10 Highest Volcanoes in the World
1 Ojos del Salado 6,893 metres (22,615 ft) Location Catamarca, Argentina - Atacama, Chile
A stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border. It is the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and the highest in Chile. It is located about 600 km north of Aconcagua (6962 m), the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere.
There is no doubt that Ojos del Salado is a recently active volcano, but the question of whether it should be considered currently (or "historically") active is arguable. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (link below), the most recent known eruption was around 1300 years ago, with large error bars. However, there is also some evidence for a minor ash emission in 1993, which would definitely qualify the volcano as historically active. The presence of fumaroles high on the mountain and recent-looking lava flows, albeit of uncertain age, also argues in favor of a categorization as "active." By these definitions Ojos del Salado is the highest historically active volcano on earth. If the older date is accepted, the title of "highest historically active volcano" might reside instead with the somewhat lower Llullaillaco volcano, which certainly has erupted in historic times (most recently in 1877) and should still be considered active. Definitions of "active" being themselves controversial and somewhat arbitrary, the point is mainly of trivial interest.
2 Llullaillaco 6,739 metres (22,109 feet) Location Argentina-Chile Range Andes, Puna de Atacama
A stratovolcano at the border of Argentina (province of Salta) and Chile. It lies in the Puna de Atacama, a region of very high volcanic peaks on a high plateau within the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world. Llullaillaco is the second highest active volcano in the world,
3 Guallatiri 6,071 metres (19,918 feet) Location Chile Range Andes
One of the most active volcanoes in northern Chile. It lies just West of the border with Bolivia and at the South West end of the Nevados de Quimsachata. It is a symmetrical 6071 m high ice-clad stratovolcano.
4 Licancabur / San Pedro 5,920 metres (19,422 feet) Location Bolivia-Chile Range Andes
Licancabur is a Cunza word that the indigenous people of this area used to refer to themselves as well as to the volcano.
The 70 by 90 metre crater lake at the summit is believed to be the highest lake in the world, and despite air temperatures of -30 °C it contains numerous living creatures.
Get a Volcano Mug, this normal looking mug, when hot sees a steaming volcano appear on it,
5 Cotopaxi 5,897 metres (19,347 ft) Location Ecuador Range Andes
There have been more than 50 eruptions of Cotopaxi since 1738. Numerous valleys formed by powerful lahars (mudflows) surround the volcano. This poses a high risk to the local population, their settlements and fields. During a war betweeen the Incas and the Spaniards in 1534, the volcano errupted and put an end to the fighting as both fled from the battlefield. Cotopaxi's most violent eruptions in historical times occurred in the years 1744, 1768, and 1877. In the 1877 eruption pyroclastic flows descended all sides of the mountain, with lahars traveling more than 100 km into the Pacific Ocean and western Amazon basin draining the valley. There was a major eruption in 1903 through 1904 which has been recorded as the last eruption, and some minor activity in 1942 as well as 1975 but it did not produce any major events. In the most recent fumarolic activiities and sulfuric emissions increased and ice around the inside and on the southeastern side of the cone started to melt. The main danger of a huge eruption of Cotopaxi would be the flow of ice from its glacier. If there were to be a very large explosion, it would destroy most of the settlements within the valley in the suburban area of Quito (pop. more than 100,000). Another city which would be in great danger is Latacunga which is located in the south valley. In 1744 and 1768 an eruption destroyed the colonial town of Latacunga. Experts believe another eruption may come soon from this famous volcano.
6 San José 5850 metres (19,193 ft.) Location Chile, Range Andes,
Eruptions of San Jose Volcano 1960, 1959, 1895-97, 1889-90, 1881, 1822-38
7 Tutupaca 5,844 Metres (19.160 feet)
Eruptions of Tutupaca Volcano 1902, 1682, 1802, 1780
8 El Misti 5,822 metres (19,101 ft) Location Arequipa, Peru Range Andes
El Misti (5,822 m) is a stratovolcano located in southern Peru near the city of Arequipa. This city, second largest in the country, lies at the foot of El Misti in a fertile valley located 2,400 m above sea level. El Misti (the mistful one) has become the city's enduring symbol. Most of the city's colonial buildings were constructed from El Misti's white volcanic stone (sillar). The volcano's last eruption was in 1784[1].
With its snow-capped, perfect cone, El Misti stands at 5,822 m and lies between the mountain Chachani (6,075 m) and the volcano Pichu-Pichu (5,669 m). These impressive mountains, located northeast of Arequipa, are visible almost year-round, but especially during winter (May-September).
El Misti has three concentric craters. In the inner crater fumarole activity can be seen. Near the inner crater several Inca mummies have been found.
There are two main climbing routes on the volcano. The Pastores route, which is more used, as its starting point is nearer to the city of Arequipa, starts in 3,300 m. Usually a camp is made in 4,500 m at Nido de Aguilas. The second route, the Aguada Blanca route, starts at 4,000 m near the Aguada Blanca reservoir and a camp is made in 4,800 m at Monte Blanco (the name of the camp comes from the fact that it has more or less the height as the summit of Mont Blanc). Neither climbing routes presents technical difficulties but both are considered strenuous because of the steep loose sand slopes.
9 Antisana 5,753 Metres (18,874 feet) Location Ecuador Range Cordillera Real (Andes)
On its flanks, at 4,000 m (13,000 ft), sits the highest village in the world. The village is unique in that the inhabitants cook over pits of magma, and are one of the only cultures to live without ovens.
10 Ubinas 5,672 metres (18,609 feet) Location Moquegua Region, Peru Range Andes
Ubinas is an active stratovolcano in southwestern Peru. It is the Peru's most active volcano. The upper slopes of the stratovolcano, composed primarily of Pleistocene andesitic lava flows, steepen to nearly 45 degrees. The steep-walled, 150-m-deep summit caldera contains an ash cone with a 500-m-wide funnel-shaped vent that is 200 m deep. Debris-avalanche deposits from the collapse of the SE flank of Ubinas extend 10 km from the volcano.
11 Lascar 5,592 metres (18,346 feet) Location Northern Chile Range Andes Lascar is the most active volcano of the northern Chilean Andes.
The andesitic-to-dacitic stratovolcano contains six overlapping summit craters. Prominent lava flows descend its NW flanks. The largest eruption of Lascar took place about 26,500 years ago, and following the eruption of the Tumbres scoria flow about 9000 years ago, activity shifted back to the eastern edifice, where three overlapping craters were formed. Frequent small-to-moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded from Lascar in historical time since the mid-19th century, along with periodic larger eruptions that produced ashfall hundreds of kilometers away from the volcano. The largest historical eruption of Lascar took place in 1993, producing pyroclastic flows to 8.5 km NW of the summit and ashfall in Buenos Aires.
This website was written in early 2007.
These are the highest volcanoes, but the biggest volcano, has at times said to be one in Hawaii and Yellowstone, it would create a volcanic eruption of immense scale.
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