Kīlauea

volcanoes · Hawaii · active geology

Shield volcano shape. Kīlauea is a shield volcano, which means it has gently sloping sides built up by many layers of flowing lava, unlike the steep cone-shaped volcanoes you might imagine.

Emerged from ocean. This volcano is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old, but it only grew above sea level about 100,000 years ago, gradually building itself up from the ocean floor.

Almost always active. Since people settled the Hawaiian Islands, Kīlauea has been the most active of Hawaii Island's five volcanoes and ranks among Earth's busiest volcanoes overall.

Recent eruptions. The volcano erupted most recently starting in December 2024, with spectacular lava fountains and flowing lava continuing into 2026, giving scientists amazing chances to study active volcanism.