Earth's Greatest Volcanic Field

Updated March 17, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

The largest known concentration of active volcanoes on Earth was discovered by scientists aboard the research vessel Melville (Nov. 1992–Jan. 1993). The vast volcanic cluster is situated under the South Pacific Ocean, 600 miles northwest of Easter Island.

A total of 1,133 seamounts and volcanic cones were found in the area which is about the size of New York state. Some of them rise to a height of almost 7,000 feet and their peaks are 2,500 to 5,000 feet below the ocean's surface.