Rapa Nui
Shield(s) in Chile
Key Facts
Elevation
501 m (1,644 ft)
Type
Shield(s)
Location
-27.114°, -109.356°
Region
Salas y Gómez Ridge Volcano Group
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
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Overview
The triangular Rapa Nui (also known as Isla de Pascua, or Easter Island), is renowned for its dramatic megalithic statues of hand-carved basalt. The island sits atop the largely submarine Salas y Gómez Ridge, which trends eastward from the East Pacific Rise. It is composed of three principal volcanoes and more than 70 subsidiary vents.
Rano Kau at the SW tip includes flat-bottomed crater 1. 5 km wide, while Poike volcano is at the E point; both are of Pleistocene age. Terevaka is a broad shield volcano of Pliocene-to-Pleistocene age at the northern point of the island, which is capped by many pyroclastic cones; the last stage of activity consisted of eruptions from multiple rift zones.
The latest lava flows, at Hiva-Hiva near the west-central coast, are thought to be less than 2,000 years old.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
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 | Unknown | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Southern Pacific Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 356011
- •Evidence: Evidence Credible
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Waves lap against the northern coast of Easter island. This view looks from Obahe to Mahatua with Volcán Poike, a shield volcano forming the eastern tip of the island, on the horizon. The trachytic lava domes of Tea-Tea are the small peaks on the left horizon. The triangle-shaped Easter Island, renowned for its dramatic megalithic statues of hand-carved basalt, sits atop the Sala y Gómez submarine ridge, which trends eastward from the East Pacific Rise. The island is composed of three principal volcanoes, Poike, Rano Kau, and Terevaka.
Photo by Oscar González-Ferrán (University of Chile).
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.