What volcanoes have the most people living nearby?
The number of people living in proximity to volcanoes has clear volcanic hazards implications, and population datasets help assess volcanic risk. Provided by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the LandScan population dataset apportions census counts to grid cells based on likelihood coefficients incorporating proximity to roads, slope, land cover, nighttime lights, and other variables. These data do not account for non-resident visitors to national parks, forests, or other recreational areas in volcanic regions, which form an unknown, but sometimes non-trivial component of persons at risk from volcanic eruptions. The LandScan 2008 data set was applied to the Volcanoes of the World database (for publication in Volcanoes of the World, 3rd ed.) to calculate population densities surrounding Holocene volcanoes at radii of 5, 10, 30, and 100 km. The 20 volcanoes with the greatest population at each of those distance ranges are shown in the tables below.
Approximately 1/3 of volcano entries in this catalog are not classic stratovolcanoes that most people are familiar with, but are volcanic fields/clusters with large numbers of vents over broad areas, oceanic shield volcanoes with large footprints, or large silicic calderas. For volcanic fields, minimum population densities were calculated for those living within a rectangle encompassing the known footprint of the field, or a circle of 20 km (the average radius of database volcanic fields with documented dimensions). Similarly, 20 km minimum radii were used for large oceanic shield volcanoes and large silicic calderas that could erupt from vents in broad areas over their flanks. Due to these factors the highest population numbers at smaller distances are dominated by these larger volcanic systems.
Volcano | Country | Volcanic Region | Primary Landform |
Population within 5 km |
Last Eruption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michoacan-Guanajuato | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 5,783,287 | 1952 CE |
Tatun Volcanic Group | Taiwan | Ryukyu Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 5,084,149 | 648 CE |
Campi Flegrei | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 2,234,109 | 1538 CE |
Ilopango | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 2,049,583 | 1880 CE |
Hainan Volcanic Field | China | Southeast Asia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,731,229 | 1933 CE |
San Pablo Volcanic Field | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 1,349,742 | 1350 CE |
Ghegham Volcanic Ridge | Armenia | Caucasus Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,265,153 | 1900 BCE |
Dieng Volcanic Complex | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 1,092,929 | 2025 CE |
Auckland Volcanic Field | New Zealand | Western North Island Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,049,110 | 1446 CE |
Masaya | Nicaragua | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 989,888 | 2025 CE |
Colli Albani | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 897,039 | Unknown |
Harras of Dhamar | Yemen | Southwest Arabia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 791,276 | Unknown |
Taal | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 717,090 | 2025 CE |
Coatepeque Caldera | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 616,730 | Unknown |
Newer Volcanics Province | Australia | Southeastern Australia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 610,361 | 2900 BCE |
Chichinautzin | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 584,725 | 399 CE |
Durango Volcanic Field | Mexico | Basin and Range Volcanic Province | Cluster | 571,282 | Unknown |
Corbetti | Ethiopia | Main Ethiopian Rift Volcanic Province | Caldera | 565,206 | 396 BCE |
Pululahua | Ecuador | Northern Andean Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 534,403 | 290 CE |
Batur | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 466,899 | 2000 CE |
Volcano | Country | Volcanic Region | Primary Landform |
Population within 10 km |
Last Eruption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michoacan-Guanajuato | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 5,783,287 | 1952 CE |
Tatun Volcanic Group | Taiwan | Ryukyu Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 5,084,149 | 648 CE |
Campi Flegrei | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 2,234,109 | 1538 CE |
Ilopango | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 2,049,583 | 1880 CE |
Hainan Volcanic Field | China | Southeast Asia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,731,229 | 1933 CE |
San Pablo Volcanic Field | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 1,349,742 | 1350 CE |
Ghegham Volcanic Ridge | Armenia | Caucasus Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,265,153 | 1900 BCE |
Dieng Volcanic Complex | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 1,092,929 | 2025 CE |
Auckland Volcanic Field | New Zealand | Western North Island Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,049,110 | 1446 CE |
Harrat Rahat | Saudi Arabia | Western Arabia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 1,010,115 | 1256 CE |
Masaya | Nicaragua | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 989,888 | 2025 CE |
Colli Albani | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 897,039 | Unknown |
Nejapa-Miraflores | Nicaragua | Central America Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 870,837 | 1060 CE |
San Salvador | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Composite | 800,780 | 1917 CE |
Harras of Dhamar | Yemen | Southwest Arabia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 791,276 | Unknown |
Taal | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 717,090 | 2025 CE |
Vesuvius | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Composite | 675,705 | 1944 CE |
Coatepeque Caldera | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 616,730 | Unknown |
Newer Volcanics Province | Australia | Southeastern Australia Volcanic Province | Cluster | 610,361 | 2900 BCE |
Chichinautzin | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 584,725 | 399 CE |
Volcano | Country | Volcanic Region | Primary Landform |
Population within 30 km |
Last Eruption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tatun Volcanic Group | Taiwan | Ryukyu Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 6,735,396 | 648 CE |
Michoacan-Guanajuato | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 5,783,287 | 1952 CE |
Tangkuban Parahu | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 5,729,309 | 2019 CE |
Penanggungan | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 4,605,710 | Unknown |
Merapi | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 4,348,473 | 2025 CE |
Arjuno-Welirang | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 4,143,137 | 1952 CE |
Chichinautzin | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 4,061,942 | 399 CE |
Vesuvius | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Composite | 3,907,941 | 1944 CE |
Guntur | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 3,412,038 | 1847 CE |
Ciremai | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 3,058,015 | 1951 CE |
San Pablo Volcanic Field | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 3,039,334 | 1350 CE |
Merbabu | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 3,019,783 | 1797 CE |
Campi Flegrei | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 3,006,865 | 1538 CE |
Colli Albani | Italy | Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces | Caldera | 2,962,194 | Unknown |
Ilopango | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 2,948,989 | 1880 CE |
Kawi-Butak | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 2,927,446 | Unknown |
Slamet | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 2,904,026 | 2014 CE |
San Salvador | El Salvador | Central America Volcanic Arc | Composite | 2,857,563 | 1917 CE |
Salak | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 2,675,904 | 1938 CE |
Kendang | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 2,601,697 | Unknown |
Volcano | Country | Volcanic Region | Primary Landform |
Population within 100 km |
Last Eruption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gede-Pangrango | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 40,640,105 | 1957 CE |
Salak | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 38,154,252 | 1938 CE |
Perbakti-Gagak | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 36,630,568 | 1939 CE |
Tangkuban Parahu | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 32,855,731 | 2019 CE |
Hakoneyama | Japan | Izu Volcanic Arc | Composite | 30,282,197 | 2015 CE |
Chichinautzin | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Cluster | 28,030,794 | 399 CE |
Iztaccihuatl | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Composite | 27,276,280 | Unknown |
Popocatepetl | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Composite | 26,509,510 | 2025 CE |
Penanggungan | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,773,159 | Unknown |
Ciremai | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,718,820 | 1951 CE |
Sumbing | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,707,858 | 1730 CE |
Arjuno-Welirang | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,385,433 | 1952 CE |
Nevado de Toluca | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,247,342 | 1350 BCE |
Merbabu | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,096,234 | 1797 CE |
Fujisan | Japan | Izu Volcanic Arc | Composite | 25,022,187 | 1708 CE |
Kelud | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 24,999,627 | 2014 CE |
Sundoro | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 24,996,512 | 1971 CE |
Jocotitlan | Mexico | Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc | Composite | 24,986,674 | 1270 CE |
Lawu | Indonesia | Sunda Volcanic Arc | Composite | 24,931,156 | 1885 CE |
Taal | Philippines | Luzon Volcanic Arc | Caldera | 24,814,047 | 2025 CE |