From cities in Italy to the DRC and Peru, discover the places around the world nearby to volcanoes
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Cities are sprawling things. Stretching across kilometres, these urban metropolises can feature high-rise buildings, modern infrastructure and well-planned public transport.
However, one feature less thought of in a city is a volcano. Yet around the world, many cities are either near – or lying on top of – a fiery giant. Read on to find out several of these cities, their locations and the volcanoes nearby…
Naples, Italy
The city of Naples in southern Italy is surrounded by three active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Ischia and Campi Flegrei. More than 3.5 million people in the area live within a 30 kilometre radius of one of these volcanoes.
Vesuvius is a stratovolcano with many towns nearby, and first formed around 17,000 years ago. Eight major eruptions have occurred since.
Volcanism on Ischia began more than 150,00 years ago, with the most recent eruption occurring in 1302.
Campi Flegrei, to the west of Naples, generated the largest volcanic eruption to occur in Europe in at least the last 200,000 years. The upper half of the caldera is exposed on land, while the lower half is submerged beneath the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The most recent eruption of Campi Flegrei was back in 1538.
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
Goma, a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo – home to two million people – is located near the active volcano Mount Nyiragongo.
Most recently, an eruption of the volcano back in May 2021 led to lava approaching the city’s airport and the city centre of eastern Goma. 32 people died as a result of the eruption, with 1,000 homes destroyed. Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee to neighbouring Rwanda and other parts of Congo.
Previously, the volcano erupted back in 2002, killing more than 250 people and leaving 120,000 homeless.
La Antigua, Guatemala
La Antigua is close to two major volcanoes: Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) and Volcán Acatenango.
Fuego – towering at a height of more than 12,000 feet – is the most active volcano in the country, exploding around five to nine times per hour, producing significant ash plumes. Its last major eruption was back in 2018, an event leading to the loss of thousands of lives.
Acatenango, standing at a height of more than 13,000 feet, experiences far fewer explosions than its fiery counterpart.
Arequipa, Peru
Situated near Arequipa Peru, the El Misti volcano towers around 19,000 feet above sea level. El Misti is categorised as a stratovolcano – meaning it is built from layers of lava, ash and rock – and is dormant.
It is one of 16 volcanoes in Peru and last erupted in the 15th century.
The volcano has also been the site of ceremonial sacrifices during the Inca period. In 1998, archeologists discovered the remains of children’s body within the El Misti crater.
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand is built on a volcanic field stretching around 360 km2 with 53 dormant volcanoes. Many of these volcanoes are known as monogenetic, meaning they erupt oly once.
The oldest eruption occurred around 200,000 years ago, and the most recent –occurring in Rangitoto Island – happened around 600 years ago.
Today, many of the volcanoes have been quarried or become public parks.
An eruption on the volcanic field is a low probability event, but would have high consequences if it did occur.
