Context: The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, erupts in Russia’s northern Kamchatka Peninsula.
About The Klyuchevskoy volcano
- Klyuchevskaya Volcano, is an active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in far eastern Russia.
- Klyuchevskoy is one of the most active stratovolcanoes in Russia.
- It is one of the highest active volcanoes (tallest active volcano in Eurasia) in the world, rising to a height of 15,584 feet (4,750 meters), the highest point on the peninsula.
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcanoes have relatively steep sides and are more cone-shaped than shield volcanoes ( Shield Volcanoes – Where a volcano produces low viscosity, runny lava, it spreads far from the source and forms a volcano with gentle slopes) They are formed from viscous, sticky lava that does not flow easily. The lava therefore builds up around the vent forming a volcano with steep sides.
Stratovolcanoes are more likely to produce explosive eruptions due to gas building up in the viscous magma. Andesite (named after the Andes Mountains), is the most common rock type of stratovolcanoes, but stratovolcanoes also erupt a wide range of different rocks in different tectonic settings.
Kamchatka Peninsula
Location: It is located in far eastern Russia. It is bordered by the Sea of Okhotsk on the west and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea on the east.
Mountain ranges: Two mountain ranges, the Sredinny (“Central”) and Vostochny (“Eastern”) extend along the peninsula.
River: The trough between these mountain chains is occupied for much of its length by the Kamchatka River.
Climate: The climate of the Kamchatka Peninsula is severe, with prolonged, cold, and snowy winters and wet, cool summers. Most of Kamchatka is tundra supporting mosses and lichens.
Economic Activity: Fishing is the only important economic activity, especially crabbing, around the coasts. There is limited agricultural activity and some cattle and reindeer are kept. The main centre is the city and port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which is located on the southeastern coast of the peninsula.
Inhabitants: Most of the inhabitants are Russian, with indigenous Koryak, Chukchi, and Kamchadal.
Pacific Ring of Fire: The Kamchatka Peninsula is the northern link in the 2000 km Kuril-Kamchatka island arc. This region contains 68 active volcanoes, over 10 percent of the total found on land anywhere on Earth. This arc is part of the “Ring of Fire,” a string of volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean.
