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Italy · Stratovolcano

Mount Etna

Etna

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
3357m
Last eruption
2026
Mount Etna
Photo: Jacopo Werther · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Italy
Region
Europe / 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.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

170 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
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 2Method not stated
    1953-07-30 – end unknown
  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
    1946-02-16 – 1946-10-16
    NE Crater
  26. 1945VEI 1Observed
    1945-06-05 – 1945-10-16
    NE Crater
  27. 1941VEI 2Observed
    1941-10-16 – 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 – 1934-03-16
    NE Crater
  30. 1931VEI 2Observed
    1931-07-26 – 1933-09-16
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  31. 1930VEI 1Observed
    1930-11-01 – end unknown
    NE Crater
  32. 1929VEI 1Observed
    1929-08-02 – end unknown
    NE Crater
  33. 1928VEI 1Observed
    1928-07-31 – 1928-11-20
    Central Crater
  34. 1926VEI 1Observed
    1926-01-02 – 1926-06-16
    NE Crater
  35. 1919VEI 2Observed
    1919-03-15 – 1925-02-16
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  36. 1918VEI 2Observed
    1918-03-16 – 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 – 1917-03-16
    Central Crater, NE Crater
  39. 1912VEI 3Observed
    1912-08-04 – 1912-08-16
    Central Crater
  40. 1911VEI 2Observed
    1911-08-16 – 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 – 1907-08-16
  46. 1893VEI 1Observed
    1893-04-26 – 1898-06-16
    Central Crater
  47. 1892VEI 2Observed
    1892-06-20 – 1892-12-29
    Central Crater
  48. 1891VEI 2Observed
    1891-02-20 – 1891-12-16
    Central Crater
  49. 1890VEI 2Observed
    1890-05-16 – 1890-10-17
    Central Crater
  50. 1888VEI 2Observed
    1888-04-13 – 1889-08-16
    Central Crater
  51. 1887VEI 1Observed
    1887-05-31 – 1887-08-16
    Central Crater
  52. 1884VEI 1Observed
    1884-07-02 – 1886-06-07
    Central Crater
  53. 1878VEI 2Observed
    1878-12-23 – 1883-03-31
    Central Crater
  54. 1874VEI 2Observed
    1874-05-16 – end unknown
    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 1Method not stated
    1857-09-06 – end unknown
    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 – 1839-02-16
    Central Crater
  66. 1832VEI 2Observed
    1832-10-31 – 1832-11-22
    SSE, W flanks (3000-1700? m), Mt. Nunziata
  67. 1820VEI 2Observed
    1820-12-16 – 1833-07-02
    Central Crater
  68. 1819VEI 2Observed
    1819-05-27 – 1819-08-05
    Valle del Bove 2850-2375 m, Central Crater
  69. 1816VEI 0Method not stated
    1816-03-06 – end unknown
    Offshore from Aci-Castello
  70. 1811VEI 2Observed
    1811-10-27 – 1812-05-16
    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 – 1819-07-02
    Central Crater
  73. 1802VEI 2Observed
    1802-11-15 – 1802-11-18
    Central Crater, E flank (1950-1700 m)
  74. 1793VEI 3Observed
    1793 – 1802-07-02
    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 – end unknown
    Central Crater
  81. 1770VEI ?Method not stated
    1770-05-28 – end unknown
    Central Crater
  82. 1767VEI ?Observed
    1767-05-02 – end unknown
    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 2Method not stated
    1723-11-22 – 1724-05
  87. 1702VEI 1Observed
    1702-03-08 – 1702-05-08
    East flank (Valle del Bove, 2075-1875 m)
  88. 1693VEI ?Method not stated
    1693-01-09 – end unknown
  89. 1693VEI 3Observed
    1693-12 – 1694-11
    Central Crater
  90. 1689VEI 1Observed
    1689-03-14 – end unknown
    East flank (Valle del Bove, 2300 m?)
  91. 1688VEI 1Observed
    1688 – end unknown
    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 ?Method not stated
    1633-02-21 – end unknown
    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 ?Method not stated
    1578 – end unknown
  106. 1566VEI 2Observed
    1566-11-01 – 1566-12
    NE flank
  107. 1554VEI 2Method not stated
    1554 – end unknown
  108. 1541VEI 2Observed
    1541-07 – end unknown
  109. 1540VEI 1Observed
    1540-07 – end unknown
  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 – end unknown
  114. 1446VEI 1Observed
    1446-09-25 – end unknown
    East (Valle del Bove, 1630 or 1825 m)
  115. 1444VEI 2Observed
    1444 – end unknown
    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 – end unknown
    SSE (370 m), Mts. Pomiciari, Arsi?
  118. 1350VEI 2Observed
    1350 – end unknown
  119. 1333VEI 2Observed
    1333 – end unknown
  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 – end unknown
  123. 1224VEI ?Observed
    1224-08 – end unknown
    SE flank
  124. 1194VEI 2Observed
    1194 – end unknown
  125. 1169VEI ?Method not stated
    1169-02-04 – end unknown
  126. 1164VEI 2Observed
    1164 – end unknown
  127. 1160VEI 2Observed
    1160 – end unknown
  128. 1157VEI 2Observed
    1157 – end unknown
  129. 1063 (±1 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    1063 – end unknown
    WSW flank (1500 m) ?
  130. 1044VEI ?Method not stated
    1044 – end unknown
  131. 1004VEI ?Method not stated
    1004 – end unknown
  132. 911VEI ?Method not stated
    911 – end unknown
  133. 859VEI ?Method not stated
    859 – end unknown
  134. 814VEI ?Method not stated
    814 – end unknown
  135. 812VEI ?Method not stated
    812 – end unknown
    South flank (1200 m, S of Mt. Sona)
  136. 644VEI ?Method not stated
    644 – end unknown
  137. 417VEI ?Observed
    417 – end unknown
  138. 252VEI 3Observed
    252-02-01 – 252-02-09
    South flank (Monpeloso)
  139. 100 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    100 – end unknown
  140. 80VEI ?Method not stated
    80 – end unknown
  141. 39 (±1 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    39 – end unknown
  142. 10VEI ?Observed
    10 – 20
  143. 10 BCEVEI ?Method not stated
    10 BCE – end unknown
  144. 32 BCEVEI ?Observed
    32-12-31 BCE – end unknown
  145. 36 BCEVEI ?Observed
    36-07-15 BCE – 35 BCE
    East side ?
  146. 44 BCEVEI 3Observed
    44-03 BCE – end unknown
  147. 49 BCEVEI ?Observed
    49 BCE – end unknown
    West flank and summit ?
  148. 56 BCEVEI ?Method not stated
    56 BCE – end unknown
  149. 61 BCEVEI ?Method not stated
    61 BCE – end unknown
  150. 122 BCEVEI 5Observed
    122 BCE – end unknown
    S flank, summit (Cratere del Piano caldera)
  151. 126 BCEVEI ?Observed
    126-06 BCE – end unknown
  152. 135 BCEVEI ?Observed
    135 BCE – end unknown
  153. 141 BCEVEI ?Observed
    141-12-31 BCE – end unknown
  154. 396 BCEVEI ?Observed
    396-04-15 BCE – end unknown
    SE flank (700 m, Monte Gorna)
  155. 425 BCEVEI ?Observed
    425-03-15 BCE – 424 BCE
    South flank (Monte Arso)
  156. 479 BCEVEI ?Observed
    479-08 BCE – 475 BCE
    South flank ?
  157. 565 BCEVEI ?Method not stated
    565 BCE – end unknown
  158. 695 BCE (±2 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    695 BCE – end unknown
    South ?, Mt. Mompilieri ?
  159. 735 BCEVEI ?Method not stated
    735 BCE – end unknown
  160. 1050 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1050 BCE – end unknown
    South flank (Monte Salto del Cane)
  161. 1420 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1420 BCE – end unknown
  162. 1500 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI 5Observed
    1500 BCE – end unknown
  163. 1980 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1980 BCE – end unknown
  164. 2330 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    2330 BCE – end unknown
  165. 3050 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    3050 BCE – end unknown
  166. 3390 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    3390 BCE – end unknown
  167. 3510 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    3510 BCE – end unknown
  168. 4150 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    4150 BCE – end unknown
  169. 5150 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    5150 BCE – end unknown
  170. 6190 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    6190 BCE – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

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