Logo link to homepage

What volcanoes have had the longest eruptions?

There have been 107 confirmed eruptions with start dates in 1800 or later that have lasted at least 60 months (5 years or more), from 60 different volcanoes. Continuing eruptions account for 29. The number of Eruption Months is a count of the number of different months from the Start Date to the Stop Date, not taking any uncertainty into account. Eruption Years is the number of full years in eruption calculated from the month total. This does not consider any eruptive pauses shorter than three months; for consistency in the Volcanoes of the World database, renewed eruptions after inactivity lasting more than three months results in the designation of a new eruption. Eruptions are listed below sorted with the longest at the top.

Not on this list because there is no clear start date, is Yasur in Vanuatu. It was observed to be erupting by Captain Cook in 1774, and has been in constant activity since then. However, research (tephra stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating) has shown that the same style of activity may have begun around 1270 CE and persisted now for over 750 years.

Volcano Country Eruption Months Eruption Years Eruption Start Date Eruption Stop Date Max VEI
Santa Maria Guatemala 1221 102 1922 Jun 22 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 3
Dukono Indonesia 1087 91 1933 Aug 13 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 3
Stromboli Italy 1081 90 1934 Feb 2 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Sangay Ecuador 919 77 1934 Aug 8 2011 Mar 2 3
Aira Japan 730 61 1955 Oct 13 2016 Aug 22 3
Erta Ale Ethiopia 680 57 1967 Jul 2 (in or before) ± 182 days 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 0
Erebus Antarctica 615 51 1972 Dec 16 (in or before) ± 15 days 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Nyiragongo DR Congo 598 50 1927 Mar 16 ± 15 days 1977 Jan 10 1
Arenal Costa Rica 509 42 1968 Jul 29 2010 Dec 16 (?) ± 15 days 3
Semeru Indonesia 499 42 1967 Aug 31 2009 Mar 15 3
Kilauea United States 428 36 1983 Jan 3 2018 Sep 5 3
Vesuvius Italy 369 31 1913 Jul 5 1944 Apr 4 3
Vesuvius Italy 364 30 1875 Dec 18 1906 Apr 22 4
Langila Papua New Guinea 332 28 1973 Feb 24 ± 4 days 2000 Oct 16 (in or after) ± 15 days 3
Suwanosejima Japan 330 28 1956 Nov 16 ± 15 days 1984 May 16 ± 15 days 2
Manam Papua New Guinea 308 26 1974 Mar 4 (?) 1999 Nov 9 (?) 3
Sheveluch Russia 295 25 1999 Aug 15 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 4
Bagana Papua New Guinea 286 24 2000 Feb 28 (in or before) 2023 Dec 14 (continuing) 2
Pacaya Guatemala 284 24 1965 Jul 4 1989 Mar 10 3
Bagana Papua New Guinea 276 23 1972 Jul 2 ± 182 days 1995 Jul 2 (in or after) ± 182 days 2
Fuego Guatemala 266 22 2002 Jan 4 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 3
Nyiragongo DR Congo 257 21 2002 May 17 (?) 2023 Oct 24 2
Masaya Nicaragua 234 20 1965 Oct 10 (?) 1985 Apr 16 (?) ± 15 days 1
Suwanosejima Japan 233 19 2004 Oct 23 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Popocatepetl Mexico 230 19 2005 Jan 9 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Ibu Indonesia 191 16 2008 Apr 5 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 1
Reventador Ecuador 188 16 2008 Jul 27 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Semeru Indonesia 173 14 1950 Jul 23 1964 Dec 16 ± 15 days 2
Karymsky Russia 173 14 2001 Nov 15 2016 Apr 1 3
Etna Italy 164 14 1979 Jul 3 1993 Mar 30 2
Colima Mexico 163 14 1997 Nov 22 2011 Jun 21 3
Saunders United Kingdom 162 14 2000 May 13 2013 Nov 16 0
Nevados de Chillan Chile 156 13 1973 Jul 16 ± 15 days 1986 Jul 2 ± 182 days 2
Merapi Indonesia 149 12 1972 Oct 6 1985 Mar 16 ± 15 days 2
Karymsky Russia 149 12 1970 May 11 1982 Oct 11 3
Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania 142 12 1994 Sep 18 2006 Jul 16 (?) ± 15 days 1
Heard Australia 138 12 2012 Sep 5 ± 4 days 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 0
Merapi Indonesia 129 11 1992 Jan 20 2002 Oct 19 (?) 2
Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania 128 11 1983 Jan 1 1993 Sep 24 2
Tofua Tonga 127 11 2004 Mar 19 2014 Oct 18 1
Ambrym Vanuatu 127 11 2008 May 23 2018 Dec 17 2
Vesuvius Italy 122 10 1824 Jul 2 1834 Sep 2 3
Pacaya Guatemala 122 10 1990 Jan 4 (?) 2000 Mar 1 3
Tungurahua Ecuador 117 10 1999 Oct 5 2009 Jul 8 ± 7 days 3
Tungurahua Ecuador 117 10 1916 Mar 3 1925 Dec 1 ± 30 days 4
Manam Papua New Guinea 116 10 2014 Jun 29 2024 Feb 28 (continuing) 4
Saunders United Kingdom 112 9 2014 Nov 12 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 1
Nevado del Ruiz Colombia 112 9 2014 Nov 18 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Villarrica Chile 111 9 2014 Dec 2 ± 7 days 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 3
Ambrym Vanuatu 110 9 1996 Jun 16 (in or before) ± 15 days 2005 Aug 16 (in or after) ± 15 days 1
Izalco El Salvador 109 9 1948 Nov 4 1957 Dec 1 ± 30 days 3
Michoacan-Guanajuato Mexico 108 9 1943 Feb 20 1952 Feb 25 4
Poas Costa Rica 108 9 1898 Dec 29 1907 Dec 31 ± 365 days 1
Galeras Colombia 108 9 1974 Jul 2 ± 182 days 1983 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days 1
Batu Tara Indonesia 106 9 2007 Jan 17 (?) 2015 Nov 26 2
Etna Italy 105 9 2013 Sep 3 2022 Jun 17 3
Whakaari/White Island New Zealand 101 8 1986 Feb 1 (?) 1994 Jul 28 3
Tofua Tonga 101 8 2015 Oct 2 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 0
Masaya Nicaragua 101 8 2015 Oct 3 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 1
Vesuvius Italy 101 8 1841 Sep 20 1850 Feb 16 2
Langila Papua New Guinea 101 8 2015 Oct 22 (?) 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Sabancaya Peru 100 8 1990 May 28 1998 Sep 16 (?) ± 15 days 3
Soufriere Hills United Kingdom 99 8 1995 Jul 18 2003 Oct 8 3
Lascar Chile 98 8 1959 Nov 16 ± 15 days 1968 Jan 31 (in or after) 2
Soufriere Hills United Kingdom 94 8 2005 Apr 15 2013 Feb 5 3
Popocatepetl Mexico 92 8 1996 Mar 5 2003 Nov 22 (?) 3
Marapi Indonesia 91 8 1987 Jan 15 1994 Aug 12 (in or after) 2
Etna Italy 90 8 1971 Sep 19 1979 Mar 16 (?) ± 15 days 2
Sabancaya Peru 88 7 2016 Nov 6 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 3
Bezymianny Russia 86 7 2016 Dec 5 2024 Feb 22 (continuing) 3
Etna Italy 86 7 1994 Jun 17 2001 Aug 9 3
Colima Mexico 84 7 1963 Jul 2 ± 182 days 1970 Jul 2 ± 182 days 1
Aira Japan 84 7 2017 Mar 25 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 1
Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania 83 7 2017 Apr 9 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 0
Nevados de Chillan Chile 81 7 2016 Jan 8 2022 Oct 17 2
Semeru Indonesia 81 7 2017 Jun 6 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 4
NW Rota-1 United States 80 7 2003 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days 2010 Mar 16 (in or after) ± 15 days 0
Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania 80 7 1960 Mar 16 (in or before) ± 15 days 1966 Nov 28 ± 30 days 3
St. Helens United States 79 7 1980 Mar 27 1986 Oct 28 ± 3 days 5
Suwanosejima Japan 75 6 1990 Apr 16 ± 15 days 1996 Jul 14 2
Pacaya Guatemala 74 6 2015 Jun 7 ± 1 days 2021 Aug 13 1
Vesuvius Italy 72 6 1855 Dec 19 1861 Dec 31 3
Montagu Island United Kingdom 71 6 2001 Oct 1 ± 20 days 2007 Sep 20 1
Nyamulagira DR Congo 71 6 2018 Apr 18 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 0
Nevado del Ruiz Colombia 70 6 1985 Sep 11 1991 Jul 13 3
Merapi Indonesia 69 6 1953 Mar 2 1958 Dec 16 ± 15 days 2
Rabaul Papua New Guinea 70 6 1995 Nov 28 2001 Sep 5 ± 4 days 2
Poas Costa Rica 69 6 1952 Mar 23 1957 Dec 25 2
Karangetang Indonesia 67 6 1983 May 16 ± 15 days 1988 Dec 31 (in or after) 3
Kilauea United States 67 6 1969 Feb 22 1974 Sep 19 0
Etna Italy 66 6 1935 Jul 7 1941 Jan 27 (?) 3
Lamington Papua New Guinea 66 6 1951 Jan 17 1956 Jul 2 ± 182 days 4
Etna Italy 65 5 1966 Jan 10 1971 Jun 12 2
Sheveluch Russia 65 5 1944 Nov 5 1950 Apr 6 2
Asamayama Japan 65 5 1909 Jan 29 1914 Jun 24 1
Soputan Indonesia 64 5 1991 May 22 1996 Sep 29 (in or after) 2
Kadovar Papua New Guinea 64 5 2018 Jan 5 2023 May 14 2
Karangetang Indonesia 64 5 2018 Nov 25 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2
Tinakula Solomon Islands 62 5 2018 Dec 8 (in or before) 2024 Feb 22 (continuing) 2
Etna Italy 62 5 1959 Oct 17 1964 Dec 31 3
Manam Papua New Guinea 62 5 2004 Oct 24 2009 Dec 12 (?) 4
Whakaari/White Island New Zealand 61 5 1976 Dec 18 1982 Jan 29 3
Sheveluch Russia 61 5 1990 Jan 10 1995 Feb 16 ± 15 days 3
Ebeko Russia 61 5 2016 Oct 20 2021 Nov 9 2
Bezymianny Russia 60 5 1965 Mar 9 1970 Mar 16 ± 15 days 3
Southern EPR at 8°S Undersea Features 60 5 1964 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days 1969 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days 0
Sangay Ecuador 60 5 2019 Mar 26 2024 Mar 1 (continuing) 2

List of Questions

Global Volcanism Program, 2024. [Database] Volcanoes of the World (v. 5.1.6; 2 Mar 2024). Distributed by Smithsonian Institution, compiled by Venzke, E. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2023.5.1