🌋VolcanoAtlas

Marapi

Sumatra's Most Active Volcano — 70+ Eruptions and Counting

Elevation

2,885 m

Last Eruption

2025

Type

Complex stratovolcano

Country

Indonesia

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 RiskHigh
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 Activity1 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Indonesia Volcanoes
Explore by country
Complex stratovolcano Volcanoes
By volcano type
West Sumatra, Padang Highlands
Regional volcanoes

Other Volcanoes in Indonesia

Interesting Facts

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Marapi is the most active volcano on the island of Sumatra, with 70 recorded eruptions since 1770 — an average of one eruption every 3.6 years.

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On December 3, 2023, a sudden phreatic explosion killed 23 hikers near the summit, making it Indonesia's deadliest volcanic event in years.

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Marapi is frequently confused with Merapi (Mount Merapi) on Java; the two are completely different volcanoes approximately 1,200 km apart.

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No lava flows have been observed outside Marapi's summit craters in its entire recorded history — all eruptions have been purely explosive.

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The Verbeek Crater, one of Marapi's most active vents, is named after Rogier Verbeek, the Dutch geologist who also documented the 1883 Krakatau eruption.

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Marapi's broad summit contains at least seven named craters within a 1.4 km-wide caldera, with volcanic activity migrating progressively westward over time.

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The volcano rises approximately 2,000 m above the Bukittinggi Plain — roughly the same prominence as Mount Vesuvius above the Bay of Naples.

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The Padang Highlands around Marapi are home to the Minangkabau, the world's largest matrilineal ethnic group, who consider the volcano part of their ancestral homeland.

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Despite 70 eruptions, Marapi's maximum recorded VEI is only 2 — making it one of the most frequently active yet consistently low-intensity volcanoes in the world.

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Volcanic soils on Marapi's slopes support some of Indonesia's finest Arabica coffee and cassia cinnamon production.

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The December 2023 disaster led to the enforcement of a 3 km exclusion zone around the summit, with hiking trails closed during elevated alert levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marapi the same as Merapi?
No. Gunung Marapi and Gunung Merapi are two completely different volcanoes located on different Indonesian islands approximately 1,200 km apart. Marapi is on Sumatra, in the Padang Highlands of West Sumatra province. Merapi is on Java, near the city of Yogyakarta. Merapi is considerably more dangerous, having produced devastating pyroclastic flows that have killed thousands throughout history. The similarity in names causes frequent confusion in international media. Marapi's eruptions are characteristically smaller (VEI 1–2), though the December 2023 disaster proved they can still be lethal.
Is Marapi still erupting in 2025?
Yes, Marapi has been in an intermittent eruptive state since December 2023, with continued ash emissions and explosions recorded through 2025. PVMBG (Indonesia's volcanological agency) maintains elevated alert levels and monitors the volcano continuously. Eruption columns periodically reach 1–3 km above the summit, and ashfall events have affected nearby communities including Bukittinggi. The ongoing activity is consistent with Marapi's long-term pattern of extended periods of low-to-moderate explosive behavior. Summit hiking trails remain closed during periods of heightened activity.
What happened in the December 2023 Marapi eruption?
On December 3, 2023, Marapi produced a sudden phreatic explosion that killed 23 hikers who were on or near the summit. The eruption generated a dense ash column approximately 3 km above the crater and sent a surge of hot volcanic debris down the upper slopes. The victims were caught with virtually no warning, as phreatic explosions can occur without significant precursory seismic activity. Search-and-rescue operations lasted several days. The disaster was Indonesia's deadliest volcanic incident in years and led to the closure of summit trails and imposition of a 3 km exclusion zone.
How often does Marapi erupt?
Marapi has produced 70 recorded eruptions since 1770, averaging approximately one eruption every 3.6 years. This makes it the most frequently erupting volcano on Sumatra and one of the most persistently active in all of Indonesia. However, individual eruptions are typically small, rated VEI 1–2 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Some periods feature clusters of eruptions separated by only weeks or months, while other periods see multi-year episodes of nearly continuous activity (such as 1987–1994 and 2023–2025). True quiescent intervals lasting more than a decade are rare in Marapi's record.
How tall is Marapi?
Gunung Marapi stands 2,885 m (9,465 ft) above sea level, making it the second-tallest volcano in Sumatra after Mount Kerinci (3,805 m). The volcano rises approximately 2,000 m above the surrounding Bukittinggi Plain, giving it significant prominence in the landscape. The summit is not a single peak but a broad, complex area containing multiple overlapping craters within the 1.4 km-wide Bancah caldera. Marapi is slightly shorter than its Javanese namesake Merapi (2,910 m) and considerably shorter than Sumatra's tallest peak, Kerinci.
Can you hike Marapi?
Hiking to Marapi's summit has been restricted since the deadly December 2023 eruption, which killed 23 hikers. A 3 km exclusion zone around the summit craters is enforced during periods of elevated volcanic activity. Before the disaster, the standard route from Koto Baru village took approximately 6–7 hours to reach the summit. When alert levels decrease, limited trekking on the lower slopes may be permitted. Visitors should always check PVMBG's current alert status before planning any hike. The nearby city of Bukittinggi offers alternative attractions and serves as a base for exploring the Padang Highlands.
What type of eruptions does Marapi produce?
Marapi produces predominantly phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions — explosive events driven by the interaction of groundwater or hydrothermal fluids with shallow magma or hot rock. These eruptions generate ash columns, volcanic bombs (ballistic projectiles), and minor pyroclastic avalanches confined to the upper slopes. No lava flows have been observed outside the summit craters in recorded history. The eruptions are typically rated VEI 1–2, making them small by global standards but potentially lethal at close range, as the December 2023 disaster demonstrated.
Why do people live near Marapi?
The Padang Highlands surrounding Marapi are home to hundreds of thousands of people who depend on the volcanic soils for agriculture. Volcanic soils are among the most fertile in the world, and Marapi's slopes and surrounding lowlands support rice cultivation, Arabica coffee plantations, cassia cinnamon farms, and other crops. The Minangkabau people have inhabited this region for centuries and consider the volcano part of their ancestral homeland. This trade-off between volcanic risk and agricultural fertility is common throughout Indonesia and much of the developing world.