Which country has the most active volcanoes?
Quick answer
Indonesia is usually named as the country with the most active volcanoes, with around 120–130, and it has recorded more historical eruptions than any other country. It sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet. The United States and Japan also rank near the top.
What counts as “active”?
There’s no single definition. Scientists commonly call a volcano active if it has erupted during the Holocene, the last ~11,700 years, or shows signs it could erupt again. Using different definitions, the ranking of the top countries changes:
| Country | Why it ranks high |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | Around 120–130 active volcanoes; the most historical eruptions and the most people living near volcanoes |
| United States | Many volcanoes in Alaska’s Aleutian arc, the Cascades and Hawaii |
| Japan | About 110 active volcanoes, closely monitored |
| Russia | The Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands |
| Chile | A long chain in the Andes |
Why Indonesia has so many
Indonesia is an arc of more than 17,000 islands where the Indo-Australian Plate slides beneath the Eurasian Plate. As it sinks, rock melts and rises as magma. Learn about the wider zone in the largest ocean, which is ringed by volcanoes.
History-making eruptions
| Volcano | Year | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Tambora | 1815 | The deadliest eruption on record; caused the “Year Without a Summer” in 1816 |
| Krakatoa | 1883 | Heard nearly 5,000 km away; generated deadly tsunamis |
| Toba | ~74,000 years ago | One of the largest eruptions of the past few million years |
Volcanic eruptions can trigger tsunamis; see where the word tsunami comes from.
Living with volcanoes
Millions of Indonesians farm on volcanic slopes because the ash makes very fertile soil, ideal for rice. The government’s volcano agency monitors dozens of volcanoes and sets alert levels.
Beyond Earth
The largest known volcano in the solar system is on Mars; see the tallest volcano in the solar system. Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active body known.
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