Largest Explosive Eruptions Since 1400 AD
VEI Greater Than or Equal to 5

Volcano 

Aniakchak 
Kuwae 
Sakurajima
Bardarbunga
St. Helens
St Helens
St. Helens
Billy Mitchell
Kelut
Raung
Huaynaputina
Kamaga-Take
Parker
Long Island
Usu
Tarumai
Gamkonora
Tongkoko 
Tarumai 
Katla 
Tambora 
Galunggung 
Cosiguina 
Sheveluch 
Askja 
Krakatau 
Tarawera 
Santa Maria 
Ksudach 
Katmai 
Cerro Azul 
Bezymianny 
St. Helens
Country 

USA-AK 
Vanuatu, SW Pac.
Japan
Iceland
USA-WA
USA-WA
USA-WA
Bougainville, SW Pac
Indonesia-Java
Indonesia-Java
Peru
Japan
Philippines
New Guinea
Japan 
Japan
Indonesia-Halmahara
Indonesia-Sulawesi 
Japan 
Iceland 
Indonesia 
Indonesia 
Nicaragua 
Russia 
Iceland 
Indonesia 
New Zealand 
Guatemala 
Russia 
USA 
Chile 
Russia 
USA
Date 

1450C
1452 
1471
1477
1480D
1482D
1540
1580C
1586
1593
1600
1640
Jan. 4, 1641
1660
Aug. 16,1663 
Aug. 6, 1667
1673
1680 
Aug., 1739 
Oct. 17, 1755 
April 5, 1815 
Oct. 8, 1822 
June 20, 1835 
Feb. 17, 1854 
March 29, 1875 
Aug. 26, 1883 
June 10, 1886 
Oct., 24, 1902 
March 28, 1907 
June 6, 1911 
April 10, 1932 
March 30, 1956 
May 18, 1980
VEI 

5? 
6
5?
5?
5+
5
5
6
5?
5?
6?
5

6

5
5?
5?



5? 










5
Type of Volcano 

Caldera 
Caldera
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Ash shield
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Explosion crater?
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Complex volcano
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Subglacial 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Caldera 
Fissure on lava dome 
Stratovolcano 
Shield 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano 
Stratovolcano

Modified from Table 3 in Newhall, CG, and S Self, 1982, The volcanic explosivity index (VEI): An estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism: Journal of Geophysical Research87, 1231-1238.  Additional eruptions added from tree ring data reported in Table 2 of Briffa, KR, PD Jones, FH Schweingruber & TJ Osborn, 1998, Influence of volcanic eruptions on Northern hemisphere summer temperature over the past 600 years: Nature 393, 450-455.  Note that other large eruptions occurred during the last 600 years, according to tree ring and ice core data, but are not indicated here because the source volcano is unknown (e.g. 1809).


Back to Volcano Facts  To VolcanoWorld