the seething inside the volcano. You can conquer the peak of Chimborazo at any time of the year, as the air temperature on the slopes remains the same in winter and summer.

Leader among active volcanoes. Height above sea level 6739m. Recorded in 1877, the eruption was the last. The top of the volcano is covered with glaciers, and it is located among the driest desert on earth - Atacama. Unique excavations carried out at the top of the volcano helped to determine that the found corpses of Inca children, buried more than 500 years ago, speak of the sacredness of this mountain. The local Indians called the volcano "deceiver", not trusting its calmness. The snow line of the volcano is located at the highest point in the world, overcoming a height of 6.5 tons. meters. The lucky ones who managed to climb to the top of the volcano are given the opportunity to enjoy the enchanting and majestic views of mountain ranges and unique landscapes.

The highest volcano on earth geographically covers both Chile and Argentina. The height of the champion of our rating is 6887m. above sea level. The volcano is also unique in that it is in the crater itself, at an altitude of 6390m. is the highest lake in the world. Over the entire history of observation, there has not been much activity of the volcano, although several emissions of sulfur and water vapor have been recorded in the last century. From Chile, near the volcano is the city of Copiano. The city fully breathes with tourist life, meeting every year a large number of climbers and ordinary travelers. At the foot of the very peak, which can only be reached by the most experienced tourists, traces of the habitation of the Incas were found. This find again reminds of the special attitude of the ancient Indians to the greatness and sacredness of nature.

The record for the most terrible, destructive volcanic eruption belongs to Tambora, located in Indonesia. In 1815, after a powerful explosion, the eruption lasted almost two weeks. Within a radius of 500 kilometers, there was pitch darkness for four days due to the ejected ash. More than 70,000 people died in that crash, according to the Indonesian government.

On the territory of our country, the champion in height is the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano. Its height is 4835m. above sea level. The last small eruption was recorded in August 2013.

Volcano is a wonder of the world, created by nature itself. admire majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters, you can constantly. The likely danger posed by an active volcano has long been a subject of curiosity and popularity among tourists. But beauty and power natural phenomena should be respected, it was not for nothing that the ancient Indians called the volcanoes the "sacred mountain".

2016.06.02 by

04/29/2016 at 04:27 pm pavlofox · 26 070

The largest volcanoes in the world

Volcanoes, for all their danger, are one of the most beautiful and majestic wonders 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 big cities. Mankind managed to be convinced of the incredible power of volcanoes during the infamous eruption of Vesuvius, which killed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae. And there are many such examples in history.

The largest volcanoes in the world - let's talk today about these dangerous, but beautiful giants. Our list includes volcanoes of varying degrees of activity - from conditionally dormant to active. The main selection criterion was their size.

10. Sangay | Height 5230 meters

Opens the rating of the largest volcanoes on Earth active stratovolcanolocated in Ecuador. Its height is 5230 meters. The top of the volcano consists of three craters with a diameter of 50 to 100 meters. Sangai 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 the volcanic activity of the giant from the Equator is estimated as moderate. Tourists who visited national park Sangai, on the territory of which the volcano is located, can climb to its summit.

9. Popocatepetl | Height 5,455 meters

On the 9th place among the largest volcanoes in the world -. 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 happened quite recently - on March 27, 2016, it threw out a kilometer column of ash. The next day, Popocatepetl calmed down. In the event of a strong eruption of the Mexican giant, it will threaten the safety of several million people.

8. Elbrus | Height 5642 meters

There are large volcanoes in Europe as well. In the North Caucasus, there is a stratovolcano, whose height is 5642 meters. This is the highest peak in Russia. Elbrus is one of the seven highest mountain peaks planets. Regarding the activity of the giant, the opinion of scientists differs. Some consider him extinct volcano, while others are fading. Sometimes Elbrus becomes the center of small earthquakes. In some places on its surface, sulfurous gases come out of cracks. Scientists who believe that Elbrus may wake up in the future are of the opinion that the nature of its eruption will be explosive.

7. Orizaba | Altitude 5,675 meters

Takes seventh place in the list of the largest volcanoes on Earth, highest peak 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.

6. Misty | Height 5,822 meters

On the 6th place in the list of the largest volcanoes is located in the south of Peru. Its height is 5822 meters. Misty is an active volcano. It last erupted in 1985. In January 2016, an increase in fumarolic activity was observed on the volcano - steam and gas holes appeared. 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 Misti pyroclastic flows. Therefore, Arequipa is called the "White City".

5. Kilimanjaro | Altitude 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 with a height of 5895 meters is potentially active. Now he periodically emits gases and there is a possibility of the collapse of the crater of the volcano, which can provoke its eruption. There is no documentary evidence of the activity of Kilimanjaro, but there are legends of local residents that speak of an eruption that occurred about 200 years ago.

4. Cotopaxi | Altitude 5,897 meters

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

3. San Pedro | Height 6 145 meters

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

2. Mauna Loa | Height 4205 meters

The second place among the largest volcanoes in the world is occupied by a volcano located on Hawaiian Islands. In terms of volume, it is the largest volcano on Earth, containing over 32 cubic kilometers of magma. A 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 surrounding area of ​​the volcano.

1. Lullaillaco | Height 6,739 meters

In first place among the largest volcanoes in the world is an active starter volcano. 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 solfataric stage - from time to time the volcano releases sulfurous gases and water vapor. In 1952, during the first ascent of Llullaillaco, an ancient Inca sanctuary was found. Later, on the slopes of the volcano, archaeologists discovered three child mummies. Most likely, they were sacrificed.

It is interesting. The Yellowstone caldera, which is approximately 55 km by 72 km in size, is called a supervolcano. It is located in Yellowstone national park USA. The volcano has not been active for 640 thousand years. Beneath its crater is a magma bubble over 8,000 meters deep. During its existence, the supervolcano erupted three times. Each time, this caused major cataclysms that changed the face of the Earth at the site of the eruption. When the supervolcano wakes up again, it is impossible to predict. Only one thing can be said with certainty - a cataclysm of this magnitude is capable of putting the existence of our civilization on the brink.

What else to see:

To date, 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 majestically rise above the ground from a few hundred to several thousand meters above the ground.

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

THE LARGEST VOLCANOES

Probably, we can 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 in the Hawaiian Islands. Firstly, this volcano can frighten anyone with its gigantic size, and secondly, today it is the most active volcano in the world. The first recorded eruption of Mauna Loa occurred in 1843, since then 43 such eruptions have been counted.

The last time a rather powerful eruption occurred in the twentieth century, namely: in 1984. It was then that a huge amount of lava poured out of the mouth of the volcano, it covered an area of ​​​​more than 12 thousand hectares of land. Also, the frozen lava significantly increased the area of ​​the island itself. Mauna Loa rises above the ocean level by 4170 meters, and do not forget that the volcano goes under water for a similar distance. Therefore, if we combine the height above the level and the depth below the sea level, it turns out that this particular volcano is the highest, and also that this is the most big mountain on the planet. According to such a 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. Lullaillaco has a height of 6723 meters, the last time he woke up in 1877, but this eruption was remembered by all the locals.

Llullaillaco volcano

But in the scientific community there is disagreement about which of the volcanoes should be called the largest. For example, some believe that the highest and largest volcano is located in South America, near the equator. This refers to the actually huge volcano and it is called Cotopaxi, whose height is 5879 meters. Despite being lower in height than Llullaillaco, the Cotopaxi volcano has more rich story eruptions, the last time it happened in 1942.

Cotopaxi volcano

And if Cotopaxi cannot be called the most big volcano on Earth, then the epithet "the most beautiful" he definitely deserves. Judge for yourself - at the foot there is just 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 whole family of volcanoes, Cotopaxi is also quite dangerous, since during the entire observation period it woke up more than a dozen times and spewed out a huge amount of lava from its mouth. In 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 states - Chile and Argentina. Translated from Spanish, it translates as "salty tears." The height of this volcano is 6890 meters above sea level, while the highest peak is located on Chilean territory. This cannot but please the citizens of Chile, moreover, they are proud of having such a high volcano in their country.

Various scientists conducted a large number of expeditions to this volcano, conducted a lot of research there, and in the end they came to the unanimous opinion that Ojos del Salado did not erupt even once. More specifically, we are talking about the last two million years. Despite the fact that the volcano is in a dormant state, most recently, in 1993, it released a large amount of sulfur and water vapor into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is not only the most high volcano on the planet, but also the most peaceful to date.

THE BIGGEST VOLCANO ERUPTION

by the most powerful eruption volcano, documentary information about which has survived to this day, is an eruption near the capital of Indonesia - the proud Jakarta. All the fear and power of the volcano, its inhabitants felt on themselves. The tragic events took place back in 1883, it was then, on May 20, that local volcano called Krakatau. At first, the eruption was manifested by strong tremors, the earth literally shook. It should be noted that Krakatoa itself is located at a distance of 50 kilometers from Jakarta. Actually, for three months, tremors of various strengths occurred from time to time, but the worst began on August 27, on that day Krakatau woke up for real.

It began with the terrible force of the explosion, it was even heard by those who were 5 thousand kilometers from the volcano. Further, 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, then it flew all the way to the mesosphere. Then a deafening explosion sounded, today it corresponds to a force of 6 points. Ashes settling for a long time covered almost the entire territory of Indonesia. A terrible explosion provoked a devastating tsunami, from the impact of which 37,000 people died 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 towns and cities. Huge clouds of volcanic ash settled over the entire territory of the Earth for several more years and influenced the climate throughout the planet for two years.