Hierro
Shield in Spain
Key Facts
Elevation
1,500 m (4,921 ft)
Type
Shield
Location
27.730°, -18.030°
Region
Canary Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Tectonic Setting
Intraplate
Location
Loading map...
Overview
The triangular island of Hierro is the SW-most and least studied of the Canary Islands. The massive shield volcano is truncated by a large NW-facing escarpment formed as a result of gravitational collapse of El Golfo volcano about 130,000 years ago. The steep-sided scarp towers above a low lava platform bordering 12-km-wide El Golfo Bay, and three other large submarine landslide deposits occur to the SW and SE.
Three prominent rifts oriented NW, NE, and S form prominent topographic ridges. The subaerial portion of the volcano consists of flat-lying Quaternary basaltic and trachybasaltic lava flows and tuffs capped by numerous young cinder cones and lava flows. Holocene cones and flows are found both on the outer flanks and in the El Golfo depression.
Hierro contains the greatest concentration of young vents in the Canary Islands. Uncertainty surrounds the report of an eruption in 1793. A submarine eruption took place about 2 km SSW off the southern point of the island during 2011-12.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 14 years ago | Recent | Recently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Northern Africa Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 383020
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The massive El Hierro shield volcano is truncated by a large NW-facing escarpment, seen here, which formed as a result of gravitational collapse of the volcano. The steep-sided 1,500-m-high scarp towers above a low lava platform bordering 14-km-wide El Golfo Bay, which is barely visible at the extreme left. Holocene cones and flows are found both on the outer flanks and in the El Golfo depression. The latest subaerial eruption, during the 18th century, produced a lava flow from a cinder cone on the northwest side of El Golfo. A submarine eruption occurred in 2011-12 near the southern flank.
Photo by Yasuo Miyabuchi, 1997 (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyushu).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.