The highest volcanoes in the world. The most dangerous volcano in the world: name, description, location and interesting facts

Volcanic eruptions in the minds of people have always given rise to catastrophic associations...

Boiling red-hot lava, boundless clouds of volcanic ash eclipsing the Sun, dying people and entire cities are the plot of many paintings, books and films. These days, "infamous" volcanoes that continue to erupt are popular with thrill-seekers. We will talk about the five most famous active volcanoes on Earth.

Vesuvius

On the conscience of this relatively low (1300 meters above sea level) volcano on the shores of the picturesque Gulf of Naples are two destroyed ancient Roman cities, Pompeii and Herculaneum.

In the memory of the Italians, Vesuvius erupted several times, the last time - in 1944. Eruptions have always been accompanied by destruction and casualties, in 1805 even the city of Naples was destroyed. However, the area around the volcano is densely populated - volcanic ash fertilizes the ground.

Krakatoa

The only known volcano that managed to resurrect after it destroyed itself. In 1883, the most destructive eruption in the history of mankind occurred the Krakatoa volcano, located on the island of the same name between Java and Sumatra.

In the sea, 295 Indonesian cities and villages were washed away by a tsunami wave, killing 35 thousand people. Was destroyed and the island of Krakatau, and the volcano itself. However, in 1927, the volcano broke through the ocean and announced itself with a new eruption. The new volcano was named Anak-Krakatau, it is believed that it has a serious impact on the climate of the entire Earth. The last activity of the Krakatoa volcano was observed in 2014.

Fujiyama

The Japanese have a peculiar attitude towards Fujiyama, they do not experience mortal horror, rather the opposite. Followers of the Shinto religion consider Fujiyama a shrine, a symbol of the immortality of the soul, and even built a temple on its top, next to the post office and meteorological station. Fujiyama, along with tourists from all over the world, is visited annually by thousands of Shinto pilgrims.

Hekla

Since then, there have been about three dozen significant eruptions. All - completely different from one another and unpredictable. Some are short, a few days, others can last for months. And the eruption, which began in March 1947, ended only in April 1948. Icelanders believe that the longer the “hibernation” of the volcano lasts, the more catastrophic the consequences of the earthquake will be.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Outside the Caucasus, Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest mountain in Russia (4800 meters). And the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the most active of the 29 active volcanoes in Kamchatka, the last eruption occurred in 2013.

Despite the restless and unpredictable nature of the volcano, climbers and mountain tourists often climb Klyuchevskaya Sopka. The volcano also attracts tourists with an amazing natural phenomenon - lenticular clouds. Large white clouds hang over the crater of Klyuchevskoy Sopka and remain motionless even with very strong winds.

Volcanoes are not only an exciting and dangerous sight. It is thanks to volcanic activity that life on planet Earth was born. The atmosphere and hydrosphere appeared due to the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor. To date, some fire-breathing mountains are inactive, while others cause trouble and anxiety to mankind.

Volcano Vesuvius. Italy

It is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Europe. It was he who in August 1979 destroyed several ancient Roman cities, including Pompeii. It wakes up about every 20 years. The last time was in 1944.

Volcano Yellowstone Caldera. USA

About a third of the territory of Yellowstone National Park is occupied by an active volcano. Inside its bubble of magma constantly heats the thermal springs, which is manifested in the formation of geysers and mud pots.

Volcano Krakatau. Indonesia

The last time it erupted was in 1883, as a result of which the island on which the volcano is located was destroyed. The process lasted from May to the end of August. The victims of the ash and tsunami were 36 thousand people and 259 settlements. Today, a 1.5 km zone around the island is closed to the public.

Volcano Mauna Loa. Hawaii

This is the second largest of the megavolcanoes, the top of which is covered with snow from January to March. Sometimes he wakes up and pours out lava flows.

Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzania, Africa

The volcano consists of 3 extinct peaks. However, scientists have found that only at a depth of 400 m under the crater of the mountain is red-hot lava. In addition, the centuries-old ice cap that covered the peak has almost melted.

Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Iceland

Not so long ago, the volcano paralyzed the work of several European airports. The eruption was rated at 4 points on the VEI scale. Some researchers believe that the awakening of Eyyafyatlayokudl may be the trigger for the Katla eruption.

Volcano Cotopaxi. Ecuador

This is the most active volcano. After more than 150 years of silence, Cotopaxi came to life again in 2015. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Volcano Merapi. Java island

One of the most active volcanoes erupts at least twice a year, and major eruptions occur every seven years. Local residents have to evacuate. The top of Merapi smokes non-stop.

Volcano Popocatepetl. Mexico

The most powerful eruption occurred in 2000. It was preceded by 15 years of increased activity of the fiery mountain. In March 2016, Popocatepetl raised a column of steam, gas and ash to a height of 2 km. At risk are the cities of Mexico City and Puebla.

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.

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.

Popocatepetl, 5426 meters

It is an active volcano located in Mexico, part of the Cordillera mountain system. Translated from the local language, the place name translates as "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.

Elbrus, 5642 meters

The summit 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 is translated as "high mountain", "mountain of a thousand mountains" or "surging". More than 20 glaciers with a total area of ​​134 km have spread 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 increase in Elbrus from eruptions amounted to 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). The first 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" in translation. 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 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 for the Incas has always been a 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. The most favorable time for climbing to the top is the period from mid-autumn to early spring.

El Misti, 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 settlement is known as the "White City" due to the fact that most of the buildings were erected from snow-white deposits of volcanic origin. The Chile River flows past El Misti, 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.

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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 Black Continent, and in the period from 1902 to 1918, the volcano was named Kaiser Wilhelm Summit. The mountain is almost completely covered in snow, which glistens under the bright African sun. That is why Kilimandazhro in translation from the local language means "sparkling peak". In ancient times, the tribes living at the foot considered the mountain to be holy and, without climbing it, they 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 near Kilimanjaro, but according to scientists, the last activity was observed about 200,000 years ago. The first ascent of Kilimanjaro took place in 1889.

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.

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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.

Llullagliaco, 6739 meters

It is located in Western Coldillera, on the border between Argentina and Chile, on the plateau of the highest volcanoes in the world - Puna de Atacama. At the very top, there is eternal glaciation, and the last eruption was observed here in 1877, although today Llullaco is in a state of relative rest. The volcano is considered the highest of all active and is a cone that continues to grow. The first ascent was made on December 1, 1952 by Billon González and Juan Harzeim. The top is an archaeological monument, on the territory of which the 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

The name means "salty eyes" in Spanish. It is the highest volcano on Earth, located in South America, on the Chilean-Argentine border, 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 is the highest lake in the world of incredible beauty. Despite the fact that Ojos del Salado has not shown signs of life for a long time, insignificant activity was observed in 1937, 1956 and 1993. The summit was first conquered by man in 1937. The discoverers were two Polish climbers - Jan Szczepanski and Justin Wojzhnis. Scientists have repeatedly found the remains of sacrificial altars on the volcano, presumably related to the Inca civilization.

Volcanoes in our mind represent the boiling of emotions. They are huge and unpredictable, and their action is destructive. In general, a volcano of passions. In fact, how big are they? And do they all continuously boil and smoke, throwing out red-hot lava? For the inhabitants of which regions do they pose a danger? How big is it? When was the world's largest volcano last erupting? What is the name and where is it located? Does activity depend on size?

Volcanoes of the planet

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

In Europe, Vesuvius and Etna became notorious, causing the death, 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 to be real sights. Their sizes range from 350 meters (Taal, Philippines) to almost seven kilometers 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 he is in the state of Wyoming. And this opinion has serious grounds. The Yellowstone Volcano is considered the largest on the planet in terms of the area occupied on the map. But the criteria for sizing are ambiguous. For example, there are volcanoes much higher.

Old and young volcanoes

To assess the degree of danger of the proximity to the volcano, you need to understand what it is. After all, it was not just a high mountain that was called that. So, volcanoes are located in those places on the earth's surface where the movement of the upper solid layer occurs. 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 hardened edge, a volcano can arise under certain conditions. This process is long, sometimes taking millions of years, but it does not stop even for a moment. In this case, the age of the volcano does not really matter. 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 quite unexpectedly.

What is inside?

Both the largest volcano in the world and the relatively small one have a similar internal structure. The mass of previously ejected petrified lava rises above the surface and presses on a layer of granite, basalt and other stone deposits, provoking the release of magma through the main trunk and its side branches. The eruption does not last long (sometimes several hours), then a precarious equilibrium sets in, sometimes leading to the freezing 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 from the ashes, so much carbon monoxide and other ozone-depleting compounds will rise into the air that all prohibitions 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 rather a medium or very “small” one.

But it's all on the earth's surface. And under the water passes its own volcanic life. And if "land" volcanoes emit substances harmful to the ozone layer into the atmosphere, then their underwater counterparts, on the contrary, help to restore it. This happens because by their activity they contribute to the vital activity of phytoplankton, which in turn produces oxygen in the process of photosynthesis. Due to the iron emitted by underwater volcanoes, the microelement supply of the food chain of a number of living microorganisms occurs.

Underwater seismic and volcanic activity lead to a change in the topography of the ocean floor, up to the appearance or disappearance of islands, and sometimes even causes the appearance of giant tsunami waves. But underwater volcanoes excite people to a lesser extent than those that can be seen with your own eyes, making your way to the nearest national park or making a tourist voyage.

yellowstone miracle

The USA is a young country, its history is not calculated in many centuries, and even more so in millennia, as in 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 special in the country (better than in the whole world), then the guides do not forget to remind tourists about this, and numerous avenues vied with each other to point to such an attraction. This is what the United States authorities have really succeeded in, so it is in respect 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 whole country.

Any resident of Wyoming knows where the largest volcano is located. "In America, of course!" he says confidently. In addition, in the Yellowstone National Park, from which the process of creating 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 (and this is four thousand square kilometers) is twenty times the size of the US capital, the city of 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. The US is very proud of it. It would 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 grounds for its title. Looking at its cartographic plan, it is easy 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 his Ecuadorian competitor, who has risen to almost seven kilometers in height? More on this later. In the meantime, you can speculate about the potential danger posed by Yellowstone.

One of the threats to the US

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 its age is quite respectable, seventeen million years. The last time he showed his temper about 6400 centuries ago. A simple arithmetic calculation leads to the frightening thought that an eruption may soon begin again. And every year the probability of this event increases more and more. The data obtained using the means of objective control is alarming, since the beginning of the new millennium, the internal activity of the mountain has been growing. Inside a gigantic flattened cone with a collapsed center-crater, lava is noisy, and louder and louder. This hum scares not only the inhabitants of Wyoming and neighboring states. Pessimists argue that no thermonuclear war can be compared in terms of consequences with the destruction that the largest volcano in the world can cause. In the United States, life will become impossible, and not in some figurative, political or economic sense, but in the most literal, physical sense, and throughout the country. If you imagine that the largest volcano in the world woke up, there is something to be horrified. Sunlight will cease to flow, ash raised into the air will close the luminary. The greenhouse effect will lead to a sharp decrease in temperature. The overall picture is reminiscent of a futuristic horror film in which the consequences of a nuclear war are plotted.

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 catastrophe 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 (and possibly Canada and Mexico) to a safe place. So you should not be afraid in any case, what to be, that cannot be avoided.

In general, all these fears are reminiscent of the concern of a listener of a lecture on 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, realizing that the speaker misspoke. It turns out that there is still a hundred billion years ahead, not a hundred million. Quite another matter!

Despite the monstrous threat to national security, any American student knows which is the largest volcano in the world 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 huge size, Yellowstone cannot boast of worldwide fame. It is known in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the inhabitants of the Old World, 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 Fujiyama, Vesuvius, Popocatepetl and other eternal masses are replicated in tourist brochures much more widely. These volcanoes have become a kind of visiting cards of the countries in which they are located, and often even cultural and national symbols. They compose songs, write poems about them, since ancient times they have become inanimate (and sometimes living) characters of folk sagas, legends and traditions. Perhaps, in addition to deep folklore roots, the fact that from time to time, unlike Yellowstone, they smoke, make noise and show other signs of “aliveness”, usually unpleasant, contributed to the popularity of these natural attractions. So where are the largest active volcanoes in the world and what is the secret of their popularity?

Calm Vesuvius

You can start from anywhere in the world. For example, from the old woman of Europe. Vesuvius is not the largest volcano. Its height would not make much impression on America, it is almost three times lower than Yellowstone. But this does not prevent him, decorating the Neapolitan landscape, from being considered the highest in Europe. It was Vesuvius that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. In previous centuries, the volcano erupted at different intervals, but quite often according to volcanic concepts. Sometimes a century and a half passed between revivals, and sometimes only fifty years. In 1631, four thousand Neapolitans became victims of the elements, and the crater, as a result of the rapid outflow of red-hot magma, fell by almost 170 meters.

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

Fujiyama: 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 Mount Fuji. But in addition to purely aesthetic pleasure, the islanders also showed a completely practical mindset, using the image of the sacred mountain for commercial purposes. Perhaps the same fate awaits the other largest volcanoes in the world. Photo, video and other products of the Japanese corporation Fuji are widely known all over the world.

Fujiyama itself is considered an extinct volcano, the last time she spewed lava and ash back in 1707. This symbol of Japan is really very beautiful, both Japanese and foreigners go to admire it. Artists often depict the snow-capped peak of the volcano in combination with cherry blossoms, another "visiting card" of the Land of the Rising Sun. Mount Fuji is 3,776 meters high.

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 lines along which tectonic plates press each other with their edges. It is at these boundaries that revolutionary changes in the relief of mountain ranges take place. An example is the Andes. Here, according to Ecuador, is the largest active volcano in the world, it is called Cotopaxi. Its height exceeds 5911 meters. This, of course, is a lot, but the reasons for such a high title of this volcano remain a mystery. The fact is that its neighbors in the Andes - Lullaillaco 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 prompts visiting guests to inspire that they have visited the largest volcano in America, this time Latin. To see Ojos del Salado, you need to make a long and difficult journey.

Volcano in the country - happiness or sorrow?

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

Tens of thousands of tourists, climbers and climbers climb the craters, descend into them, sometimes risking their lives. Such is human nature, although they say that "the smart one will not go uphill."

Eric Peterson, a Swedish climber, died on Batur in Bali. The Kamchatka volcano Kamen claimed the lives of three Belarusian travelers. The Japanese volcano Ontake, located two hundred kilometers from Tokyo, suddenly woke up, throwing up a huge amount of ash into the sky, which led to the death of at least three dozen tourists. And all these tragedies have happened literally in the last year. Not the largest volcanoes in the world pose a mortal danger, although they cannot be called small either. The luckiest countries are those in which volcanoes are dormant, and even better if they are completely extinct.

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.

In the modern world, scientists can predict the activity of an active volcano, thereby avoiding many victims, but sometimes it is impossible to calculate the strength and duration of the “fiery breath of nature”. People are most interested in the highest, largest volcanoes created at the junction of tectonic plates. This list contains exactly those that have the 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 travel companies offer to climb to the top of the volcano, since the volcano is considered active and falls 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. The difficult 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 mystical stories are connected with the volcano. Periodic explosive eruptions over the past hundred years have not scared away, but rather attracted a lot of tourists. The peak of the tourist season falls on 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" has been melting a lot recently, 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. From the archives of descriptions of the Cotopaxi volcano, a devastating eruption of 1768 is mentioned - “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 the "calling card of 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. There are no tourist routes. Every moment can create a real danger for the inhabitants 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. You can constantly admire the majestic mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and bottomless craters. The likely 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 the "sacred mountain".