Top Ten Most Active Volcanoes on Earth


At Number 1 is the Volcano Kilauea
Kilauea is an active shield volcano located on the Hawaiian Islands. Kilauea is a huge tourist attraction. Kilauea was originally mistaken as a satellite of its larger neighbor, Mauna Loa, because it lacks topographical prominence. It has been revealed though that they have two separate magma chambers and so are distinct. All eruptions of Kilauea have occurred in one of three places, its summit caldera, its eastern rift zone, or its southwestern rift zone. Major eruptions have occurred in 1790, 1924, 1974, and 1983. Kilauea has been in a constant state of activity since 1983 and has had so much activity it tops number 1 on this list. 




At Number 2 is the Volcano Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano located in Italy. It is the tallest active volcano on the European continent. Mount Etna plays a role in Greek mythology. Mount Etna supports extensive agriculture. Mount Etna had some major eruptions 8000 years ago. Mount Etna's biggest recorded eruption is though to have been in 1669. At the summit, Etna has five distinct craters but it has over 300 vents on its sides. Mount Etna is in an almost constant state of activity. Mount Etna has been active for 3,500 years.


At Number 3 is the Volcano Piton de la Fournaise
Piton de la Fournaise is an active stratovolcano located on the island of reunion in the Indian ocean. The island belongs to France. The translation of the name is "Peak of the Furnace". It is also a major tourist attraction at the island. A part of the volcano is breached by the sea and will eventually collapse into the Indian ocean. There are many craters and cones inside of the caldera. There is evidence of a major eruption 4,700 years ago. More recently, a major eruption occurred in 2007. It has been active since 1920. 



At Number 4 is the Volcano Mount Stromboli
Mount Stromboli is an active stratovolcano located in Italy. Mount Stromboli is almost constantly active giving it the nickname "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean". The last major eruption was in 2009. Mount Stromboli has three active craters and most frequently has Strombolian eruptions, which were named after this volcano. It shares the unique characteristic with Mount Erebus that you can study the Strombolian eruptive system close up. Mount Stromboli has been active for over 2,000 years.  
  

At Number 5 is the Volcano Mount Yasur
Mount Yasur is an active stratovolcano located in Vanuatu. Mount Yasur erupts several times an hour. It can be approached safely though and is a major tourist attraction. Its eruptions are usually classified as Strombolian or Vulcanian. It has been active for over 800 years. 


At Number 6 is the Volcano Erta Ale
Erta Ale is an active shield volcano located in Ethiopia. It is the most active volcano in Ethiopia. Erta Ale means in the local language "Smoking Mountain". Erta Ale holds the longest existing lava lake, one of only six in the entire world. Erta Ale had a major eruption in 2005. Erta Ale has been active since 1967.


At Number 7 is the Volcano Mount Erebus

Mount Erebus is an active stratovolcano located in Antarctica. Mount Erebus is the most active volcano in Antarctica. Mount Erebus usually has Strombolian eruptions. the Volcano is scientifically remarkable in that its relatively low-level and unusually persistent eruptive activity enables long-term volcano logical study of a Strombolian eruptive system very close, a characteristic shared with only a few volcanos on earth. Mount Erebus is classified as a polygenetic stratovolcano, which is different than a regular stratovolcano. The bottom half of the volcano is a shield while the top half is a stratocone. Mount Erebus is the worlds only presently erupting phonolite volcano. Phonolite is a type of volcanic rock. Mount Erebus has been active since 1972. 


At Number 8 is the Volcano Mount Merapi
Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano in Indonesia. Smoke can be seen emerging from the mountaintop at least 300 days a year. Merapi can be translated as Mountain of Fire. Mount Merapi has had many major eruptions including eruptions in 1006, 2006, and 2010. The 2010 eruption killed 353 people. Mount Merapi has been active since 1967. 


At Number 9 is the Volcano Ambrym
Ambrym isn't only a large Volcano, its an entire island locaed within Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. The summit at the center of the island is dominated by a desert-like caldera. The caldera itself has two active volcanic cones. Ambrym also has a lava lake. Ambrym had a huge Plinian eruption in 50 A.D and more recently a major eruption in 1913. It has been active since 1935.


At Number 10 is the Volcano Santa Maria
Santa Maria is an active stratovolcano in Guatemala. It has erupted many times but its most notable eruption was in 1902. It was one of the three largest eruptions of the 20th century. The 1902 eruption was followed up with 20 years of dormancy. It has been active since 1922. 





This list is based on how long the volcano has been documented as having continuous eruption and how much activity there has been. 

Sources: http://www.volcanolive.com/active2.html and http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/faq/most-active-volcanoes-in-the-world.html

Image Credits:
www.livescience.com
scitechdaily.com
www.fournaise.info
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.vanuatu-reisen.com
scienceblogs.com
volcano.si.edu
www.boston.com
www.tripadvisor.com
www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a20666474/hawaii-volcano-kilauea-history-facts/
en.reunion.fr/discover/the-volcanic-side/the-piton-de-la-fournaise
www.tanna.travel/en/mt-yasur-volcano

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