Want to learn more about Stromboli the Italian volcano? Read on for facts and info on the longest running active volcano in Italy situated on the island of Stromboli…
Situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Stromboli is the name of a small island in Italy which is famous for its active volcano. The island is situated off the north coast of Sicily and has one among the three active volcanoes of the country. The island is counted among the eight Aeolian Islands and is also regarded as being a volcanic arc.
History of Stromboli
The volcano derives its name from a corrupted ancient Greek term which was used for the island, Strongule. The island acquired this name because of its unique round swelling form. The total population of this volcanic island ranges from 400 to 750. Over the course of history the active volcano has erupted numerous times and up to today minor eruptions are witnessed regularly. The elevated position of the volcanic mountain makes the eruptions visible from many different points of the island and they can also be seen from the surrounding sea.
The island witnessed a major explosion in the month of April in 2009. That was the most recent major explosion that has taken place. The volcanic mountain is situated 924 m above sea level but when measured from the seafloor it is more than 2000 m high. There are a total of three active craters at the peak of the mountain. One of the unique geological features of the volcanic mountain is the section that is named the stream of fire. This is a big depression shaped like a horseshoe that has developed over the last 13,000 years because of numerous collapses that took place on the northwestern side of the volcanic cone.
Stromboli Tourist Attraction
One of the things that distinguish Stromboli from other volcanoes is the length of time for which the volcano has been experiencing continuous eruptions. Geologists suggest that the same pattern of eruption has been maintained by the volcano for the last 2000 years. According to this pattern regular eruptions and explosions occurred at the summit craters where incandescent volcanic bombs and moderate eruptions take place at intervals ranging from a few minutes to a few hours. This unique volcanic behavior attracts many tourists from all over the world.
The active behavior of the Stromboli volcano is also experienced by a number of different volcanoes across the world. The eruptions that take place in the summit craters give out mild energetic bursts for a few seconds after which they emit ashes and incandescent lava fragments along with lithic blocks that are ejected to a height of a few hundred meters in the sky.
The Stromboli volcano has exclusive explosive characteristic lava-flows which occur occasionally. For example the last effusive eruption took place in 2002 which was after a period of 17 years. The last major eruption took place back in 1930 which also resulted in the loss of life and destruction of surrounding property. Other than that the volcano has not caused much damage, despite the fact that it has remained active throughout much of its history.
