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Ijen

Stratovolcano(es) in Indonesia

Last Eruption: 1999

Key Facts

Elevation

2,769 m (9,085 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano(es)

Location

-8.058°, 114.242°

Region

Sunda Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Ijen volcano complex at the eastern end of Java consists of a group of small stratovolcanoes constructed within the 20-km-wide Ijen (Kendeng) caldera. The north caldera wall forms a prominent arcuate ridge, but elsewhere the rim was buried by post-caldera volcanoes, including Gunung Merapi, which forms the high point of the complex. Immediately west of the Gunung Merapi stratovolcano is the historically active Kawah Ijen crater, which contains a nearly 1-km-wide, turquoise-colored, acid lake.

Kawah Ijen is the site of a labor-intensive mining operation in which baskets of sulfur are hand-carried from the crater floor. Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of cones forms an E-W zone across the southern side of the caldera.

Coffee plantations cover much of the caldera floor; nearby waterfalls and hot springs are tourist destinations.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

    Risk Level

    Population at RiskModerate
    Infrastructure RiskHigh
    Aviation RiskSignificant

    Geological Composition & Structure

    Rock Types

    Primary
    Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
    Silica Content
    Intermediate (57-63% SiO₂)

    Tectonic Setting

    Subduction zone
    Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

    Age & Formation

    Epoch
    Holocene
    Evidence
    Eruption Observed

    Eruption Statistics & Analysis

    MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
    Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
    Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
    Recent Activity27 years agoRecentRecently active

    Monitoring & Alert Status

    Monitoring Networks

    Global Volcanism Program
    International eruption database

    Current Status

    Watch
    Dormant but monitored. Capable of renewed activity.

    Nearby Volcanoes in Sunda-Banda Volcanic Regions

    Regional Volcanic Activity
    The Sunda-Banda Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

    Quick Info

    • Smithsonian ID: 263350
    • Evidence: Eruption Observed
    • Epoch: Holocene

    About the Photo

    Active fumaroles on the SE crater wall of the highly acidic Kawah Ijen crater lake, within one of the cones that formed in the 20-km-wide Ijen caldera. The 1-km-wide turquoise-colored crater lake is near the eastern rim of Ijen caldera and has been the site of phreatic eruptions in historical time and is noted for its sulfur deposits.

    Photo by Tom Casadevall, 1987 (U.S. Geological Survey).

    Basic Information

    This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.