Kaba

Stratovolcano in Indonesia

Last Eruption: 2000

Key Facts

Elevation

1,962 m (6,437 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano

Location

-3.516°, 102.626°

Region

Sunda Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Kaba volcanic massif is ~8 km long, elongated WSW-ENE, with a summit area that includes multiple large craters. On the SW is the 1-km-diameter Hitam crater, with the Malintang cone and 400-m crater ~1 km NE, on the flank of the active 1-km-diameter Kaba crater. The smaller Mali crater is connected to Kaba, and Vogelsang cone is just beyond that to the NE.

Another large forested cone is SE of the active craters. Most recorded eruptions have originated from the summit craters, and affected only the summit area. However, the upper-NE flank crater Kawah Vogelsang also produced explosions during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Pyroclastic flows
Lava flows
Volcanic bombs and ballistics
Lahars and mudflows

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

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	26 years ago	Recent	Recently 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: 261220
•Evidence: Eruption Observed
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Gunung Kaba, rising above farmlands at Pematang Danau, has three large historically active craters trending ENE from the summit to the upper NE flank. The SW-most crater is the largest. Most historical activity has consisted of explosive eruptions that affected only the summit region of the volcano. They originated from the central summit craters, although the upper-NE flank crater Kawah Vogelsang also produced explosions during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Photo by Setiadarma, 1989 (Volcanological Survey of Indonesia).