An active volcano is a volcano that is currently erupting, or has the potential to erupt in the future. [1] Conventionally it is applied to any that have erupted during the Holocene (the current geologic epoch that began approximately 11,700 years ago). A volcano that is not currently erupting but could erupt in the future is also known as a dormant volcano. [1] Volcanoes that will not erupt again, or is thought to never erupt again, are known as extinct volcanoes. [1]
There are 1,350 potentially active volcanoes around the world, 500 of which have erupted in historical time. [2] Many active volcanoes are located along the Pacific Rim, also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. [2] [3] An estimated 500 million people live near active volcanoes. [3]
Historical time (or recorded history) is another timeframe for active. [4] [5] The span of recorded history differs from region to region. In China and the Mediterranean, it reaches back nearly 3,000 years, but in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada, it reaches back less than 300 years, and in Hawaii and New Zealand it is only around 200 years. [4] The incomplete Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes of the World, published in parts between 1951 and 1975 by the International Association of Volcanology, uses this definition, by which there are more than 500 active volcanoes. [4] [6] As of March 2021 [update] , the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program recognizes 560 volcanoes with confirmed historical eruptions. [7]
Countries with the most Holocene volcanoes, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (as of 2023 [update] ): [8]
Countries with the most volcanoes active since 1960 (as of 2023 [update] ): [9]
As of 2025, the following are considered Earth's most active volcanoes: [10]
Other highly active volcanoes include:
Holocene volcanoes with large populations within 5 km (3.1 mi):
Michoacan-Guanajuato volcano in Mexico and Tatun Volcanic Group in Taiwan both have more than 5 million people living within 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) of the volcano. Campi Flegrei in Italy and Ilopango in El Salvador both have populations of over 2 million people living within 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) of the volcanoes. Hainan Volcanic Field in China, San Pablo Volcanic Field in the Philippines, Ghegham Volcanic Ridge in Armenia, Dieng Volcanic Complex, in Indonesia, and Auckland Volcanic Field in New Zealand all have over 1 million people living within 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) of each volcano. [12]
 | It has been suggested that this section be split out into another articletitled List of active volcanoes by country . (Discuss) (September 2025) |
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Argentina is part of the Andes Mountains volcanic belt along the western South American Pacific coast. These volcanoes are a result of subduction, where the Nazca Plate is subducting below the South American Plate. The following list are active/dormant volcanoes in Argentina:
The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
Source: [13]
Source: [14]
Source: [15] [16] [ circular reference ]
Sumatera Island
Sunda Strait and Java
Lesser Sunda Islands
Sumbawa
Sulawesi and Sangihe Islands
Banda Sea
Halmahera
Source: [17]
See list of volcanoes in Japan for more information
Source: [18]
Source: [19]
Source: [20]
There are more than 500 active volcanoes (those that have erupted at least once within recorded history) in the world