Skip to content

Indian Exam Hub

Building The Largest Database For Students of India & World

Menu
  • Main Website
  • Free Mock Test
  • Fee Courses
  • Live News
  • Indian Polity
  • Shop
  • Cart
    • Checkout
  • Checkout
  • Youtube
Menu

Lists Of Volcanoes

Posted on October 14, 2025 by user

Introduction

Global compilations that overlay volcanic locations on plate boundary maps demonstrate a pronounced spatial clustering of volcanism at plate margins. Tectonic processes at convergent, divergent and—less commonly—transform boundaries govern the generation and character of magmatism, so that most volcanic centers align with these structural zones rather than with continental interiors.

At convergent margins, subduction of oceanic lithosphere drives flux melting and volatile‑rich magmatism, producing abundant explosive eruptions and the stratovolcanoes that characterize volcanic arcs and island chains; these settings host the greatest concentration of historically and geologically active volcanoes. In contrast, divergent margins—mid‑ocean ridges and continental rifts—produce dominantly effusive, mafic volcanism (shield and fissure eruptions) as decompression melting generates new oceanic crust and linear volcanic systems along spreading axes. Transform faults are generally less favorable for sustained volcanism, although structural complexities such as pull‑apart basins and fault stepovers can localize magmatic activity, and combined boundary‑volcano maps are useful for detecting these exceptions.

Read more Government Exam Guru

Volcanism that occurs away from plate boundaries—hotspot or intraplate activity—must be depicted separately on global maps. These features commonly form volcanic chains that record relative plate motion over relatively stationary mantle anomalies and account for volcanic centers that cannot be explained by plate‑boundary processes alone.

For purposes of hazard evaluation and geological interpretation, maps that restrict displayed volcanoes to a recent geological window (commonly the last ~1 million years) emphasize centers with demonstrably recent magmatic behavior, including Holocene eruptions and Pleistocene edifices that retain fresh morphology and potential for future activity. Complementing such maps, comprehensive inventories and lists organized by volcanic type (e.g., stratovolcano, shield, cinder cone, caldera complex) and by geographic or tectonic framework are indispensable tools for linking morphology, petrology and tectonics to observed spatial patterns and for supporting hazard assessment and research.

Active volcanoes are those that have erupted in the geologically recent past or currently exhibit measurable volcanic unrest—seismicity, gas emissions, ground deformation and fumarolic activity. They cluster where lithospheric processes supply melt, principally at plate boundaries (subduction zones, mid‑ocean ridges) and at intraplate hotspots. Because they pose immediate threats (ashfall, pyroclastic density currents, lava flows, lahars and toxic gases), active systems are subject to continuous monitoring and are classified by eruption history, present unrest indicators and assessed probabilities of future activity.

Free Thousands of Mock Test for Any Exam

Shield volcanoes are broad, low‑angle edifices built almost exclusively by low‑viscosity basaltic lavas that erupt effusively and travel long distances. Their construction favors extensive, long‑lived lava fields rather than explosive deposits; hence their principal hazard is inundation by lava rather than high‑energy explosive phenomena. Oceanic hotspot settings (for example Hawaii) and some intra‑plate provinces are the archetypal environments for shield volcanism and for the associated patterns of landscape development.

Stratovolcanoes, or composite cones, are steep, layered edifices composed of viscous lava flows interbedded with pyroclastic deposits and volcanic debris. Magmas of andesitic to dacitic composition promote more explosive eruptive behavior, generating pyroclastic density currents, widespread tephra fall and lahars. These volcanoes are emblematic of subduction‑zone volcanic arcs, often host complex summit craters and hydrothermal systems, and can undergo catastrophic sector collapse—with significant implications for nearby populations.

Crater lakes occupy volcanic craters and calderas formed by explosive eruptions, summit collapse or phreatomagmatic activity and range from small maar ponds to large caldera lakes. They modulate local hydrothermal and geochemical regimes, can accumulate dissolved volcanic gases that pose limnic‑type risks (e.g., sudden CO2 release), and elevate lahar potential during heavy precipitation or renewed eruptive activity. Variation in lake temperature, chemistry or gas flux is therefore an important precursor signal for volcanic unrest and the lakes also create distinct ecological habitats.

Live News Updates

The largest volcanic events are characterized by eruptive magnitude (e.g., erupted volume) and explosive intensity (commonly indexed by the Volcanic Explosivity Index, VEI). Ultra‑large eruptions that form calderas can produce far‑field climatic and environmental effects via voluminous tephra dispersal and stratospheric aerosol injection, trigger tsunamis and cause long‑term ecosystem and societal disruptions. Research on these phenomena integrates tephrochronology, paleoclimate proxies and atmospheric dispersion models to constrain their frequency, magnitude and global consequences, including the rare “supereruption” class.

Volcanism beyond Earth exhibits a wide range of expressions that inform comparative planetary geology. Large shield edifices formed from low‑viscosity lavas dominate Mars and Venus, the Moon preserves extensive lava plains and rilles, Io experiences extreme tidal‑driven silicate volcanism, and several icy satellites show cryovolcanism involving water‑rich or volatile ices. Comparing morphology, composition, eruption mechanisms and internal heat sources across planetary bodies illuminates surface age relationships, thermal evolution and, in some cases, implications for habitability.

Africa — volcanic provinces and tectonic controls

Read Books For Free

African volcanism is distributed among distinct tectono‑magmatic provinces that reflect continental rifting, intraplate hotspot activity and older episodes of intracratonic magmatism. The most active and geodynamically conspicuous domain is the East African Rift system and its northern Afar extension. This rift corridor (including the Afar Depression, Ethiopian Plateau and the western and eastern rift branches) produces widespread fissural basaltic volcanism, large shield edifices, silicic calderas and stratovolcanoes. Countries strongly influenced by these processes include Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (western/Albertine Rift), where rift‑related magmatism ranges from frequent Holocene and historic eruptions to long‑lived, seismically monitored volcanic systems.

Adjacent to the main rift belt, localized intraplate highland volcanism characterizes parts of the central Sahara and Sahel. Prominent examples are the Tibesti massif in northern Chad and the Hoggar/Assekrem uplands of southern Algeria; these Cenozoic volcanic complexes form large edifices and extensive lava fields that are now often deeply eroded. Similar isolated Cenozoic occurrences are preserved on the Nigerian Biu Plateau and in portions of Sudan and Madagascar, where volcanism is generally older and more attenuated than that of the active rift.

The Gulf of Guinea and surrounding continental margin host a linear volcanic trend and several oceanic island chains. The Cameroon Volcanic Line links mainland volcanic centres and offshore islands and produces both basaltic and more evolved lavas on the continent and islands such as Bioko (Equatorial Guinea). São Tomé and Príncipe and the small volcanic inventory of São Tomé testify to focused Atlantic hotspot activity, while Bioko and other Gulf of Guinea islands record related intraplate magmatism.

Read more Government Exam Guru

Oceanic hotspot tracks in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans supply another class of African volcanism. Cape Verde islands are typical oceanic shield and scoria‑cone systems formed by central‑Atlantic hotspot upwelling. In the Indian Ocean, Réunion and Mauritius record Réunion‑hotspot volcanism, with Réunion hosting very active shield volcanism (notably Piton de la Fournaise). The Comoros archipelago similarly represents a localized hotspot chain in the Mozambique Channel with young basaltic shields and stratovolcanoes and Holocene to historic activity on the larger islands.

Southern Africa’s volcanic expression is largely preserved in ancient large igneous provinces and flood basalt sequences (for example the Karoo), whose Mesozoic–Paleozoic magmatism is now manifested as erosionally modified remnants rather than Holocene volcanism. Overall, African volcanic landforms span a spectrum from actively erupting rift and hotspot systems to remnant, deeply eroded intraplate complexes, reflecting the continent’s interaction with mantle plumes, extensional tectonics and its long Phanerozoic magmatic history.

Americas

Free Thousands of Mock Test for Any Exam

The inventories for the Americas assemble volcanic centres across continental South, Central and North America and the islands of the Caribbean and adjacent oceans. Spatial patterns in the lists reflect primary tectonic regimes: the Andean volcanic belt along South America’s western margin, the Central American volcanic arc and related Mexican systems, the island-arc volcanism of the Caribbean, intraplate hotspot volcanism exemplified by Hawaii, and more dispersed continental volcanic provinces and fields.

In South America, separate catalogues document volcanoes in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. These records principally record subduction-driven Andean stratovolcanoes, calderas and volcanic plateaus concentrated along the Andean cordillera (with Ecuador’s entry also encompassing the Galápagos where applicable). Venezuela is noted as an exception in the regional inventory, with no recognized volcanic centres listed.

Central America and Mexico are covered by national lists that capture the Central American volcanic arc and associated systems. Mexico’s entry includes the Trans‑Mexican Volcanic Belt and other subduction- and back‑arc-related provinces. Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama each have compilations reflecting abundant stratovolcanoes and volcanic complexes on the Pacific margin and transitional tectonic settings toward South America.

Live News Updates

The Caribbean section provides both a pan‑regional list and island‑specific inventories. Lesser Antilles islands such as Dominica, Grenada, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are recorded as arc volcanoes with submarine and subaerial expressions; Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills and Guadeloupe’s single named centre, La Grande Soufrière, are singled out as notable examples. The Dutch Caribbean is listed separately to account for the diverse arc and intraplate contexts within those territories.

North American volcanism is represented by national lists for Canada and the United States. Canada’s inventory spans Western Cordillera volcanism, northern volcanic fields and older to Quaternary centres. The U.S. compilation covers continental arcs and ranges (for example the Cascades and Alaska) and treats Hawaii separately because its shield volcanoes originate from intraplate hotspot processes rather than plate‑boundary subduction.

Finally, Brazil is included with a list that acknowledges volcanic features distinct from the Andean and Caribbean arcs; these reflect a more complex and varied geological history rather than a simple subduction‑driven chain. Overall, the regional lists organize volcanic diversity in the Americas by tectonic setting, volcanic morphology and national jurisdiction.

Read Books For Free

Asia’s volcanic inventory reflects a broad spectrum of tectonic environments—subduction‑zone island arcs, continental collisions, intraplate volcanic fields, and rift‑related basaltic provinces—and thus encompasses frequently active stratovolcanoes, large calderas, extensive flood‑basalt plateaus, localized basaltic fields and widespread mud‑volcano and hydrocarbon‑associated venting. The regional lists therefore document both high‑hazard, frequently erupting arc systems and many areas where volcanism is largely ancient, deeply eroded or expressed as low‑temperature surface seepage.

The most active arc volcanism in Asia is concentrated where oceanic plates subduct beneath continental or island arcs: Indonesia (the Sunda Arc) and the Philippines lie within the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and host dense clusters of historically active stratovolcanoes and high eruption rates; Japan’s archipelago results from multiple subduction zones and contains numerous closely monitored, frequently erupting volcanic edifices; Taiwan records arc‑related and submarine volcanism where the Philippine Sea Plate converges with Eurasia; parts of northeastern China (notably the Changbai/Paektu area) represent localized arc‑related activity within a broader continental margin context.

Continental collision and intraplate volcanism produce a contrasting pattern. Iran’s Quaternary stratovolcanoes and massifs are tied to Eurasian–Arabian convergence and have strongly influenced regional topography. India’s volcanic signature is dominated by the vast, ancient Deccan Traps flood basalts, with only a few modern magmatic centers (Barren Island being the principal active example in the Andaman Sea). Much of China’s interior volcanism occurs as intraplate fields on the Tibetan Plateau and western provinces. Mongolia and the Korean Peninsula likewise record scattered Cenozoic–Quaternary intraplate or marginal volcanic centers (e.g., Jeju Island and the Baekdu/Changbai complex), while Afghanistan, Myanmar and portions of Pakistan display limited, localized volcanic occurrences rather than continuous arc systems.

Read more Government Exam Guru

Rift‑related and intraplate basaltic provinces are prominent in the Arabian–Red Sea domain: Saudi Arabia’s extensive harrat fields and Yemen’s continental and island basaltic centers arise from Red Sea rifting and mantle upwelling; southern Syria forms part of the Harrat ash‑Shaam/Levant basaltic province. These regions emphasize wide lava fields and monogenetic cones over tall, explosive stratovolcanoes.

Hydrocarbon‑linked and submarine venting further diversify Asia’s volcanic phenomena. Azerbaijan and parts of the Caspian margin host numerous mud volcanoes and hydrocarbon seeps that shape coastal geomorphology and local hazard profiles. Pakistan’s Makran and Balochistan coasts feature both mud‑volcano occurrences and submarine volcanic features along the Arabian Sea margin, highlighting an interplay of tectonics and sedimentary fluid release.

Several countries in mainland Southeast Asia have little or no recent volcanism: Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and much of Vietnam are underlain by stable continental blocks and retain only ancient, heavily eroded volcanic remnants. Israel’s only known volcanic manifestations under its administration occur in the Golan Heights volcanic field, which comprises basaltic cones and flows.

Free Thousands of Mock Test for Any Exam

Collectively, the national lists for Asia therefore record a wide array of volcanic types and ages—from active arc stratovolcanoes and submarine vents to flood basalts, rift‑related lava fields, intraplate volcanic fields and extensive mud‑volcano provinces—reflecting the continent’s complex tectonic mosaic and corresponding range of volcanic hazards.

Europe’s volcanic provinces are catalogued through national and regional inventories—compiled lists cover an array of jurisdictions including Iceland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Spain, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Norway, North Macedonia, Romania (notably Ciomad), and the European section of Russia—reflecting the continent’s varied volcanic endowments from active island systems to deeply eroded intraplate remnants.

The distribution and character of European volcanism are controlled by distinct tectonic settings. Divergent margin magmatism along the Mid‑Atlantic Ridge, amplified by a mantle upwelling beneath Iceland, produces frequent, predominantly basaltic eruptions and extensive fissure and shield systems. In contrast, the Mediterranean, Anatolian and Caucasus regions are dominated by subduction‑related and collision‑driven arc volcanism, which yields stratovolcanoes, calderas and more compositionally diverse products with significant hazard potential. Intraplate and hotspot processes generate isolated volcanic fields and oceanic island volcanism associated with several European states and their overseas territories.

Live News Updates

Iceland constitutes the principal locus of contemporary European volcanism because it combines ridge spreading with a mantle plume; its active central volcanoes and fissure swarms have pronounced geological and climatic effects. Southern and southeastern Europe (Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia) record complex arc and collision‑zone volcanoes with variable historic activity. Atlantic‑influenced countries (Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands) encompass both mainland Quaternary centers and insular or overseas volcanic provinces, producing a heterogeneous mix of active, recently dormant and long‑eroded edifices. Central and northern European records tend to document older, largely extinct or heavily eroded volcanics related to past rifting or intraplate events rather than frequent modern eruptions.

Russia’s inventory is divided by the Ural boundary so that the European section treats volcanoes west of the Urals separately from the volcanically much more active Russian Far East. Romania is singled out for hosting a single identified dormant volcano, Ciomad—classified as dormant because it shows no current eruption but retains the potential for future activity.

National and regional lists function as standardized repositories that, when comprehensive, record each feature’s name, geographic position (including coordinates), elevation, morphological type and eruption history or status (active, dormant, extinct). Such harmonized datasets are indispensable for comparative volcanological research, regional geological synthesis and systematic hazard assessment across Europe.

Read Books For Free

Oceania, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and Antarctica — summary

Volcanism in the regions under review is concentrated on oceanic islands and along plate-boundary margins, producing a global mosaic of intraplate hotspot fields and convergent-margin island arcs. Examples span sub‑Antarctic groups (e.g., South Sandwich Islands, French Southern and Antarctic Lands), isolated Atlantic hotspot archipelagos (Ascension, Tristan da Cunha), the Australian continent and its external territories, New Zealand, and numerous Pacific island states and territories (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Wallis, French Polynesia). This distribution reflects the interplay of mantle plume upwelling, oceanic spreading, and subduction-related magmatism across a range of tectonic settings.

Antarctic and adjacent sectors host both subaerial and subglacial volcanoes whose edifices commonly interact with thick ice sheets and outlet glaciers. These interactions generate distinctive glacio‑volcanic landforms, meltwater systems and submarine continuations of volcanic cones. The pervasive ice cover and remoteness of many high‑latitude volcanoes impede direct observation and routine monitoring, complicating hazard assessment and geological mapping.

Read more Government Exam Guru

Subduction-driven island arcs in the Southern Ocean and southwest Pacific—exemplified by the South Sandwich Islands and the island chains of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu—produce steep, often composite stratovolcanoes on emergent islands and vigorous submarine volcanism along the arc. These settings are characterized by strong seismicity, frequent explosive eruptions and attendant hazards (pyroclastic flows, ashfall, tsunami generation) in cold maritime environments. Tonga and nearby systems further illustrate how rapid subduction combined with back‑arc extension yields narrow volcanic arcs, widespread seafloor eruptive activity and intense deep‑sea seismicity linked to steep slab geometry and high convergence rates.

Isolated Atlantic islands such as Ascension and Tristan da Cunha typify intraplate, plume‑generated volcanism: long-lived mantle upwellings produce predominantly mafic, shield‑forming eruptions and chains of seamounts, creating high‑relief islands with extensive submarine flanks whose volcanic evolution is largely independent of plate‑boundary processes. Similarly, many central and southern Pacific islands (Fiji, Samoa, Wallis, French Polynesia) owe their origin to hotspots and intraplate volcanism; initial shield volcano growth of basaltic lava is frequently followed by volcanic subsidence and carbonate accumulation, leading to coral‑fringed islands and atolls.

On continental Australia volcanism is largely intraplate and spatially diffuse rather than concentrated at an active plate margin. Mainland expressions are dominated by low‑relief basaltic cones, lava fields and volcanic plains attributable to Cenozoic intraplate magmatism, while several Australian external territories comprise remote volcanic islands formed by oceanic processes. New Zealand contrasts with Australia by lying astride an oblique convergent plate boundary: the North Island and adjacent regions host arc volcanoes, large caldera systems, back‑arc centers and extensive geothermal fields, with frequent eruptions and seismicity closely tied to plate interaction and attendant high volcanic hazard potential.

Free Thousands of Mock Test for Any Exam

Morphologically, the regions encompass a spectrum from broad, low‑angle shield volcanoes typical of hotspot and intraplate settings to steep-sided stratovolcanoes characteristic of subduction arcs. Many edifices possess substantial submarine slopes and form seamount chains; in general, eruption style, cone geometry and explosivity scale with magma composition—mafic, effusive shield volcanism versus more silicic, explosive arc magmatism.

The geographic distribution of these volcanic provinces carries practical implications: jurisdictional responsibilities cross numerous national and territorial boundaries (including Antarctic claims and external territories), and remoteness, harsh climates or deep‑water locations hinder monitoring and emergency response. Volcanic activity shapes regional geomorphology and island ecology, and it poses persistent risks to maritime navigation, aviation and coastal communities.

Youtube / Audibook / Free Courese

  • Financial Terms
  • Geography
  • Indian Law Basics
  • Internal Security
  • International Relations
  • Uncategorized
  • World Economy
Government Exam GuruSeptember 15, 2025
Federal Reserve BankOctober 16, 2025
Economy Of TuvaluOctober 15, 2025
Why Bharat Matters Chapter 6: Navigating Twin Fault Lines in the Amrit KaalOctober 14, 2025
Why Bharat Matters Chapter 11: Performance, Profile, and the Global SouthOctober 14, 2025
Baltic ShieldOctober 14, 2025