Active Volcanoes in the World

When we talk about the most destructive forces of nature, volcanoes surely deserve a mention in bold. The widespread destruction attributed to them doesn't need any introduction. A look at the recorded history, and you come across numerous instances wherein large cities have been buried under lava, in various parts of the world. With hundreds of volcanoes being tagged as 'active' today, the threat of this natural disaster is looming over several regions.

What is an Active Volcano?

Geologists classify volcanoes into three distinct groups - extinct volcanoes, dormant volcanoes and active volcanoes. While extinct volcanoes are the ones which have erupted for thousands of years in the past but don't show any activity today, dormant volcanoes are the ones which haven't shown any activity over a significant period of time but the chances of eruption can't be ignored. Active volcanoes, on the other hand, are the ones which have been erupting continuously over the last few years, and are expected to continue erupting in the near future. According to the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program, a volcano can be technically defined as an 'active volcano' if any activity has been recorded in it over the last 10,000 years. Going by this definition, a large number of famous volcanoes on the surface of the planet today fall in this category. Add to this the numerous volcanoes at the ocean floor, and the number swells even more.

Active Volcanoes in the World

Given below are two tables - while the first table has all volcanoes of the world enlisted in it - along with their details, the second table has the details of those volcanoes in the United States.

Name of the Volcano	Location	Last Erupted
Akan	Japan	2006
Ambrym Island	Vanuatu	2007
Anatahan	Mariana Islands	2007
Aoba	Vanuatu	2006
Arenal	Costa Rica	Eruption Continues
Asama	Japan	2003
Aso	Japan	2004
Bamus	Papua New Guinea	2006
Bandai	Japan	2000
Bagana	Papua New Guinea	Eruption Continues
Barren Island	Indian Ocean	2008
Batu Tara	Indonesia	2007
Bezymianny	Russia	2009
Bromo	Indonesia	2000
Bulusan	Philippines	2007
Mount Cameroon	Cameroon	2000
Canlaon	Philippines	2006
Chaitén	Chile	2008
Chikurachki	Russia	2005
Colima	Mexico	Eruption Continues
Conception	Nicaragua	2010
Copahue	Argentina and Chile	2000
Dempo	Indonesia	2006
Dukono	Indonesia	Eruption Continues
East Epi	Vanuatu	2004
Ebeko	Russia	2007
Egoni	Indonesia	2004
Erta Ale	Ethiopia	2003
Etna	Italy	2007
Eyjafjallajokull	Iceland	2010
Piton de la Fournaise	France	2010
Fuego	Guatemala	Eruption Continues
Fukutoku-Okanoba	Japan	2010
Galeras	Colombia	2008
Gamalama	Indonesia	2003
Gaua	Vanuatu	2009
Guagua Pichincha	Ecuador	2006
Hachijo-Jima, Izu Islands	Japan	2002
Heard Island	Australia	2006
Hekla	Iceland	2000
Hokkaido	Japan	2006
Ijen	Indonesia	2001
Kaba	Indonesia	2000
Mount Karangetang	Indonesia	2007
Karthala	Indian Ocean	2007
Karymsky	Russia	Eruption Continues
Kavachi Seamount	Solomon Islands	2004
Kelut	Indonesia	2006
Kikai	Japan	2004
Kirishima	Japan	2010
Kliuchevskoi	Russia	2009
Komagatake	Japan	2000
Krakatau	Indonesia	2001
Langila	New Britain	2007
Lamongan	Indonesia	2003
Lascar	Chile	2007
Leroboleng	Indonesia	2003
Mount Lewotobi	Indonesia	2003
Llaima	Chile	2008
Lokon	Indonesia	2003
Lopevi	Vanuatu	2007
Manam	Papua New Guinea	Eruption Continues
Maroa	New Zealand	2001
Masaya	Nicaragua	Eruption Continues
Mayon	Philippines	2009
Merapi	Indonesia	2007
Nevado Del Huila	Colombia	2007
Nyamuragira	Congo	2010
Nyiragongo	Congo	2003
Ol Doinya Lengai	Tanzania	2006
Oyama, Miyake-jima	Japan	2006
Pacaya	Guatemala	2007
Pagan	Mariana Islands	2006
Pago	Papua New Guinea	2004
Papandayan	Indonesia	2002
Poas	Costa Rica	2006
Popocatepetl	Mexico	2007
Rabaul	Papua New Guinea	2008
Raoul Island	New Zealand	2006
Reventador	Ecuador	2007
Ritter Island	Papua New Guinea	2006
Rotorua	New Zealand	2001
Ruapehu	New Zealand	2006
Sakura-Jima	Japan	Eruption Continues
San Cristobal	Nicaragua	2006
San Miguel	El Salvador	2006
Sangay	Ecuador	Eruption Continues
Santa Ana	El Salvador	2006
Santa Maria	Guatemala	Eruption Continues
Semeru	Indonesia	Eruption Continues
Shiveluch	Russia	Eruption Continues
Slamet	Indonesia	2007
Soputan	Indonesia	2006
Soufriere Hills	West Indies	Eruption Continues
Stromboli	Italy	Eruption Continues
Sulu Range	Papua New Guinea	2006
Suwanose-Jima Ryukyu Islands	Japan	Eruption Continues
Tavurvur	Papua New Guinea	2000
Taal	Philippines	2006
Talang	Indonesia	2007
Telica	Nicaragua	2007
Tengger Caldera	Indonesia	2006
Tungurahua	Ecuador	Eruption Continues
Turrialba	Costa Rica	2010
Ubinas	Peru	2007
Ulawun	Papua New Guinea	2007
Usu	Japan	2000
Villarrica	Chile	2009
White Island	New Zealand	2007
Yasur	Vanuatu	2004

List of Active Volcanoes in the United States

Name of the Volcano	Last Erupted
Atka	2006
Augustine	2006
Chuginadak	2005
Cleveland	2008
Fourpeaked	2006
Mount Kilauea	Eruption Continues
Mount St. Helens	Eruption Continues
Mauna Loa	2003
Redoubt	2009
Shishaldin	2000
South Sister	2001
Veniaminof	2006

With no consensus whatsoever, it is difficult to determine as to which volcano should be included in the list of active volcanoes, and which should be excluded from it. If the criteria is changed to include all those volcanoes which have erupted at least once in the last 10,000 years, compiling the list would be next to impossible. One has to also take into consideration the fact that dormant volcanoes may not have had any activity in the recent past, but that doesn't mean their chances of becoming active again are none.