The largest volcanoes in the world. The tallest volcano in the world

Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on the planet. It is located in the Chilean Andes in South America, on the border of Argentina and Chile, but it belongs to Argentine territory. Its height reaches 6893 meters. This is the second highest peak on the South American continent. Not far from the volcano lies the Atacama Desert. The volcano has not erupted during the entire period of observation and is considered extinct.

The world's highest active volcano, Llullaillaco, is located in the Western Cordillera of the Andes. Its absolute height is 6739 meters. The top of the volcano is covered with ice. The snow line on the western slope of Llullaillaco has the highest position on earth - more than 6.5 thousand meters. The last volcanic eruption occurred in 1877. At this time it is in the solfataric stage.

In Chile, on the edge of the Atacama Desert, there is an active volcano called San Pedro. Its height is 6145 meters and its shape is that of a stratovolcano. It is located in the Antofagasta region of the province of El Loa and is adjacent to the Cero Parini volcano. A huge saddle separates San Pedro from the mountain ranges of the Central Andes. The last volcanic eruption was recorded on December 2, 1960.

Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in Ecuador (5911 meters) and the second highest peak in the country. It is located in the Cordillera Oriental in South America. The volcano is included in the list of the highest active volcanoes on earth. It has a huge crater measuring 550x800 meters and a depth of 450 meters. Cotopaxi has erupted about 50 times since 1738. The last eruption dates back to 1940.

In northeastern Tanzania, rising above the Masai plateau, lies the active volcano Kilimanjaro. It reaches 5895 meters and is considered the highest point in Africa. Having explored Kilimanjaro, in 2003, scientists discovered that only 400 meters distance the molten lava from the edge of the Kibo crater, the main peak of the volcano. There are fears that a major eruption is approaching.

El Misti stratovolcano is located in Peru in South America. Its height is 5822 meters. In winter, the top of the volcano is covered with snow. 17 kilometers west of El Misti is the city of Arequipa with a population of one million. Most of the buildings in it are built from deposits of pyroclastic flows of the volcano, which is why Arequipa is also called the “white city”.

The highest peak in Mexico is Orizaba. Her middle name is Citlaltepetl, which translates as “star mountain.” It is the third highest point in North America. Its peak is located at an altitude of 5636 meters, and its elevation is 4922 meters. Orizaba erupted 7 times between 1537 and 1687, but the volcano is currently considered dormant.

Elbrus is located in the north of the Caucasus Mountains and is the highest point in Russia. The stratovolcano is a saddle-shaped cone with two peaks located at a distance of 3000 meters from each other. The heights of the western and eastern peaks are 5642 and 5621 meters, respectively. The saddle separating the peaks is 5300 meters high. The date of the last eruption is approximately 50 AD.

The active volcano Popocatepetl rises above the Mexican Highlands. Its name means "smoking hill" in Nahuatl. This is the second highest stratovolcano in Mexico, its peak reaches 5455 meters. Not far from it is the extinct volcano Iztaccihuatl. Popocatepetl last erupted in 2011. North-west of the volcano is the city of Mexico with a population of 20 million.

“Sangai” closes the list of the highest volcanoes. The active volcano Sangay is located in Ecuador, on the eastern side of the equatorial Andes. Its height is 5230 meters. This stratovolcano has three craters. According to scientists, Sangai was formed approximately 14,000 years ago. In 1628, an eruption was first recorded. The volcano has been actively erupting since 1934, most recently in 2007.

Some of the most magnificent wonders on earth are volcanoes. Their beauty is truly dangerous, as they can bring destruction to everything around them. Hot lava and volcanic bombs can easily wipe out from the face of the earth everything that gets in their way, including the largest cities. Over many millennia, humanity has already become convinced of 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, Herculaneum).

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

Mauna Loa opens the top 10 largest volcanoes in the world. This is one of the active megavolcanoes, which is located in the central part of the island of Hawaii. In terms of volume, it is second only to the Tamu Massif. 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 shield 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 Sangay Volcano. 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. A national natural park was opened on the territory of the mountain and its nearby territory, which belongs to the UNESCO list of protected areas.

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

8. Huila Volcano

Starovolcano Huila is the largest volcano in Colombia, with a height of 5365 meters. It has a steep elongated shape. Huila was considered dormant for many years, but after fifty years he began to show signs of activity. 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 are due to the presence of numerous water sources, which were formed due to the melting of snow from the top of the mountain.

7. Popocatepetl

The Mexican highlands are home to 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 Iztaxuatl. These two hills received their names thanks to a legend. In it, the Aztecs talked about unhappy love, where a girl was given in marriage to another. This happened because her parents did not wait for their daughter’s lover to return from the hike. Soon the girl committed suicide. After some time, the warrior returned home victorious, but did not find his beloved alive. The guy could not come to terms 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 is the highest peak in Mexico and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Its height above sea level is 5675 meters. Locals call the volcano Citlaltepetl. This is translated from one of the Aztec languages ​​as “mountain of stars.”

At the moment, the volcano is dormant, but it has not completely gone out. About 27 eruptions have been documented, the last of which was observed in 1846.

In 1936, a protected park was created that included the mountain, 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 at the top of the volcano. Due to the problem of global warming, their number has decreased. Today there are 9 of them. The largest of them is Gran Norte with an area of ​​9 km2.

5. Misty

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

The cone shape of Misti is a stratovolcano. It is characterized by explosive eruptions that 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. Taking into account glaciers, its height is 5895 meters. Kilimanjaro, like most of the world's largest volcanoes, remains 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. The name of the volcano is translated from Swahili as “mountain that sparkles.”

Despite the fact that Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano, many scientists visit it every year. The top of the volcano is covered with a huge snow cap, which has formed there since the Ice Age. Due to global warming, its volume has decreased sharply over the last 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 ridge. The capital of Ecuador, Quito, is located just 50 kilometers from Cotopaxi.

The peak of volcanic activity fell in the 17th-18th centuries. The last eruption occurred quite recently - in 2015.

Cotopaxi means "shining or smoking mountain" in the Quechua language. Sometimes you can see small puffs of smoke 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

At 6,145 meters high, San Pedro is the largest stratovolcano in the Andes mountain range. The volcanic cone 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 top of the mountain was made.

Not far from San Pedro is the San Pablo Volcano. Outwardly, they look like two brothers who are connected to each other using a high saddle.

1. Llullaillaco

Llullallaco 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.

Today Llullallaco is in a dormant state. The last period of activity was documented in 1877. Nowadays, you can quite often see smoke emanating from its mouth.

The very first documented ascent to the top of Llullallaco occurred in 1952. During the expedition, archaeologists found an ancient sanctuary belonging to the Incas. Upon closer examination of the slopes of the mountain, several mummies were discovered, which were most likely sacrificed to the gods.

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. The map of Latin America is 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. In this case, the age of the volcano does not matter much. 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 can be violated at any moment. 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 the iron emitted by underwater volcanoes, the food chain of a number of living microorganisms is supplied with trace elements.

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 in person by traveling to the nearest national park or on 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 United States

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 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 sense, but in the most literal, physical sense, and throughout the entire country. If you imagine that the largest volcano in the world has awakened, there is something to be horrified about. The sunlight will stop coming in, and the ash raised into the air will cover the star. 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 the ancient city of 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 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 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 the snow-capped peak of a volcano in combination with cherry blossoms, another “calling card” of the Land of the 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. Being next to 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 “a smart person 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 over the 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.

The beauty and grandeur of a large volcano has always attracted people. The power of the active giant is not exaggerated - the ash that envelops many kilometers and the fiery lava that burns everything in its path are described in many books and shown on TV. The larger and higher the volcano, the more destruction it can cause if it erupts.

In the 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. The highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates are of greatest interest to people. This list shows exactly those that have the highest altitude above sea level.

Tungurahua

The height of the giant volcano, located on the territory of Ecuador, is 5023 m. above sea level. The name stands for “fire throat.” Since 1999, the volcano has become especially active, and therefore it was decided to evacuate all nearby villages. Major eruptions were recorded in 2012 and 2014, which is why local authorities introduced an orange alert level. Throwing ash to a height of almost 10 km. Several large settlements located at a distance of more than 150 km fell asleep. Little Tungurahua activity still occurs today.

Another giant from Ecuador. In the local dialect it means “fear-inspiring.” This majestic and beautiful volcano has a height of 5230m. According to scientific data, the 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. Last activity was in 2007. Today, only a few travel companies offer to climb to the top of the volcano, since the volcano is considered active and erupts from time to time. Still, there are always people who like to add adrenaline to their lives. Part of the route is covered by car, the rest by special mules. Elevation takes 2-3 days.

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

Active volcano with a height of 5822m. located in Peru. The volcano has three huge craters, the largest diameter is 130m. Particularly 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 calls the mountain sacred, the mountain of the gods. In 1998, archaeologists discovered several Incan mummies and valuable artifacts at the foot of the volcano. There are many mystical stories associated with the volcano. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. The peak tourist season is May-September, when the top of the volcano is not covered with snow. For the most fearless, there is a descent into one of the craters.

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 200 years ago the volcano behaved quite aggressively. Kilimanjaro is in great demand among tourists, as climbing the mountain is quite simple and does not require special skills. Unfortunately, the famous “snow cap” has been melting a lot lately; over the last 100 years, glaciers have shrunk by 80%, which is certainly alarming.

Volcano with a height of 5911m. is included in the list of the largest active volcanoes on the planet. Since 1738, the volcano has erupted just under 50 times, and the last strong eruption was recorded last year on August 15. From the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano, a destructive eruption of 1768 is mentioned - “in the middle of spring, a huge column of steam and ash rose from the breathing crater of the volcano, and a few days later fiery lava poured out. At the same time, a terrible earthquake began. The nearby town of Latacunga was completely destroyed." Today Cotopaxi is called “the calling card of Ecuador.” Hundreds of avid climbers come here to conquer the top of the volcano. 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 sits on the edge of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The height of the volcano above sea level is 6145m. The last activity was observed in 1960. There are no tourist routes. Every moment can create a 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 erupted tons of fiery lava. The entire top of the volcano is covered with glaciers. As a result of the effects of global warming, the glacier has greatly decreased in size. In clear weather, the volcano can be seen 150 km away. Chimborazo is very popular among tourists and climbers. Some of them claim that in some places they can hear seething inside the volcano. You can conquer the top of Chimborazo at any time of the year, since the air temperature on the slopes remains the same in winter and summer.

The leader among active volcanoes. Height above sea level 6739m. The eruption recorded in 1877 was the last. The top of the volcano is covered with glaciers, and it itself is located among the driest desert on earth - the Atacama. Unique excavations carried out at the top of the volcano helped determine that the found corpses of Incan children buried more than 500 years ago speak about the sacredness of this mountain. Local Indians nicknamed the volcano “deceiver”, not trusting its calmness. The snow line of the volcano is located at the highest point in the world, reaching 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 located in the crater itself, at an altitude of 6390m. The highest lake in the world is located. Throughout the history of observation, the volcano has not shown much activity, although several emissions of sulfur and water vapor were recorded in the last century. On the Chilean side, near the volcano is the city of Copiano. The city is completely alive with tourist life, welcoming a large number of climbers and ordinary travelers every year. At the foot of the peak itself, which can only be reached by the most experienced tourists, traces of Inca habitation were found. This find again recalls 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 disaster, 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.

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

2016.06.02 by

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

Sangay, 5230 meters

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 - Sangay is one of the most restless volcanoes on the continent. Sangai has three huge craters, which is unusual 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. Around the volcano there are rare representatives of the fauna: ocelots, pumas, tapirs, Andean bears and porcupines.

Popocatepetl, 5426 meters

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

Elbrus, 5642 meters

The peak is located in Russia and is part of the Caucasus mountain system. Elbrus is located on the border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. The toponym translates as “high mountain,” “mountain of a thousand mountains,” or “towering.” More than 20 glaciers with a total area of ​​134 km are spread out on the slopes of Elbrus. sq., 9 km long. They feed the largest Caucasian rivers - Kuban, Malka and Baksan. Elbrus is divided into two parts - a bulk cone and a pedestal. According to scientists, the growth of Elbrus from the eruptions was about 2 thousand meters. The last eruption of the stratovolcano occurred 5120 years ago, since then nothing has been heard about its activity. The first ascent of Elbrus took place on July 22, 1829 (eastern peak), 1874 (western peak). For the first time, a Russian expedition arrived at the foot of the volcano in 1913 for scientific purposes.

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Orizaba, 5675 meters

The second name is Sitlaltepetl, which means “star-mountain”. Orizaba is the highest Mexican peak and is located in the Cordillera mountain system. Geographically, the volcano is located on the territory of two states - Puebla and Veracruz. The stratovolcano remains relatively dormant today and last erupted in 1846. A total of 27 periods of activity were recorded, including in the mid-16th and 17th centuries. For the Incas, Orizaba has always been a sacred mountain, with which many legends and myths were associated. Since 1936, a reserve was created on the volcano to protect Orizaba from unauthorized ascents. Every year hundreds of climbers arrive here, for whom many routes of varying degrees of difficulty are laid out. The most favorable time for climbing to the top is from mid-autumn to early spring.

El Misti, 5822 meters

Located in South America, territorially belonging to Peru, in the winter months it is almost completely covered with snow. 17 km from the stratovolcano is the small town of Arequipa, whose population is more than 1 million people. In the country, the settlement is known as the “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 El Misti, and to the south of the peak there is another volcano, Pichu Pichu. The last eruption was recorded in 1985; in just a century, activity occurred 5 times. In the 16th century, the residents of Arequipa were forced to leave the city due to an extremely violent eruption, with huge emissions of ash. 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 kept today in the Museum of the Andean Sanctuaries.

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Kilimanjaro, 5895 meters

The African stratovolcano is located in Tanzania and is classified by scientists as active. Kilimanjaro is the highest point of the Dark Continent, and from 1902 to 1918 the volcano was named Kaiser Wilhelm Summit. The mountain is almost completely covered with snow, which glistens under the bright African sun. That is why Kilimandajro means “sparkling peak” in the local language. In ancient times, the tribes living at the foot considered the mountain holy and, without climbing it, were sure that Kilimanjaro was covered with silver. After some time, the leader sent a detachment of daredevils to the top, who discovered that the “silver” was melting in their hands, then the volcano was given another name: “the abode of the god of cold.” There have been no documented eruptions at Kilimanjaro, but scientists believe the last activity occurred approximately 200,000 years ago. The first conquest of Kilimanjaro took place in 1889

Cotopaxi, 5897 meters

The toponym is translated from Quechua as “shiny 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 ridge, has a crater measuring 550 by 800 meters and almost half a kilometer deep. During the period from 1738 to the present day, a total of about 50 eruptions were recorded, the penultimate one occurring in 1877. However, after 140 years, on August 15, 2015, Cotopaxi began to show signs of activity again. 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. The German geologist Wilhelm Reiss managed to do this, and a year later - the volcanologist and naturalist Moritz Alfons Stübel, also a native of Germany. The history of eruptions looks like this: the first recorded one was 1534, then 1742, 1768, 1864, 1877, but until 1940, ash emissions were periodically observed.

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San Pedro, 6145 meters

Considered one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, it is located in the Atacama Desert, in the El Loa province, Antofagastan region of Chile. Not far from the top there is another attraction - the San Pablo volcano, connected to San Pedro by a high saddle. By type of formation, San Pedro is a stratovolcano and is represented by such formations 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 time a person climbed San Pedro was on July 16, 1903. The climbers were Chilean Philemon Morales and Frenchman George Corti.

Llullallaco, 6739 meters

Located in the Western Coldillera, 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 perpetual glaciation, and the last eruption was observed here in 1877, although today Llullallaco is in a state of relative peace. The volcano is considered the highest of all active ones and is a cone that continues to grow. The first ascent was made on December 1, 1952 by Billon Gonzalez and Juan Harzeim. The summit is an archaeological site on the territory of which burials of Inca children were discovered at the end of the 20th century. Three mummies, believed to be 4, 5 and 13 years old, were sacrificed about 5 centuries ago.

Ojos del Salado, 6893 meters

Translated from Spanish, the name means “salty eyes.” It is the highest volcano on Earth, located in South America, on the Chilean-Argentine border, and belongs to the Andes mountain system. To the west of the summit is the famous Atacama Desert. At an altitude of 6400 meters, on the eastern slope of the crater there is the highest lake in the world of incredible beauty. Although Ojos del Salado has not shown any signs of life for a long time, minor activity was observed in 1937, 1956 and 1993. The peak was first conquered by a person in 1937. The discoverers were two Polish climbers - Jan Szczepanski and Justyn Wojznis. Scientists have repeatedly found on the volcano the remains of sacrificial altars, presumably dating back to the Inca civilization.