Most Amazing Facts about KīLauea Volcano

Kilauea is a famous volcanic spot on the Island of Hawaii notable for its fascinating beauty. Mount Kilauea is the most active shield volcano in Hawaii. How often does Kilauea erupt? Kilauea has tended to erupt on average two or three years for the past 200 years. Let’s look at how Kilauea formed and other fun facts about Kilauea volcano. 

The Formation of Kilauea Volcano

Like every Hawaiian volcano, Kilauea was formed as the Pacific tectonic plate moved over the Hawaiian hotspot in the Earth’s underlying mantle. The Kau Desert (southwest), Mauna Loa volcano (west and north), a tropical fern jungle (north-northeast), and Ainahou Ranch (south) bound Kilauea.

This volcano emerged above sea level approximately 100,000 years ago. In addition, did you know when Kilauea’s last eruption occurred? The most recent volcanic eruption occurred on September 16, 2023.

Interesting Facts about Kilauea Volcano

Kilauea is the best sight to behold and add to your bucket list. Here are some facts about Kilauea that amaze you. 

Most Active Volcano

Kilauea’s longest period of inactivity was between 1934 to 1952. Surprisingly, it has been continuously erupting since 1983. Other volcanoes competing to beat Kilauea are Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, Sakurajima in Japan, and Mount Etna in Sicily.

Kilauea Means ‘Much Spreading’ in Hawaii

Kilauea is more of a spreading volcano at a height of 4000 feet above sea level. It has active craters, vents and spread over the region of Hawaii. As a result, the Kilauea volcano was named as ‘much spreading.’ Apart from Hawaii, which country has the most volcanoes? Indonesia comes under the list first. 

More Beautiful at Night

Unlike other places, the trails to Kilauea and Hawaii National Park are completely open 24 hours a day, giving visitors the perfect chance to see the volcano eruption all day.

Exploding Continuously Since 1983

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Kilauea erupted more than 60 times, and the eruption didn’t end. It has been continuously active since 1983. On May 3, 2018, the volcano exploded for many hours after a magnitude 5.0 quake occurred on the Big Island. It has been exploding along the East Rift Zone for more than three decades. 

More Than Two Dozen Carters

This volcano is different from other stereotypical volcanoes that are tall with a clear peak and have a caldera on the top. Kilauea is more like a low-elevation volcano above sea level and has many craters that record its history of every eruption. The Kilauea caldera serves as the main crater, and the Volcano contains ten more craters along its East Rift Zone.

Kilauea’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest national parks in the US with beautiful protected lands. Weather may be damp and cool year-round. This park is famous like Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and Yosemite.

These are the most amazing fun facts about the mesmerizing and dynamic volcano, Kilauea. It reminds us of the power of nature and the ever-changing world we live in. If you are an enthusiastic adventurous person, explore the beauty of Kilauea for a memorable experience.