Mayon Volcano

Mayon's cone is so geometrically perfect that it is often cited as the world's most symmetrically shaped volcano — its slopes maintain a nearly constant gradient from base to summit.

With 69 recorded eruptions since 470 CE, Mayon averages approximately one eruption every 8 years over the historical period since 1616, making it one of the most frequently erupting volcanoes on Earth.

The 1814 eruption killed more than 1,200 people and completely buried the town of Cagsawa — only the church bell tower remained visible above the volcanic deposits.

Approximately 1 million people live within 30 km of Mayon's summit, and Legazpi City (population ~210,000) lies just 13 km from the crater — making the Mayon region one of the most densely populated volcanic hazard zones in the world.

Mayon has approximately 40 ravines radiating from its summit like spokes of a wheel, which channel pyroclastic flows and lahars directly toward specific populated lowland communities.

The 2018 eruption displaced more than 90,000 people and produced lava fountains visible from Legazpi City, illuminating the night sky for weeks.

Mayon has erupted 20 times in the 21st century alone (2001–2025), demonstrating a level of persistent activity rare among the world's stratovolcanoes.

The name 'Mayon' derives from the Bicolano word 'magayon' meaning 'beautiful' — referring to the legendary Beautiful Maiden (Daragang Magayon) whose burial mound is said to have become the volcano.

Mayon's fertile volcanic soils support thriving coconut and abaca (Manila hemp) plantations on its lower slopes, providing the economic foundation for Albay Province.

During active eruptions, PHIVOLCS has measured sulfur dioxide emissions from Mayon exceeding 5,000 tonnes per day — creating volcanic smog ('vog') that affects air quality across the region.

The Cagsawa Ruins, showing the bell tower of the church buried by the 1814 eruption, are one of the Philippines' most visited heritage sites, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.

Mayon's eruption cyclicity follows a distinctive pattern: eruptions begin with basaltic compositions and transition to more andesitic lava flows, reflecting progressive magma differentiation in the shallow reservoir.