🌋VolcanoAtlas

Llaima Volcano

Chile's Most Frequently Erupting Giant

Elevation

3,125 m

Last Eruption

2009

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Chile

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 RiskModerate
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 Activity17 years agoRecentRecently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Watch
Dormant but monitored. Capable of renewed activity.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

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Interesting Facts

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Llaima's estimated edifice volume of 400 km³ makes it one of the volumetrically largest volcanoes in the Southern Andes — roughly four times the pre-1980 volume of Mount St. Helens.

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The modern volcano was built inside an 8 km-wide caldera that formed approximately 13,200 years ago after the eruption of the 24 km³ Curacautín Ignimbrite.

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Llaima has two historically active craters: the main summit crater and the Pichillaima crater on the southeast flank, giving the volcano a dual-vent character unusual among large Andean stratovolcanoes.

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More than 40 scoria cones dot Llaima's flanks, each marking a past episode of parasitic eruption from subsidiary vents.

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The 2008 eruption began on New Year's Day with virtually no precursory seismic warning, demonstrating Llaima's ability to transition from apparent quiescence to vigorous activity in hours.

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Llaima recorded 32 eruptions during the 20th century alone — an average of one eruption every 3.1 years.

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The volcano's predominantly basaltic composition is unusually mafic for a large Andean stratovolcano, reflecting rapid magma ascent with limited crustal contamination.

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Conguillío National Park, which surrounds Llaima, was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2010, in part because its Araucaria forests have coevolved with volcanic disturbance.

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Lago Conguillío, the turquoise lake at Llaima's eastern base, was formed when one of the volcano's lava flows dammed a river valley.

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The name 'Llaima' comes from the Mapudungun language and translates to 'ditch' or 'gully,' referencing the deep lahar channels carved into the volcano's slopes.

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Llaima's glaciers and permanent snow cover create a persistent lahar hazard, as even moderate eruptions can melt ice and generate fast-moving debris flows capable of traveling 30+ km downstream.

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The VEI 5 eruption of approximately 6880 BCE is the only eruption in Llaima's Holocene record to match the explosive intensity of Vesuvius's famous 79 AD event.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Llaima volcano active?
Llaima is one of the most active volcanoes in South America. It has produced 58 recorded eruptions over the past approximately 9,400 years, with the most recent eruption occurring in 2008–2009. The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program classifies Llaima as 'Eruption Observed,' the highest evidence category for volcanic activity. Chile's geological survey, SERNAGEOMIN, continuously monitors Llaima with seismometers, GPS stations, and webcams. Given the volcano's historical eruption frequency — averaging one event every 5–10 years during the 20th century — volcanologists consider another eruption statistically likely in the coming decades. Llaima is unequivocally active and remains one of Chile's highest-priority volcanic monitoring targets.
When did Llaima last erupt?
Llaima's most recent eruption began on January 1, 2008, and continued intermittently until July 2009. The eruption was classified as VEI 3 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Activity began with a sudden Strombolian explosion that sent an ash column approximately 4 km above the summit and produced lava flows down the eastern and northern flanks. Lahars were generated when hot volcanic material melted summit glaciers and snow, threatening downstream river valleys. Approximately 150 people were evacuated from Conguillío National Park. The eruption came with very little precursory warning, highlighting the challenges of forecasting activity at frequently erupting volcanoes.
How tall is Llaima volcano?
Llaima stands 3,125 m (10,253 ft) above sea level, making it one of the tallest peaks in the southern Chilean Andes south of 37°S latitude. The volcano rises approximately 2,000 m above the surrounding terrain, creating an imposing profile visible from more than 100 km away. For comparison, neighboring Villarrica stands at 2,847 m (9,340 ft), while Lonquimay to the north reaches 2,865 m (9,400 ft). Llaima's elevation supports permanent glaciers and year-round snow cover above approximately 2,600 m, which contributes significantly to lahar hazards during eruptions.
What type of volcano is Llaima?
Llaima is classified as a stratovolcano (also called a composite volcano), built from alternating layers of lava flows, ash, and pyroclastic material accumulated over thousands of years. What makes Llaima somewhat unusual among large Andean stratovolcanoes is its predominantly basaltic to picritic-basaltic composition — most stratovolcanoes of this size produce more silica-rich andesitic or dacitic magmas. Llaima's mafic composition means its eruptions tend to be less explosively violent than those of comparable-sized stratovolcanoes with more evolved magmas, though VEI 4 and VEI 5 events have occurred in its record. The volcano's massive 400 km³ volume reflects steady accumulation of lava flows over the Holocene period.
Can you visit Llaima volcano?
Yes, Llaima is the centerpiece of Conguillío National Park in Chile's Araucanía Region. The park is open year-round and offers hiking trails through Araucaria forests, camping, and lake recreation during summer (December–March), and skiing at Centro de Ski Las Araucarias during winter (June–September). Summit ascents of Llaima require mountaineering experience, glacier equipment (ice axe, crampons), and typically take 8–12 hours round trip. Most climbers hire certified guides from Temuco. Access to the summit area may be restricted when SERNAGEOMIN raises the volcanic alert level. The park is reached via roads from Melipeuco or Curacautín, approximately 120 km east of Temuco.
How dangerous is Llaima volcano?
Llaima is considered one of Chile's most dangerous volcanoes due to its high eruption frequency, glacier-capped summit, and proximity to populated valleys. The primary hazards include lahars (volcanic mudflows formed when erupted material melts glacial ice), lava flows, tephra fall, and, during larger eruptions, pyroclastic flows. Lahars pose the greatest threat to downstream communities because they can travel more than 30 km from the summit through inhabited river valleys. The town of Melipeuco (population ~5,500) lies just 25 km from the summit. SERNAGEOMIN maintains detailed hazard maps and evacuation plans, and the 2008 eruption demonstrated both the reality of these hazards and the effectiveness of emergency response protocols.
How many times has Llaima erupted?
According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, Llaima has produced 58 recorded eruptions, of which 56 are classified as confirmed and two as uncertain. The eruptive record spans from approximately 7410 BCE to the most recent eruption in 2008–2009. During the 20th century alone, Llaima erupted 32 times — roughly once every three years. This extraordinary frequency makes Llaima one of the most prolific eruptors in South America, second in Chile only to Villarrica, which has 162 recorded eruptions but over a much longer documented history.
Why does Llaima erupt so frequently?
Llaima's high eruption frequency results from its position directly above the subduction zone where the Nazca Plate dives beneath the South American Plate at approximately 66 mm per year. This steady plate convergence generates a continuous supply of magma at depths of 80–120 km, maintaining a well-fed volcanic plumbing system. Llaima's predominantly basaltic composition means its magma has relatively low viscosity, allowing it to ascend through the crust more readily than the silica-rich magmas typical of many other Andean stratovolcanoes. This combination of steady magma supply and efficient magma transport produces the frequent, moderately sized eruptions that characterize Llaima's behavior.
What is Conguillío National Park?
Conguillío National Park is a protected area of approximately 609 km² in Chile's Araucanía Region, centered on Llaima volcano. Established in 1950 and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2010, the park protects one of the finest remaining stands of Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree), a prehistoric conifer species that has survived alongside Llaima's eruptions for millions of years. The park features hiking trails, campgrounds, volcanic landscapes, and the scenic Lago Conguillío — a turquoise lake formed when one of Llaima's lava flows dammed a river valley. BBC Travel has described Conguillío as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world.
Could Llaima have a major eruption?
Llaima's geological record clearly demonstrates the capacity for eruptions far exceeding its typical moderate activity. The VEI 5 eruption approximately 6880 BCE and the VEI 4 eruption of 1640 show that Llaima can produce explosions 10 to 100 times more powerful than its frequent VEI 2–3 events. A VEI 4 or larger eruption at Llaima today would pose severe risks including extensive pyroclastic flows, massive lahars from glacial melting, and heavy ashfall across the Araucanía Region. However, the majority of Llaima's Holocene eruptions have been VEI 2–3, and the volcano's basaltic magma composition generally favors less explosive eruption styles than those of more silicic Andean volcanoes.