Today there are more than 600 active volcanoes on the globe. They are concentrated mainly at the junctions of tectonic plates. The largest number"working" volcanoes can boast (or cry) of the Andes. It is here that the highest active volcano in the world, called Cotopaxi, is located.
About 70 thousand years ago in South America, 80 km from the equator and 150 km from the Pacific coast, a volcano exploded. What was left of the huge mountain was a crater several tens of kilometers in diameter with an almost flat bottom and steep walls. It seemed that everything was over. But a few years later, a new crater formed in the center of the caldera funnel. With each new eruption, lava and ash were layered on top of each other, forming an even cone. The mountain grew and over many centuries became one of the highest. The wind from the ocean brought moisture to it, which settled on the top as a white cap of ice and snow. It sparkled in the rays of the sun and was visible for many kilometers.
The people of one of the tribes who saw the mountain gave it a name in their language: Sparkling Mountain. Or maybe the volcano received this name not because of the snow, but because of the column of fire that illuminates the peak, or smoke, escaping from the crater during an eruption. One translation of the name is Smoking Mountain. In the language of another tribe, the name of the mountain was translated into Russian as “Neck of the Moon” or “Throne of the Moon”. Be that as it may, there are no such tribes, and the highest active volcano in the world bears the name they invented - Cotopaxi.
For many years, only the surrounding tribes knew about the volcano. They considered the fiery mountain sacred and treated it with respect. Years passed, the volcano seemed to be sleeping. Only old people remembered the eruptions. But one day, around 1530, the priests watching the mountain noticed that the snow cap began to melt and by 1534 had disappeared completely. What happened was interpreted as a terrible omen. At the same time, strange armed people appeared in the vicinity, speaking an incomprehensible language. They demanded something unknown, and killed those who could not give it to them, that is, everyone. The warriors of the tribe entered into battle with them and in the heat of battle did not notice the eruption that had begun. When the danger was discovered, all that was left was to run. The tribal leaders and priests interpreted what happened as the wrath of the gods. So the territory near Cotopaxi was conquered by the Spaniards, and the volcano became famous in Europe.
Note! The first attempt to explore Cotopaxi was made in 1802, but the expedition led by the German geographer Alexander von Humboldt and the Frenchman Aimé Bonpland failed to climb the mountain. The summit was conquered by Humboldt's compatriot, geologist Wilhelm Reis on November 28, 1872.
Journey to the volcano
Cotopaxi, with an altitude of about 5900 m, is clearly visible from Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
From the city, the Pan-American Highway leads to it through a fertile valley of volcanoes formed by two parallel chains of mountains. An inconspicuous turn to the left, another ten kilometers, and the entrance to National Park Cotopaxi.
The entrance fee is 2 dollars for “friends” and 10 for “strangers”. You can climb to a height of 4500 m by car, then on foot. A shelter where climbers gather, located at an altitude of 4800 m.
Greets guests tame fox. He feeds on leftover food and therefore welcomes guests.
From above you can view the area. The foot of the mountain is covered with coniferous forest, in which there are many different animals and birds.
Higher up, the forest gives way to tundra with mosses, lichens and heather valleys. The relief becomes visible. The undulating surface is cut through by cracks left by mudflows and rivers flowing from the mountain. Some of the depressions filled with water. The resulting lakes are home to numerous birds and amphibians. Stones and boulders dragged by mudflows are scattered everywhere. Volcanic ash covering the ground comes in two colors: almost black and red-pink.
In the mountain shelter, groups are formed to climb to the top, everyone is accepted, even beginners.
During the day you can climb to the snow line on your own, but higher - only accompanied by a local guide. Equipment is issued on the spot. The ascent begins at night and lasts 7-8 hours. Dawn catches travelers on the edge of the crater, it is double.
The outer funnel is more ancient, rectangular, approximately 500x800 m, and the inner, new one, is almost perfectly round. From the top there is an unparalleled view of the surrounding landscape.
Note! The top of Cotopaxi is one of the few places on Earth from which you can see both the North Star and the Southern Cross constellation at the same time.
The cold wind does not allow you to linger at the top. On the descent in daylight, cracks are clearly visible between the streams of solidified lava, over which bridges of compacted snow are “thrown.”
Dangerous neighborhood
The Cotopaxi Volcano is the most visited mountain in Ecuador. It seems that people have firmly settled down at its foot and on the slopes, but the columns of steam and sulfur oxide escaping from the vent remind us of what, or who, they are dealing with.
Note! Over the past 250 years, the volcano has erupted 50 times. The most powerful eruption occurred on April 4, 1768. Then the lava reached the ocean coast, and in Quito the ash turned day into night. At the foot of the mountain itself it was light from the fire escaping from the crater. The explosion of the volcano in 1746 was heard 800 kilometers away, in Bolivia. In the twentieth century, he woke up most strongly in 1904, 1942 and 1976.
Cotopaxi is now sleeping, but the danger of a new eruption remains. The main threat is from mudflows and lahars. These are streams of water flowing from the mountain along cracks and river beds and sweeping away everything in its path. In 1887, such a mudflow washed away a village located 240 km from the volcano. Lahars, a mixture of water and ash with the properties of liquid concrete, have repeatedly flooded the city of Latacunga, located 40 km from Cotopaxi. The proximity to the capital of two million people, which is 60 km away in a straight line, makes the volcano one of the most dangerous in the world.
Still, who is taller?
Cotopaxi is considered the highest active volcano on the planet. But not everyone agrees with this. In the Andes there are two higher “colleagues”: Llullaillaco with an altitude of 6739 meters and Ojos del Salado with an altitude of 6887 meters. This is generally the highest of all existing volcanoes, active and extinct. They argue about whether they are asleep or extinguished. Llullaillaco last erupted in 1877. They say that a column of steam was recently seen above it. Ojos del Salado was active about 1,300 years ago, but steam and sulfur emissions have also been recorded at more recent times.
Whether they are active or have already gone out, no one can answer this question for sure. So only a new eruption of one of the volcanoes will put an end to the debate: which of the active volcanoes on earth is the highest.
Video
Time-lapse footage of the night sky over the Cotopaxi volcano:
Aerial footage of Cotopaxi and Antizan:
The volcano is one of the most beautiful, unexpected and terrible mysteries of nature. There are more than two hundred of them on Earth, and each one amazes with its height and power. Even volcanoes that are considered extinct cannot be trusted, because one day they may “wake up” and start erupting lava. Which of all active volcanoes is considered the highest? Where are they most? We will talk about this and much more in this article.
The area with the most active volcanoes
A volcano is a crack earth's crust, through which ash, steam, fiery lava, and gases are thrown out. Appearance The volcano resembles a mountain. Why are volcanoes divided into active and extinct?
If the slightest activity of a giant mountain has been recorded in the history of mankind, then the volcano is considered active. It doesn't have to erupt. By activity we mean even if it simply emits steam and ash once every hundred years.
Many active volcanoes are located in the Malay Archipelago, which is geographically adjacent to Asia and Australia. Russia also has a dangerous zone of active volcanoes. It is located in Kamchatka with the capture of the Kuril Islands. According to scientists, at least 60 volcanoes show signs of activity there every year.
The largest volcano in the world
Mauna Loa is the name of the giant, which in size surpassed all other volcanoes in the world. It is located in Hawaii. Translated from local language The volcano is called Long Mountain.
The giant's activity was first recorded in 1843. Since then, it has erupted 33 times, making it perhaps the most active volcano on the planet. The last eruption occurred in 1984. Then lava covered 30 thousand acres of land. After the eruption, the territory of Hawaii increased by almost 200 hectares.
Above sea level, Mauna Lao has a height of 4,169 m, and if you count the height from the very center, you get almost 9 thousand m. This is even higher than the highest high mountain world - Everest.
Mauna Lao is not only the largest, but also the most powerful volcano. 75 thousand cubic km - this is its total volume.
Tallest active volcano in the world
In this part even scientists' opinions divided. As for the height above sea level, there is no doubt, the highest is the Llullaillaco volcano - 6,723 m. It is located in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. Its last eruption was recorded in 1877.
Another part of the scientists gives the laurels of championship to another volcano located in the Andes, but on the territory of Ecuador - Cotopaxi. Its altitude above sea level is slightly lower than its competitor - 5,897 m. However, its last eruption was in 1942. And it was much more powerful than the eruption of Llullaillaco.
All scientists agree on one thing - Cotopaxi is the most beautiful volcano. It has an elegant crater and incredibly beautiful greenery at the foot. However, such beauty is very deceptive. Over the past 300 years, 10 powerful eruptions have been recorded. All 10 times, the city of Latacunga, which is located near the foot of the giant, was completely destroyed.
The most famous volcanoes in the world
Despite the fact that the previous volcanoes are the largest and most beautiful, few have heard of them. But there are two leaders that are known to everyone since school lessons - Fuji, Vesuvius and Kilimanjaro.
Fuji is located in Asia, on the island of Honshu, not far from the Japanese capital. From ancient times local residents raised the volcano into a cult. It rises 3,776 m above sea level and has beautiful contours. Last thing powerful eruption was recorded in 1707
Vesuvius is an active volcano in southern Italy. By the way, this is one of the three active volcanoes in the country. Although Vesuvius is not as high as other volcanoes (only 1,281 m above sea level), it is considered one of the most dangerous. It was he who completely destroyed Pompeii, as well as Herculaneum and Stabiae. Its last eruption occurred in 1944. Then the cities of San Sebastiano and Massa were completely destroyed by lava.
Kilimanjaro is not only the highest African volcano, but also the most high point on the continent. Scientists believe that the history of Kilimanjaro goes back two million years. The volcano is located 300 m south of the Equator. Despite this, at its foot accumulated a large number of glaciers
The tallest extinct volcano in the world
The tallest extinct volcano is also located on the territory of two countries - Chile and Argentina. The peak of the Ojos del Salado volcano (translated from Spanish as “Salty Eyes”) is located on the Chilean side. The height of the peak is 6,891 m above sea level.
In the entire history of human existence, Ojos del Salado has never erupted. There were several cases where it emitted water vapor and sulfur. Last time such a case was noticed in 1993.
This fact made many scientists think about whether Ojos del Salado should be included in the ranks of active volcanoes? If this happens, it will become the tallest active volcano in the world.
Volcanoes have caused fear in humans since ancient times; they were responsible for the disappearance of many civilizations, such as Pompeii, from the surface of the Earth. I purchased mine in honor of the God of Fire - Vulcan. There are extinct and sleeping ones, and there are also active ones, causing anxiety and horror to people. Which Eurasian is the tallest?
Volcanoes of Eurasia
There are more than twenty in Eurasia. There are more of them in Asian territory than in Europe. What was the tallest active volcano in Eurasia in history? This is a huge Ojos del Salado, now considered extinct, but several times geologists have noticed its passive, but still volcanic activity.
Ojos del Salado: latest activity
In recent times, the highest active volcano in Eurasia called Ojos del Salado currently holds the title of the highest volcano on our planet. Its peak is located at an altitude of 6893 meters above sea level. In the crater of the volcano there is a high-mountain lake. It is located in the eastern part of the mountain at an altitude of 6390 meters.
This volcano is considered extinct, but scientists recorded its activity three times in the mid and late twentieth century. Small releases of steam and sulfur occurred in the thirty-seventh, fifty-sixth and ninety-third years of the twentieth century. Ojos del Salado was a place of worship and sacrifice of the ancient Incas, as evidenced by sacrificial altars discovered on its slope. They were found by climbers conquering the top of the volcano. Today, Ojos del Salado does not cause concern, since the possibility of an eruption is minimal.
What is the tallest active volcano in Eurasia today?
Currently, this is the Klyuchevskoy volcano, also known as the Volcano located in the east, which has existed for seven thousand years. The highest active volcano in Eurasia, Klyuchevskoy, does not have a constant height. At the moment last activity- the eruption that occurred in August and October 2013 - it was 4835 meters high, the maximum height reached 4850 meters. The highest active volcano in Eurasia is located in close proximity to the residential villages of Kozyrevsk and Klyuchevsk. It is located only 60 kilometers from the coast.
The most terrible eruptions of Klyuchevsky volcano
We figured out which active volcano in Eurasia is the highest. But is it as dangerous as you might think? The Crimean hill erupts more often, but Klyuchevskaya is stronger, in this regard the volcano has no equal. The most recent one was recorded in October 2013.
On August 15, the first activity was noticed, on August 26 the first lava flow flowed from the crater of the volcano, the peak of the eruption occurred on the twentieth of October. Four streams walked, destroying all living things on their way. The ash column reached 12 kilometers, and the fallen layer was more than 2 millimeters.
Before this event, the largest active volcano in Eurasia slept very little. There was a previous eruption in October 2012, but it was weak, with only bursts of lava and some ash. Such an eruption could not interfere with aviation. One of the largest eruptions occurred in 2009, it lasted three months - from mid-September to mid-December. As a result of such a long activity, Klyuchevskoy reached a maximum height of 5 kilometers.
In his book, Krasheninnikov described one of the largest eruptions of Klyuchevsky, which occurred in 1736. This book says that the eruption lasted a week, there was such noise and crackling in the mountain that all the inhabitants expected death. The worst thing, as the writer writes, happened at night, when lava fire could be seen from every crevice.
Klyuchevskoy is mainly activated once every five, less often every six years, but in last years More frequent manifestations of activity were noticed. The interval is from one and a half to two years. This began to happen in 1932 due to changes in the activity of the volcano - the side craters began to act. It does not pose a particular danger to human life; employees of the Kamchatka volcanological station are aware of the eruption.
The height of this record holder for rising to the heavens is 5897 meters. The volcano is located in Ecuador, South America, 50 kilometers south of the city of Quito. Its depth is 450 meters, and the size of the crater is 550 by 800 meters. From a height of 4700 meters the volcano is covered with eternal snow. In 1942 his last major eruption, and today it is relatively inactive, so it is especially popular among climbers, hikers and cyclists.
Cotopaxi is rightfully considered the most photogenic in Ecuador. The volcano is also distinguished by very elegant craters and a riot of greenery at its feet.
Sometimes many sources erroneously provide information that Ojos del Salado is considered the highest active volcano. But this statement is incorrect. Despite the fact that its height is 6893 meters, the volcano is extinct and not a single eruption has been recorded over it throughout the history of observations.
Klyuchaya Sopka is the highest active volcano in Eurasia
Klyuchevsky Sopka (Klyuchevsky Volcano) is the highest active volcano in Eurasia, located in Kamchatka 60 kilometers from the Bering Sea coast near the village of Klyuchi. It is part of Klyuchevskaya Sopka. From the very beginning of its operation to the present day, not a single period of attenuation is known. Typically, eruptions occur as both effusions and explosions. Over the crater of Klyuchevsky volcano you can constantly see smoke, and sometimes flashes of fiery lava.
The height of the snow-covered fire mountain is 4750 meters. On the slopes of the ancient extinct volcano the truncated cone of Klyuchevaya Sopka rises. Its base diameter is about 15 kilometers, and the crater diameter is about 600 meters. Typically, most eruptions occur from the summit crater.
Klyuchevsky volcano was formed about 5,000 years ago through more than 100 eruptions. The most powerful eruptions occurred in the 19th century. In total, scientists have recorded more than 50 eruptions over the past 270 years.
It should be noted that the most active link of the Ring of Fire is the volcanoes of Kamchatka. The Ring of Fire refers to the enormous chain of volcanoes that border the Pacific Ocean. After all, Kamchatka is located at the junction of two large tectonic plates - the Pacific and Eurasian - and their movement causes volcanic processes.
Klyuchaya Sopka is also the highest active volcano in Russia.
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe
It is located on the east coast of Sicily - the most big island Italy. Its height is 3380 meters. However, the height of Etna cannot be determined accurately due to the constant emissions of slag and eruptions. The area of the volcano is 1250 square meters. kilometers. Etna has 400 craters as a result of lateral eruptions.
Typically, the volcano erupts once every three months, and sometimes more often. And once every 150 years, some village lying at its foot is wiped off the face of the earth. However, the local population does not betray such a phenomenon special significance, and continue to grow vegetables, fruits, and vineyards, since the soil here is very fertile and suitable for farming.
The first eyewitness to the eruption of Etna was the Greek poet Pindar. Thus, the first eruption was recorded in 485 BC. And since that long ago, the volcano has shown its activity many more times. The longest volcanic eruption was in the 15th century, it lasted about 10 years. In 1991, the last powerful eruption took place, leading to the death of the town of Zafferana.
In 1981, a national reserve was created around Mount Etna, which is visited with great pleasure by crowds of tourists. Every day people from all over the world come here to admire the mighty power of the volcano and its incredible beauty. The volcano is especially visible in the morning, and in the afternoon it is obscured by fog.
Since Russia is located mainly in flat areas, there are not many volcanoes here. In addition, some of them are extinct and no longer active, since tectonic activity in most regions of the country is minimal.
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The highest active volcano in our state is Klyuchevskaya Sopka. Its height is 4850 meters. The volcano, according to scientists, is quite ancient, its age is seven thousand years. This is one of the most active volcanoes in Asia, with activity occurring several times in one decade. So, in 2015, scientists recorded a major eruption, which was accompanied by the release of a huge column of ash and a whole river of lava. And already in 2017 Klyuchevskaya Sopka in Once again became more active. In the spring, ash was ejected to a height of more than 7,000 meters, after which the volcano quieted down for some time. However, scientists say that in the near future we should expect new manifestations of activity up to a full-fledged eruption.
Such frequent eruptions are due to the fact that this region is a full part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity is always increased.
Other tall active volcanoes
For Russia, Klyuchevskaya Sopka is recognized as a unique object; in general, there are quite a lot of active volcanoes in the world that are of great height. Among them are:
- Cotopaxi (Ecuador).
- Popocatepetl (Mexico).
- Sangay (Ecuador).
- Mauna Loa (Hawaiian Islands).
From this list it is clear that most of the record-breaking volcanoes are located in South America. This is due to the fact that they belong to the Andes mountain range, which has not yet completed its formation. It is this factor that influences the increased tectonic activity of the region.
In this mountain range there is also the largest volcano in the world called Cotopaxi, whose height almost reaches six thousand meters (the exact figure is 5896 meters). However, most South American volcanoes are active.