Top 10 countries with the most active volcanoes

Volcanoes are among nature’s most powerful forces — breathtaking yet potentially catastrophic. According to a visual produced by World Visualized, these ten countries have the most active volcanoes in the world, and the reasons often come down to one powerful factor: tectonic plate boundaries.

Why these countries are volcano hotspots

1. Indonesia (59 active volcanoes)

Indonesia sits directly on the Ring of Fire, where the Indo-Australian Plate meets the Eurasian and Pacific Plates. The country has more active volcanoes than any other because it spans multiple tectonic subduction zones, particularly in Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi.

2. Japan (44)

Japan's volcanoes also exist due to its location on the Ring of Fire, with four tectonic plates colliding beneath it (Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American). This results in frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

3. United States (42)

Most of the USA's volcanoes are located in Alaska, where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The famous Hawaiian volcanoes are caused by a hotspot, where magma rises through the mantle in the middle of a tectonic plate.

4. Russia (33)

Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula is one of the world’s most volcanically active regions, lying along the Pacific Plate boundary — another part of the Ring of Fire.

5. Chile (19)

Chile lies along the Nazca Plate, which is subducting beneath the South American Plate, forming the Andean Volcanic Belt. This explains its high number of volcanoes.

6. Papua New Guinea (15)

Papua New Guinea's volcanoes are located at the convergence of the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates, leading to explosive eruptions and continuous volcanic activity.

7. Ecuador (12)

Ecuador, part of the Andes, also sits atop the Nazca and South American plates. The Galápagos Islands, a hotspot volcanic region, also contribute to Ecuador's total.

8. Iceland (10)

Uniquely located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is one of the few places where a divergent boundary is visible above sea level. The country is split between the North American and Eurasian plates, creating constant geothermal activity.

9. Tonga (10)

Tonga lies in the southwest Pacific, part of a highly active subduction zone where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Indo-Australian Plate. This results in frequent underwater volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

10. Philippines (7)

The Philippines is also on the Ring of Fire, where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts under the Eurasian Plate. Iconic volcanoes like Mount Mayon and Taal highlight the country’s volatile landscape.

What is the Ring of Fire?

The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped zone that encircles the Pacific Ocean. About 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes are found here. It’s where most tectonic plate boundaries collide or slide beneath each other, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.