Volcanoes are some of the most awe-inspiring natural features on Earth, and the largest among them are truly massive in terms of height, volume, and eruption scale. Below is a list of the largest volcanoes in the world, categorized by height, volume, and caldera size:
—
1. By Height (Tallest Volcanoes)
| Volcano | Height | Location | Details |
|————————-|———————|—————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Nevado Ojos del Salado | 6,893 m (22,615 ft) | Chile-Argentina border | The tallest active volcano in the world, also the second-highest peak in South America. |
| Mount Kilimanjaro | 5,895 m (19,341 ft) | Tanzania | Africa’s tallest volcano, with three volcanic cones (Kibo, Mawenzi, Shira). |
| Mount Elbrus | 5,642 m (18,510 ft) | Russia | Europe’s tallest volcano, part of the Caucasus Mountains. |
| Mount Damavand | 5,610 m (18,406 ft) | Iran | The highest volcano in Asia and the Middle East. |
| Pico de Orizaba | 5,636 m (18,491 ft) | Mexico | The tallest volcano in North America. |
—
2. By Volume (Largest Volcanoes)
| Volcano | Volume | Location | Details |
|————————-|———————|—————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Mauna Loa | ~75,000 km³ | Hawaii, USA | The largest volcano on Earth by volume and one of the most active. |
| Tamu Massif | ~2.5 million km³ | Northwest Pacific Ocean | The largest volcano on Earth by mass, but it is extinct. |
| Mauna Kea | ~42,000 km³ | Hawaii, USA | Taller than Mauna Loa but slightly smaller in volume. |
| Mount Kilimanjaro | ~4,900 km³ | Tanzania | Africa’s largest volcano by volume. |
| Mount Etna | ~500 km³ | Italy | One of Europe’s most active and largest volcanoes. |
—
3. By Caldera Size (Largest Calderas)
| Volcano | Caldera Size | Location | Details |
|————————-|———————|—————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Yellowstone Caldera | 72 km × 55 km | Wyoming, USA | One of the largest supervolcanoes in the world, with massive eruption potential. |
| Toba Caldera | 100 km × 30 km | Sumatra, Indonesia | Formed by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history (~74,000 years ago). |
| Aira Caldera | 20 km × 20 km | Kyushu, Japan | Home to the active Sakurajima volcano. |
| Taupo Caldera | 35 km × 35 km | North Island, New Zealand | Site of the largest eruption in the last 70,000 years (Oruanui eruption). |
| La Garita Caldera | 35 km × 75 km | Colorado, USA | Formed by one of the largest known eruptions (~27 million years ago). |
—
4. Other Notable Volcanoes
| Volcano | Type | Location | Details |
|————————-|———————|—————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Mount Vesuvius | Stratovolcano | Italy | Famous for the eruption in 79 AD that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. |
| Krakatoa | Caldera | Indonesia | Known for the catastrophic 1883 eruption, one of the deadliest in history. |
| Mount St. Helens | Stratovolcano | Washington, USA | Famous for its 1980 eruption, which caused massive destruction. |
| Mount Fuji | Stratovolcano | Japan | Japan’s tallest and most iconic volcano, last erupted in 1707. |
| Eyjafjallajökull | Stratovolcano | Iceland | Gained global attention for its 2010 eruption, which disrupted air travel. |
—
Key Highlights
– Tallest Active Volcano: Nevado Ojos del Salado (6,893 m).
– Largest by Volume: Mauna Loa (75,000 km³).
– Largest Caldera: Yellowstone Caldera (72 km × 55 km).
– Most Dangerous: Yellowstone (supervolcano with global eruption potential).
