🌋VolcanoAtlas

Ubinas

Peru's Most Active Volcano

Elevation

5,608 m

Last Eruption

2024

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Peru

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity2 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Peru Volcanoes
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Moquegua Department
Regional volcanoes

Other Volcanoes in Peru

Interesting Facts

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Ubinas is Peru's most active volcano, with 28 recorded eruptions — more than any other volcano in the country.

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The volcano's VEI 5 Plinian eruption around 1082 CE was one of the most powerful Holocene eruptions in Peru, depositing widespread pumice across the southern highlands.

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Approximately 5,000 people live in the Ubinas Valley within just 12 km of the summit, making it one of the most exposed volcanic communities in South America.

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The 1.4 km-wide summit crater contains a steep inner funnel-shaped vent that is 500 m wide and 200 m deep — one of the most dramatic crater-within-a-crater structures in the Andes.

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A debris avalanche from the collapse of the SE flank approximately 3,700 years ago produced deposits extending 10 km from the volcano.

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Ubinas sits 50 km behind the main volcanic front — an unusual position explained by a regional structural lineament that it shares with Huaynaputina and Ticsani.

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Neighboring Huaynaputina produced the VEI 6 eruption of 1600 CE — the largest historical eruption in South America — demonstrating the explosive potential of volcanoes in this region.

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The 2013–2017 eruption sequence forced multiple evacuations of the Ubinas Valley, displacing thousands of people from their agricultural lands.

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Ubinas's upper slopes steepen to nearly 45°, composed primarily of andesitic and trachyandesitic lava flows.

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The 2023 VEI 3 eruption was the strongest event at Ubinas since the 17th century, prompting a regional state of emergency.

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At 5,608 m (18,399 ft), Ubinas is one of the highest frequently active volcanoes in the world.

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Peru has invested heavily in monitoring infrastructure at Ubinas since 2006, making it one of the best-instrumented volcanoes in South America.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ubinas active?
Yes, Ubinas is Peru's most active volcano. It has produced 28 recorded eruptions spanning over 10,500 years, with the most recent occurring in May 2024. The volcano has been in a state of elevated activity since 2006, with major eruption episodes in 2006–2009, 2013–2017, 2019, 2023, and 2024. It is continuously monitored by IGP and INGEMMET, and future eruptions are considered highly likely.
When did Ubinas last erupt?
Ubinas most recently erupted on May 6, 2024 (VEI 2), producing ash plumes from the summit crater. Prior to that, a VEI 3 eruption on June 22, 2023 — the strongest event at the volcano since the 17th century — prompted a regional state of emergency and evacuations of the Ubinas Valley. The volcano has produced seven separate eruption episodes since 2006.
How tall is Ubinas?
Ubinas stands at 5,608 m (18,399 ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest frequently active volcanoes in the world. Its summit is truncated, giving it a distinctive flat-topped appearance. The 1.4 km-wide summit crater is 150 m deep and contains a 500 m-wide inner vent that drops another 200 m. For comparison, nearby El Misti reaches 5,822 m and Sabancaya reaches 5,976 m.
Why is Ubinas so dangerous?
Ubinas is dangerous because of the combination of frequent explosive eruptions and a populated valley at its base. Approximately 5,000 people live within 12 km of the summit, directly exposed to ashfall, ballistic ejecta, and lahars. The VEI 5 eruption of ~1082 CE shows the volcano can produce Plinian events comparable to the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, and the 3,700-year-old SE flank collapse shows potential for catastrophic slope failure. The location of the city of Arequipa (~1 million people) 60 km to the west adds regional-scale risk.
What type of volcano is Ubinas?
Ubinas is a stratovolcano (composite volcano) composed primarily of andesitic and trachyandesitic lava flows interbedded with pyroclastic deposits. It was constructed in two main phases: Ubinas I (older, destroyed) and Ubinas II (present edifice, mid-Pleistocene to present). The magma composition ranges from andesite to rhyolite, with the larger eruptions tending to involve more silicic magma. It is part of the Central Andean Volcanic Arc driven by subduction of the Nazca Plate.
How many people live near Ubinas?
Approximately 5,000 people live in the Ubinas Valley within 12 km of the summit, primarily in the town of Ubinas (elevation ~3,400 m) and surrounding villages. These communities depend on agriculture and pastoralism (llama and alpaca herding). The wider Moquegua region has approximately 30,000 residents within ashfall range, and Peru's second-largest city, Arequipa (~1 million), lies 60 km to the west.
What was the biggest eruption of Ubinas?
The largest known eruption of Ubinas was a VEI 5 Plinian event around 1082 CE. This eruption produced a towering eruption column and deposited widespread pumice-fall deposits across southern Peru. A VEI 5 eruption is comparable in magnitude to the famous 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius or the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Since the 16th century, eruptions have been smaller (VEI 2–3), but the 2023 VEI 3 event showed the volcano can still exceed its typical low-level activity.
Where is Ubinas located?
Ubinas is located in the Moquegua Department of southern Peru, at coordinates 16.345°S, 70.897°W. It sits approximately 60 km east of the city of Arequipa in the Central Andean Volcanic Arc. The volcano is in a remote area of the Peruvian altiplano at high altitude, accessible by unpaved roads from Arequipa (approximately 4–5 hours by vehicle). It is part of a cluster of volcanoes that includes Ticsani, Huaynaputina, and El Misti.