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Mount Etna

Etna

Stratovolcano · Italy · 3357m

Etna is Europe's highest volcano, towering above the city of Taormina on its NE flank. One of the world's longest documented historical records continues, dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE. Historical lava flows cover much of the surface of this 40 x 60 km wide basaltic stratovolcano and extend to the sea. Eruptions occur both from persistently active summit craters and intermittently from flank fissures and cones.
Etna is Europe's highest volcano, towering above the city of Taormina on its NE flank. One of the world's longest documented historical records continues, dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE. Historical lava flows cover much of the surface of this 40 x 60 km wide basaltic stratovolcano and extend to the sea. Eruptions occur both from persistently active summit craters and intermittently from flank fissures and cones. · Photo: Photo by Jean-Claude Tanguy, 1991 (University of Paris). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Italy
Region
European Volcanic Regions / Sicily Volcanic Province
Elevation
3357m
Coordinates
37.748, 14.999
Last eruption
2026
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Geological summary

Mount Etna, towering above Catania on the island of Sicily, has one of the world's longest documented records of volcanism, dating back to 1500 BCE. Historical lava flows of basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano, whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. The Mongibello stratovolcano, truncated by several small calderas, was constructed during the late Pleistocene and Holocene over an older shield volcano. The most prominent morphological feature of Etna is the Valle del Bove, a 5 x 10 km caldera open to the east. Two styles of eruptive activity typically occur, sometimes simultaneously. Persistent explosive eruptions, sometimes with minor lava emissions, take place from one or more summit craters. Flank vents, typically with higher effusion rates, are less frequently active and originate from fissures that open progressively downward from near the summit (usually accompanied by Strombolian eruptions at the upper end). Cinder cones are commonly constructed over the vents of lower-flank lava flows. Lava flows extend to the foot of the volcano on all sides and have reached the sea over a broad area on the SE flank.

From Wikipedia

Mount Etna, or simply Etna, is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania. It is located above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is one of the tallest active volcanoes in Europe, and the tallest peak in Italy south of the Alps with a current height of 3,403 m (11,165 ft), though this varies with summit eruptions. For instance, in 2021 the southeastern crater reached a height of 3,357 m (11,014 ft), but was then surpassed by the Voragine crater after the summer 2024 eruptions.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
6190 BCE~5916 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?5369 BCE~5095 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4274 BCE~4000 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3726 BCE~3453 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3453 BCE~3179 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3179 BCE~2905 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?2358 BCE~2084 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?2084 BCE~1810 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1537 BCE~1263 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 51263 BCE~989 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?989 BCE~715 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?715 BCE~442 BCE · 3 eruptions · max VEI ?442 BCE~168 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI ?168 BCE~106 · 15 eruptions · max VEI 5106~380 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3380~653 · 2 eruptions · max VEI ?653~927 · 4 eruptions · max VEI ?927~1201 · 8 eruptions · max VEI 21201~1475 · 11 eruptions · max VEI 31475~1748 · 29 eruptions · max VEI 31748~2022 · 83 eruptions · max VEI 46190 BCE4274 BCE2084 BCE168 BCE1748

Detailed timeline

  1. 2022VEI 2Observed
    2022-11-27 – 2026-01-12
    Southeast Crater
  2. 2013VEI 3Observed
    2013-09-03 – 2022-06-17
    New Southeast Crater (NSEC)
  3. 2010VEI 1Observed
    2010-04-08 – 2010-04-08
    SEC (South-East Crater)
  4. 2010VEI 3Observed
    2010-08-25 – 2013-04-27
    Bocca Nuova (BN)
  5. 2007VEI 2Observed
    2007-03-19 – 2009-07-04
    Bocca Nuova, SE Crater and flank vents
  6. 2006VEI 2Observed
    2006-07-14 – 2006-12-15
    SE Crater & flank vents; NE Crater
  7. 2005VEI 1Observed
    2005-12-16 – 2005-12-22
    Bocca Nuova
  8. 2004VEI 1Observed
    2004-02-12 – 2004-02-14
    Central Crater
  9. 2004VEI 1Observed
    2004-09-07 – 2005-03-08
    SE Crater, SE flank (3000-2320 m)
  10. 2001VEI 1Observed
    2001-12-16 – 2003-11-09
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  11. 1994VEI 3Observed
    1994-06-17 – 2001-08-09
    Central Crater, NE Crater, SE Crater
  12. 1993VEI 1Observed
    1993-08-03 – 1993-10-13
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  13. 1979VEI 2Observed
    1979-07-03 – 1993-03-30
    Central Crater
  14. 1971VEI 2Observed
    1971-09-19 – 1979-03-16
    Central Crater
  15. 1966VEI 2Observed
    1966-01-10 – 1971-06-12
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  16. 1959VEI 1Observed
    1959-03-23 – 1959-04-25
    Central Crater
  17. 1959VEI 3Observed
    1959-10-17 – 1964-12-31
    Central and NE Craters, NNE (3100 m)
  18. 1958VEI 1Observed
    1958-11-16 – 1958-12-16
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  19. 1957VEI 2Observed
    1957-02-05 – 1957-05-07
    NE Crater
  20. 1957VEI 2Observed
    1957-08-25 – 1958-05-03
    NE Crater
  21. 1955VEI 2Observed
    1955-04-05 – 1956-04-07
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  22. 1953VEI 2Geological estimate
    1953-07-30 – Ongoing
  23. 1949VEI 2Observed
    1949-12-02 – 1952-05-30
    Central Crater and NW flank (2420-1900 m)
  24. 1947VEI 3Observed
    1947-01-29 – 1947-03-10
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  25. 1946VEI 1Observed
    1946-02 – 1946-10
    NE Crater
  26. 1945VEI 1Observed
    1945-06-05 – 1945-10
    NE Crater
  27. 1941VEI 2Observed
    1941-10 – 1944-04-26
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  28. 1935VEI 3Observed
    1935-07-07 – 1941-01-27
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  29. 1934VEI 1Observed
    1934-01-05 – 1934-03
    NE Crater
  30. 1931VEI 2Observed
    1931-07-26 – 1933-09
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  31. 1930VEI 1Observed
    1930-11-01 – Ongoing
    NE Crater
  32. 1929VEI 1Observed
    1929-08-02 – Ongoing
    NE Crater
  33. 1928VEI 1Observed
    1928-07-31 – 1928-11-20
    Central Crater
  34. 1926VEI 1Observed
    1926-01-02 – 1926-06
    NE Crater
  35. 1919VEI 2Observed
    1919-03-15 – 1925-02
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  36. 1918VEI 2Observed
    1918-03 – 1918-12-01
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  37. 1917VEI 2Observed
    1917-06-24 – 1917-07-05
    NE Crater, Central Crater
  38. 1913VEI 2Observed
    1913-11-13 – 1917-03
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  39. 1912VEI 3Observed
    1912-08-04 – 1912-08
    Central Crater
  40. 1911VEI 2Observed
    1911-08 – 1911-09-26
    Central Crater, NE Crater?
  41. 1910VEI 1Observed
    1910-02-21 – 1910-04-18
    Central Crater
  42. 1910VEI 2Observed
    1910-12-27 – 1911-02-17
    Central Crater
  43. 1908VEI 2Observed
    1908-04-29 – 1909-09-28
    SE flank (Valle del Bove 2800-2275 m)
  44. 1899VEI 3Observed
    1899-07-19 – 1899-08-05
    Central Crater
  45. 1899VEI 2Observed
    1899-11-15 – 1907-08
  46. 1893VEI 1Observed
    1893-04-26 – 1898-06
    Central Crater
  47. 1892VEI 2Observed
    1892-06-20 – 1892-12-29
    Central Crater
  48. 1891VEI 2Observed
    1891-02-20 – 1891-12
    Central Crater
  49. 1890VEI 2Observed
    1890-05 – 1890-10-17
    Central Crater
  50. 1888VEI 2Observed
    1888-04-13 – 1889-08
    Central Crater
  51. 1887VEI 1Observed
    1887-05-31 – 1887-08
    Central Crater
  52. 1884VEI 1Observed
    1884 – 1886-06-07
    Central Crater
  53. 1878VEI 2Observed
    1878-12-23 – 1883-03-31
    Central Crater
  54. 1874VEI 2Observed
    1874-05 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  55. 1874VEI 2Observed
    1874-08-29 – 1874-08-31
    North flank (2520-2110 m), Central Crater
  56. 1869VEI 0Observed
    1869-09-26 – 1869-09-26
    East flank (W wall of Valle del Bove)
  57. 1868VEI 3Observed
    1868-11-26 – 1868-12-08
    Central Crater
  58. 1865VEI 2Observed
    1865-01-30 – 1865-06-28
    NE flank (1865-1690 m, Mt. Sartorius)
  59. 1864VEI 2Observed
    1864-08-05 – 1864-09-19
    Central Crater
  60. 1863VEI 3Observed
    1863-05-01 – 1863-07-25
    Central Crater
  61. 1857VEI 1Geological estimate
    1857-09-06 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  62. 1852VEI 2Observed
    1852-08-20 – 1853-05-27
    East (Valle del Bove 1950-1700 m)
  63. 1843VEI 2Observed
    1843-11-17 – 1843-12-16
    West flank (2400-1900 m), Central Crater
  64. 1842VEI 2Observed
    1842-11-18 – 1842-12-29
    Central Crater (south & east slopes)
  65. 1838VEI 2Observed
    1838-07-08 – 1839-02
    Central Crater
  66. 1832VEI 2Observed
    1832-10-31 – 1832-11-22
    SSE, W flanks (3000-1700? m), Mt. Nunziata
  67. 1820VEI 2Observed
    1820-12 – 1833
    Central Crater
  68. 1819VEI 2Observed
    1819-05-27 – 1819-08-05
    Valle del Bove 2850-2375 m, Central Crater
  69. 1816VEI 0Geological estimate
    1816-03-06 – Ongoing
    Offshore from Aci-Castello
  70. 1811VEI 2Observed
    1811-10-27 – 1812-05
    East (Valle del Bove 3000-1975 m)
  71. 1809VEI 2Observed
    1809-03-27 – 1809-04-09
    Central Crater, N & NE flanks (3000-1325 m)
  72. 1803VEI 2Observed
    1803-01-01 – 1819
    Central Crater
  73. 1802VEI 2Observed
    1802-11-15 – 1802-11-18
    Central Crater, E flank (1950-1700 m)
  74. 1793VEI 3Observed
    1793 – 1802
    Central Crater
  75. 1792VEI 2Observed
    1792-03 – 1793-05-26
    Central Crater, west slope
  76. 1791VEI 2Observed
    1791-02 – 1791-09
    Central Crater
  77. 1787VEI 4Observed
    1787-06-04 – 1787-08-11
    Central Crater
  78. 1781VEI 2Observed
    1781-03 – 1781-05-10
    Central Crater
  79. 1780VEI 2Observed
    1780-04-20 – 1780-07
    Summit, S & SSW flanks (2360-1850 m)
  80. 1776VEI ?Observed
    1776 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  81. 1770VEI ?Geological estimate
    1770-05-28 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  82. 1767VEI ?Observed
    1767-05-02 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  83. 1766VEI 2Observed
    1766-04-27 – 1766-11-06
    South flank (2100-1950 m, M. Calcarazzi)
  84. 1732VEI 2Observed
    1732-12-09 – 1765
    Central Crater
  85. 1727VEI 2Observed
    1727-11-22 – 1728-05-10
    Central Crater (SW slope)
  86. 1723VEI 2Geological estimate
    1723-11-22 – 1724-05
  87. 1702VEI 1Observed
    1702-03-08 – 1702-05-08
    East flank (Valle del Bove, 2075-1875 m)
  88. 1693VEI ?Geological estimate
    1693-01-09 – Ongoing
  89. 1693VEI 3Observed
    1693-12 – 1694-11
    Central Crater
  90. 1689VEI 1Observed
    1689-03-14 – Ongoing
    East flank (Valle del Bove, 2300 m?)
  91. 1688VEI 1Observed
    1688 – Ongoing
    East slope of Central Crater
  92. 1682VEI 2Observed
    1682-09-01 – 1682-10
    East flank (Valle del Bove, 2900 m)
  93. 1669VEI 3Observed
    1669-03-11 – 1669-07-11
    S flank (950-625 m, Monti Rossi)
  94. 1654VEI 1Observed
    1654-01-01 – 1656
    Central Crater
  95. 1651VEI 1Observed
    1651-01-17 – 1653-07
    West (2600-1770 m), east (1875-1815 m)
  96. 1646VEI 2Observed
    1646-11-20 – 1647-01-17
    NNE (2000 m, 1800 m), Mt. Nero
  97. 1643VEI 1Observed
    1643-02-20 – 1643-02-28
    N flank (2100-1275 m), Monte Pomiciaro
  98. 1634VEI 1Observed
    1634-12-19 – 1638-04-27
    SE (2100-1950 m), Little Mt. Pecorara
  99. 1633VEI ?Geological estimate
    1633-02-21 – Ongoing
    Central Crater
  100. 1614VEI 2Observed
    1614-07-01 – 1624
    NNE flank (2800-2400 m), Monti Deserti
  101. 1610VEI 2Observed
    1610-02-06 – 1610-08-15
    SW flank (2500-1700 m)
  102. 1607VEI 2Observed
    1607-06-28 – 1608
    SW flank (2250-1950 m)?
  103. 1603VEI 2Observed
    1603-07 – 1610
    Central Crater (SW and S slope)
  104. 1579VEI ?Observed
    1579-09-09 – 1580
    SE flank
  105. 1578VEI ?Geological estimate
    1578 – Ongoing
  106. 1566VEI 2Observed
    1566-11-01 – 1566-12
    NE flank
  107. 1554VEI 2Geological estimate
    1554 – Ongoing
  108. 1541VEI 2Observed
    1541-07 – Ongoing
  109. 1540VEI 1Observed
    1540-07 – Ongoing
  110. 1537VEI 2Observed
    1537-03 – 1537-07
    Summit, south flank (1800-1500 m)
  111. 1536VEI 3Observed
    1536-03-22 – 1536-12
    Summit, S, N & W flanks (1400-2500 m)
  112. 1493VEI 1Observed
    1493 – 1500
  113. 1447VEI 1Observed
    1447-09-21 – Ongoing
  114. 1446VEI 1Observed
    1446-09-25 – Ongoing
    East (Valle del Bove, 1630 or 1825 m)
  115. 1444VEI 2Observed
    1444 – Ongoing
    South (N of Mt. Arso and 950 m)
  116. 1408VEI 3Observed
    1408-11-08 – 1408-11-25
    Summit, south flank (M. Piniteddu)
  117. 1381VEI 2Observed
    1381-08-05 – Ongoing
    SSE (370 m), Mts. Pomiciari, Arsi?
  118. 1350VEI 2Observed
    1350 – Ongoing
  119. 1333VEI 2Observed
    1333 – Ongoing
  120. 1329VEI 3Observed
    1329-06-28 – 1329-08-04
    SE flank
  121. 1284VEI ?Observed
    1284 – 1285-01
    East flank (Valle del Bove)
  122. 1250VEI 2Observed
    1250 – Ongoing
  123. 1224VEI ?Observed
    1224-08 – Ongoing
    SE flank
  124. 1194VEI 2Observed
    1194 – Ongoing
  125. 1169VEI ?Geological estimate
    1169-02-04 – Ongoing
  126. 1164VEI 2Observed
    1164 – Ongoing
  127. 1160VEI 2Observed
    1160 – Ongoing
  128. 1157VEI 2Observed
    1157 – Ongoing
  129. 1063 (±1 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    1063 – Ongoing
    WSW flank (1500 m) ?
  130. 1044VEI ?Geological estimate
    1044 – Ongoing
  131. 1004VEI ?Geological estimate
    1004 – Ongoing
  132. 911VEI ?Geological estimate
    911 – Ongoing
  133. 859VEI ?Geological estimate
    859 – Ongoing
  134. 814VEI ?Geological estimate
    814 – Ongoing
  135. 812VEI ?Geological estimate
    812 – Ongoing
    South flank (1200 m, S of Mt. Sona)
  136. 644VEI ?Geological estimate
    644 – Ongoing
  137. 417VEI ?Observed
    417 – Ongoing
  138. 252VEI 3Observed
    252-02-01 – 252-02-09
    South flank (Monpeloso)
  139. 100 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    100 – Ongoing
  140. 80VEI ?Geological estimate
    80 – Ongoing
  141. 39 (±1 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    39 – Ongoing
  142. 10VEI ?Observed
    10 – 20
  143. 10 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 10 – Ongoing
  144. 32 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 32-12-31 – Ongoing
  145. 36 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 36-07-15 – BCE 35
    East side ?
  146. 44 BCEVEI 3Observed
    BCE 44-03 – Ongoing
  147. 49 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 49 – Ongoing
    West flank and summit ?
  148. 56 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 56 – Ongoing
  149. 61 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 61 – Ongoing
  150. 122 BCEVEI 5Observed
    BCE 122 – Ongoing
    S flank, summit (Cratere del Piano caldera)
  151. 126 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 126-06 – Ongoing
  152. 135 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 135 – Ongoing
  153. 141 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 141-12-31 – Ongoing
  154. 396 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 396-04-15 – Ongoing
    SE flank (700 m, Monte Gorna)
  155. 425 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 425-03-15 – BCE 424
    South flank (Monte Arso)
  156. 479 BCEVEI ?Observed
    BCE 479-08 – BCE 475
    South flank ?
  157. 565 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 565 – Ongoing
  158. 695 BCE (±2 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    BCE 695 – Ongoing
    South ?, Mt. Mompilieri ?
  159. 735 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 735 – Ongoing
  160. 1050 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1050 – Ongoing
    South flank (Monte Salto del Cane)
  161. 1420 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1420 – Ongoing
  162. 1500 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI 5Observed
    BCE 1500 – Ongoing
  163. 1980 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1980 – Ongoing
  164. 2330 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 2330 – Ongoing
  165. 3050 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 3050 – Ongoing
  166. 3390 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 3390 – Ongoing
  167. 3510 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 3510 – Ongoing
  168. 4150 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 4150 – Ongoing
  169. 5150 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 5150 – Ongoing
  170. 6190 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 6190 – Ongoing

External links

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