Australia · Complex volcano
McDonald Islands
- Type
- Complex volcano
- Elevation
- 263m
- Last eruption
- 2005
_2025-11-18-00_00_2025-11-18-23_59_Sentinel-2_L1C_True_color.jpg?width=800)
- Type
- Complex volcano
- Country
- Australia
- Region
- Somalian & Antarctic / Kerguelen Hotspot Volcano Group
- Elevation
- 263m
- Coordinates
- -53.039, 72.595
- Last eruption
- 2005
- Tectonic setting
- Intraplate / Oceanic crust (< 15 km)
- Landform
- Composite
- Major rock type
- Phonolite
Geological summary
The McDonald Islands are located on the Kerguelen Plateau about 75 km W of Heard Island. The largest island, McDonald, is composed of a layered phonolitic tuff plateau cut by phonolitic dikes and lava domes.
Excerpt from the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution · Read the full summary on GVP →
From Wikipedia
The McDonald Islands are an uninhabited archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean in the vicinity of Heard Island. Together with Heard Island, they make up the Australian external territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands. The McDonald Islands are the emergent peaks of submarine volcanoes and are Australian external territory. Prior to 1992, there had not been an eruption in the previous 75,000 years.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →
Eruption history
5 recordedGlossaryRecord summary
- Confirmed eruptions
- 4
- Uncertain eruptions
- 1
- Span of confirmed record
- 1992 – 2005
- Largest confirmed eruption
- VEI 1 (2001, the most recent of 2)
- Confirmed eruptions since 1900
- 4
Detailed timeline
- 2005VEI 0Observed2005-07-12 – end unknown
- 2004VEI 1Method not stated2004-11-14 – 2004-11-14
- 2001VEI 1Observed2001-05-03 – end unknown
- 1996VEI 1Observed1996-12-16 – 1997-02-10Northern part of McDonald Island
- 1992VEI 0Observed1992-12-16 – end unknownSubmarine vent near McDonald Islands
Nearby volcanoes
External links
⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.