Literally everyone knows the name of Mount Etna. It is famous for being the largest active volcano in all of Europe and, one might say, the most unique. Its exact height is not known due to constant eruptions and due to the geological features of the entire area.
In this article you can learn about where the Etna volcano is located, what it is and all the features of the area.
General information
Etna is the most active and highest volcano in Europe. In total, about 200 eruptions were recorded. Despite the fact that Etna completely destroys one of the surrounding villages approximately every 150 years, the territories adjacent to the volcano are quite densely populated. This is due to the fact that volcanic ash gives the soil fertility, which is very important for rural residents.
According to the latest research data, today there is a growing danger of a large eruption of Mount Etna, which, due to its activity, was chosen as the "Volcano of the Decade" by the UN. In 1981, the regional government in Palermo creatednational reserve around Etna.
A bit of the history of the origin of the volcano
This huge natural formation is located in Italy. Mount Etna is located at the place where in ancient times (about 600 years ago) there was a sea bay. Volcanic activity began under water. In the process of numerous eruptions, a huge cone of the volcano rose from the bottom of the reservoir. Etna was "built" for quite a long time. The result is a complex geological formation, more like an asymmetric volcanic complex.
In ancient times, for the Greeks, the volcano was a kind of altar - local gods lived here. When an eruption occurred, the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements threw jewelry and even pets at the vent. According to the signs existing at that time, it turned out like this: if the lava absorbed all this, then the outcome of the eruption would be good.
There are many legends about Etna, connecting the activity of the volcano with divine providences. Its name has changed several times throughout its existence. Among them, the most famous are Mogibello and Etna. The former is also still practiced by many Sicilians.
Features of the volcano
One of the most remarkable features is that after each eruption, the height of Mount Etna changes. For example, today it is 21.6 meters lower than it was in 1865.
Local Sicilians are not afraid of the volcano, they love it. Its periodic eruption is a guarantee that especially large destructionwill not. For a powerful and strong manifestation of activity, it must accumulate strength in itself for many years, and during eruptions from time to time, energy is gradually spent without accumulating.
Smoke always rises from Etna, but more often it is white, which is a sign of simple evaporation of gases and water. If Etna releases black smoke, a real powerful lava eruption is likely to come.
A feature of the Etna volcano is that its lava moves very slowly, and you can even run away from it, of course, if you are not near the crater itself during the start of activity. Usually, when danger occurs (if the lava does not stop), settlements are fenced off with ramparts of stones and earth, and everything goes without much loss and casu alties.
Description
It is located near the cities of Catania and Messina. The eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily is not so rare. This is an active stratovolcano. It can be called layered - a type of volcano that has a conical shape and is composed of a huge number of layers of hardened volcanic ash and lava.
Its height is approximately 3,380 meters. In 1942, it was 3,269 meters, and in 2011 - 3,340. Thanks to lateral eruptions, Etna has a total of 400 craters. The average frequency of lava eruptions is about once every three months. According to existing statistics, as noted above, once every 150 years it destroys at least one settlement.
The area of the volcano covers the territory1,570 square kilometers (diameter 45 km). It is the largest volcano in the world in terms of overall size and the highest on the European continent. The activity of Mount Etna is so frequent that in its history it has collected many victims, although it is relatively calm in its liking.
It is well visible in the morning, and in the afternoon it is covered with fog. The northern side of Etna is colder, but the landscapes here are much more beautiful with many wild dense forests and flowers. The southern slope is mostly covered with extinct lava from eruptions over the past ten years.
Vegetation of the surroundings
Where Mount Etna is located, nature is characterized by the richness and diversity of the plant world. There is also Mediterranean vegetation growing at the foot, and endemic species located in the surrounding territories of the volcano. There are desert areas and dense coniferous forests here.
In 2013, an international commission added the volcano to the UNESCO list. Despite its great activity, thanks to the fertile volcanic soils, agriculture is developing well in the vicinity of Etna. A wide variety of crops are grown in these places: walnuts, oranges, lemons, pomegranates and much more. The lowlands grow grapes from which the famous local Sicilian wine is produced.
The largest eruptions
The constant eruptions of Mount Etna from ancient times made it the subject of considerable interest among the ancient Greeks. Therefore, many legends were created andmyths based on its activity and consequences.
Hundreds of eruptions are known in the history of mankind, which destroyed houses and cities, taking away many human lives. Some of them are protracted, including the eruption that occurred in the summer of 1614. Its duration was about ten years, and the output of lava amounted to about a billion cubic meters. Earlier eruptions: 396 and 122 BC, 1030, 1669, 1949, 1971, 1981, 1983, 1991-1993.
Especially noteworthy was the 1928 eruption, when a lava flow destroyed the small ancient town of Mascali. He devastated 770 hectares of agricultural land in the community. At this time, one amazing miracle happened - hot lava stopped right in front of the place where the religious procession passed. In honor of this momentous event, a chapel was built on this site in 1950. A similar miracle was repeated 30 years later (1980) - a lava flow solidified in front of the same chapel.
And in the XXI century there were significant eruptions of Mount Etna. As a result of the incident in 2001, the cable car laid along the southern slope was destroyed, and aircraft flights were prohibited due to ash emissions. On the opposite northern slope, the release occurred in 2002. As a result - the destruction of many villages. In 2008, the duration of the eruption was 419 days.
The most recent incident was in December 2015. A lava fountain was ejected from the central crater to a height of 1km. In this regard, the international airport in Catania was closed.
Interesting fact
The most amazing thing from the point of view of scientists is that the type of Etna volcano does not belong to any of the existing ones. There are such volcanoes (for example, Kiloveya) that mainly eject lava flows from themselves, and there are those that have the character of an explosion (for example, the volcanoes of the Ring of Fire of the Pacific Ocean). The third type of volcanoes - from the vents of which clouds of gas and volcanic ash fly out (for example, Mount St. Helena in the USA).
Etna combines the 3 types presented above. It can explode, and bleed lava, and throw out ash and gas (volcanic bombs). Moreover, eruptions can occur both through the crater located in the very center, and through the many craters scattered on the sides of the mountain.
Tourists on Etna
When the volcano sleeps, shrouded in soft and fluffy clouds, you can enjoy an amazing fabulous view, feeling all the delights of peace on the picturesque island of Sicily, indefinitely. That is why these regions are very popular among tourists from all over the world. This is one of the paradises on the planet, which has no analogues anywhere.
For tourists on Etna, at an altitude of 1,900 meters, a special observation deck has been built. On its territory there is a place where you can park your car. Here you can buy various souvenirs made of lava, as well as have a bite to eat in a small local restaurant. The main thing is that tourists can not only view the numerous craters from a height, but even go down closer tohim.
You can see a real active volcano with your own eyes by taking advantage of excursions that take the whole day. The path first passes by cable car, then by jeep, and the rest of the path is on foot, which requires good physical fitness.
Conclusion
Volcano Etna is one of the most unique creations of nature, located on a picturesque island. This is an inexplicable phenomenon of natural origin.
The nature of its eruptions is beyond any explanation. What happens inside the volcano is understandable, but it is not possible to attribute it to existing types. Therefore, Etna attracts volcanologists from all over the world. He makes them look for a clue to the origin of such a complex "character" of the most unique volcano.
