World Map › Vesuvius
Volcano
Vesuvius
Stratovolcano · 1,281 m · Italy
Vesuvius sits on the Eurasian Plate, in a subduction zone. 61 eruptions are known since the end of the last ice age, the most recent in 1944. Its major eruptions caused at least 6,906 deaths.
- Elevation
- 1,281 m
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Tectonic Setting
- Subduction zone, continental crust
- Dominant Rock
- Phono-tephrite / Tephri-phonolite
- Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Country
- Italy
- Last Eruption
- 1944
- Known Eruptions (Holocene)
- 61
- Max. Explosivity (VEI)
- 5
- Known Fatalities
- 6,906
Nearby Cities
Cities of more than 20,000 people within 100 km. At least 2,500,000 people live in those within 30 km.
- 16 kmNaples2,250,000 people
- 28 kmCaserta250,000 people
- 33 kmSalerno954,000 people
- 44 kmBenevento62,000 people
- 85 kmCampobasso51,000 people
Eruption Timeline
Each bar is an eruption; its height shows its explosivity (VEI 0 to 8).
Eruption Deadly Eruption (NOAA) Uncertain Date
Sources : Global Volcanism Program, 2026. Volcanoes of the World (v. 5.4.0; 7 Aug 2026), Smithsonian Institution, doi:10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2026.5.4 (volcano.si.edu) · NOAA NCEI · USGS · Wikidata