Ararat
Stratovolcano in Turkiye
Key Facts
Elevation
5,165 m (16,946 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
39.700°, 44.300°
Region
Central Anatolian Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Intraplate
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Mount Ararat, also known as Agri Dagi, is Turkey's highest and largest volume volcano. The overall massif extends ~25 km NW-SE, and 18 km NE-SW, with another large volcano, Kucuk Ararat (or Lesser Ararat), ~11 km SE. Construction of the Greater and Lesser Ararat volcanoes was followed by a period of extensive flank eruptions, many erupted along N-S fissures.
The initial stage of flank eruptions produced a cluster of cinder cones and dacitic-rhyolitic lava domes surrounding Greater Ararat and a series of pyroclastic cones and domes on the W flank of Lesser Ararat. There are also large pyroclastic cones lower on the flanks of the two volcanoes. A small cone ~8 km SW of Lesser Ararat appears to be the source of a dark lava-flow field covering ~80 km2 towards the S.
Ararat appears to have been active during the 3rd millennium BCE; pyroclastic-flow deposits overlie early Bronze Age artifacts and human remains. Karakhanian et al. (2002) reported historical evidence for a phreatic eruption and pyroclastic flow at the time of a July 1840 earthquake and landslide.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows
- Lava flows
- Volcanic bombs and ballistics
- Lahars and mudflows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
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 | 186 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
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Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 213040
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Snow-capped Mount Ararat is seen from the Khor Virap monastery in Armenia, NE of the volcano. Ararat, also known as Agri Dagi, is Turkey's highest and easternmost volcano, lying near the border with Armenia. Ararat appears to have been active during the 3rd millennium BCE; pyroclastic flow deposits overlie early Bronze Age artifacts and human remains.
Photo by Andrew Behesnilian (Wikimedia Commons).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.