Skip to main content

Indonesia · Stratovolcano

Merapi

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
2910m
Last eruption
2026
Merapi
Photo: Rosalia.silaban · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Indonesia
Region
Sunda & Banda / Sunda Volcanic Arc
Elevation
2910m
Coordinates
-7.540, 110.446
Last eruption
2026
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic andesite
Geological summary

Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, lies in one of the world's most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape immediately north of the major city of Yogyakarta. It is the youngest and southernmost of a volcanic chain extending NNW to Ungaran volcano. Growth of Old Merapi during the Pleistocene ended with major edifice collapse perhaps about 2,000 years ago, leaving a large arcuate scarp cutting the eroded older Batulawang volcano. Subsequent growth of the steep-sided Young Merapi edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent activity, began SW of the earlier collapse scarp. Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying growth and collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have devastated cultivated lands on the western-to-southern flanks and caused many fatalities.

From Wikipedia

Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano located on the border between the province of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. It is located approximately 28 km (17 mi) north of Yogyakarta city which has a population of 2.4 million. Thousands of people live on the flanks of the volcano, with villages as high as 1,700 m (5,577 ft) above sea level.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

112 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
8780 BCE~8420 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?7340 BCE~6980 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4820 BCE~4460 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3020 BCE~2660 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1940 BCE~1580 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI ?1580 BCE~1220 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1220 BCE~860 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 4860 BCE~500 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?500 BCE~140 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3140 BCE~220 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 4220~580 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 3580~940 · 3 eruptions · max VEI ?940~1300 · 6 eruptions · max VEI 31300~1660 · 11 eruptions · max VEI 31660~2020 · 74 eruptions · max VEI 48780 BCE6260 BCE3380 BCE860 BCE1660

Detailed timeline

  1. 2020VEI 1Observed
    2020-12-31 – 2026-03-25
  2. 2018VEI 3Observed
    2018-05-11 – 2020-06-21
    Summit crater
  3. 2014VEI 3Observed
    2014-03-09 – 2014-04-20
    Summit crater
  4. 2013VEI 1Observed
    2013-07-22 – 2013-07-22
    Summit crater
  5. 2013VEI 3Observed
    2013-11-18 – 2013-11-18
    Summit crater
  6. 2011VEI 1Observed
    2011-03-25 – 2011-09-08
    Summit crater
  7. 2010VEI 4Observed
    2010-10-26 – 2010-11-29
    Summit crater
  8. 2008VEI ?Method not stated
    2008-05-19 – end unknown
  9. 2006VEI 1Observed
    2006-03-16 – 2007-08-09
  10. 1992VEI 2Observed
    1992-01-20 – 2002-10-19
    NW of 1984 lava dome
  11. 1986VEI 2Observed
    1986-10-10 – 1990-08-16
  12. 1972VEI 2Observed
    1972-10-06 – 1985-03-16
  13. 1971VEI 1Method not stated
    1971-01-16 – 1971-07-26
  14. 1967VEI 2Observed
    1967-01-12 – 1970-07-02
    Upper Batang breach (2600 m)
  15. 1961VEI 3Observed
    1961-04-11 – 1961-11-28
  16. 1953VEI 2Observed
    1953-03-02 – 1958-12-16
  17. 1948VEI 2Observed
    1948-09-29 – 1948-12-16
  18. 1942VEI 2Observed
    1942-05-30 – 1945-05-16
  19. 1939VEI 2Observed
    1939-12-13 – 1940-09-16
  20. 1933VEI 2Observed
    1933-10-01 – 1935-04-16
  21. 1932VEI 1Observed
    1932-11-16 – end unknown
  22. 1930VEI 3Observed
    1930-11-25 – 1931-09-16
  23. 1924VEI 1Observed
    1924-09-10 – 1924-09-12
  24. 1923VEI ?Method not stated
    1923-09-16 – 1923-11-16
  25. 1922VEI 1Observed
    1922-02-18 – 1922-08-08
  26. 1920VEI 2Observed
    1920-07-25 – 1921-02-16
  27. 1918VEI 1Observed
    1918-01-16 – end unknown
  28. 1915VEI 1Observed
    1915-03-28 – 1915-05-15
  29. 1909VEI 1Observed
    1909-02-01 – 1913-05-16
    West dome
  30. 1908VEI 1Observed
    1908-07-16 – end unknown
  31. 1906VEI 2Observed
    1906-01-26 – 1907-02-17
    Summit and upper east flank (2600 m)
  32. 1905VEI 2Observed
    1905-01-16 – 1905-06-01
  33. 1902VEI 1Observed
    1902-02-03 – 1902-02-03
  34. 1902VEI 2Observed
    1902-12-16 – 1904-06-20
  35. 1897VEI 2Observed
    1897-07-02 – end unknown
  36. 1894VEI 2Observed
    1894-01-27 – 1894-02-02
  37. 1894VEI 1Observed
    1894-10-16 – end unknown
  38. 1893VEI 1Observed
    1893-10-16 – end unknown
  39. 1891VEI 2Observed
    1891-08-25 – 1892-07-02
  40. 1889VEI 1Observed
    1889-07-02 – end unknown
  41. 1888VEI 2Observed
    1888-08-18 – 1888-12-20
  42. 1885VEI 1Observed
    1885-02-24 – 1887-07-02
  43. 1883VEI 1Observed
    1883-01-16 – 1884-11-16
    East dome
  44. 1878VEI 2Observed
    1878-07-02 – 1879-06-20
  45. 1872VEI 4Observed
    1872-04-15 – 1872-04-21
  46. 1872VEI 2Observed
    1872-11-03 – 1873-01-16
  47. 1865VEI 2Observed
    1865-10-24 – 1871-08-16
  48. 1862VEI 2Observed
    1862-05-26 – 1864-07-02
  49. 1861VEI 2Observed
    1861-07-02 – end unknown
  50. 1854VEI ?Method not stated
    1854-09-16 – end unknown
  51. 1849VEI 2Observed
    1849-04-26 – 1849-04-26
  52. 1849VEI 3Observed
    1849-09-14 – 1849-09-24
  53. 1848VEI ?Method not stated
    1848-01-08 – end unknown
  54. 1846VEI 2Observed
    1846-04-06 – end unknown
  55. 1846VEI 3Observed
    1846-09-02 – 1847-10-16
    Summit and upper SE flank (2600 m)
  56. 1840VEI 1Observed
    1840-01-04 – end unknown
  57. 1837VEI 2Observed
    1837-08-10 – 1838-06-16
  58. 1832VEI 2Observed
    1832-12-25 – 1836-07-02
  59. 1828VEI 2Observed
    1828-12-18 – 1828-12-19
  60. 1822VEI 3Observed
    1822-12-27 – 1823-04-06
  61. 1812VEI 1Observed
    1812-07-02 – 1822-07-02
  62. 1810VEI 1Observed
    1810-07-02 – end unknown
  63. 1807VEI 1Observed
    1807-07-02 – end unknown
  64. 1797VEI 1Observed
    1797 – end unknown
  65. 1791VEI 2Observed
    1791 – end unknown
  66. 1786VEI 1Observed
    1786-07-17 – end unknown
  67. 1768VEI 2Observed
    1768-08-19 – end unknown
  68. 1755VEI 2Observed
    1755 – end unknown
  69. 1752VEI 2Observed
    1752 – end unknown
  70. 1745VEI 2Observed
    1745 – end unknown
  71. 1678VEI 3Observed
    1678-08-19 – end unknown
  72. 1677VEI 3Observed
    1677 – end unknown
  73. 1672VEI 3Observed
    1672-08-04 – end unknown
  74. 1663VEI 3Observed
    1663-12-31 – end unknown
  75. 1658VEI 3Observed
    1658 – end unknown
  76. 1587VEI 3Observed
    1587 – end unknown
  77. 1586VEI ?Method not stated
    1586 – end unknown
  78. 1584VEI 3Observed
    1584 – end unknown
  79. 1560VEI 3Observed
    1560 – end unknown
  80. 1554VEI 3Observed
    1554 – end unknown
  81. 1548VEI 3Observed
    1548 – end unknown
  82. 1480 (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1480 – end unknown
  83. 1440 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1440 – end unknown
  84. 1380 (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1380 – end unknown
  85. 1300 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1300 – end unknown
  86. 1230 (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1230 – end unknown
  87. 1190 (±30 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1190 – end unknown
  88. 1140 (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1140 – end unknown
  89. 1090 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1090 – end unknown
  90. 1010 (±25 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1010 – end unknown
  91. 940 (±100 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    940 – end unknown
  92. 870 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    870 – end unknown
  93. 680 (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    680 – end unknown
  94. 630 (±30 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    630 – end unknown
  95. 540 (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    540 – end unknown
  96. 480 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    480 – end unknown
  97. 410 (±150 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    410 – end unknown
  98. 280 (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    280 – end unknown
  99. 190 (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    190 – end unknown
  100. 120 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    120 – end unknown
  101. 20 (±300 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    20 – end unknown
  102. 340 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    340 BCE – end unknown
  103. 700 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    700 BCE – end unknown
  104. 1010 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1010 BCE – end unknown
  105. 1180 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    1180 BCE – end unknown
  106. 1410 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1410 BCE – end unknown
  107. 1770 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1770 BCE – end unknown
  108. 1890 BCE (±55 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1890 BCE – end unknown
  109. 2910 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    2910 BCE – end unknown
  110. 4690 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    4690 BCE – end unknown
  111. 7310 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    7310 BCE – end unknown
  112. 8780 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    8780 BCE – end unknown
    Old Merapi

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.