The largest volcanic eruptions ever recorded, ranked by the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) — a logarithmic scale that measures the expelled volume of tephra.
Quick answer: 1. La Garita Caldera (Fish Canyon Tuff), Colorado, 2. Huckleberry Ridge Tuff (Yellowstone), Wyoming, 3. Toba Caldera, Sumatra, 4. Taupo (Oruanui Eruption), New Zealand, 5. Tambora, Sumbawa, 6. Samalas (Rinjani), Lombok, 7. Thera (Santorini), Greece, 8. Ilopango (Tierra Blanca Joven), El Salvador, 9. Krakatoa, Sunda Strait, 10. Mount Pinatubo, Luzon.
Volcanic eruptions are among the most powerful forces on Earth. The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) classifies eruptions from 0 to 8, with each whole-number step representing roughly a tenfold increase in ejecta volume. A VEI 8 eruption — the highest on the scale — can alter global climate for years. This list ranks the largest known eruptions by VEI, drawing on geological evidence from the Quaternary period (the last 2.6 million years). For eruptions of the same VEI, we order by estimated ejecta volume.
The La Garita eruption ~27.8 million years ago was the largest single explosive eruption known on Earth, producing the Fish Canyon Tuff. It created a caldera roughly 35 km wide and ejected an estimated 5,000 km³ of material.
The first and largest of Yellowstone's giant caldera-forming eruptions ejected roughly 2,500 km³ of material ~2.1 million years ago, covering much of the western United States in ash.
The Toba supereruption ~74,000 years ago is the largest known explosive eruption of the Quaternary. It ejected ~2,800 km³ of material and created a 100 km-long caldera now filled by Lake Toba. The eruption may have caused a global volcanic winter.
The Oruanui eruption of Taupo Volcano ~26,500 years ago produced ~1,170 km³ of ejecta, making it the largest known eruption of the last 70,000 years. It formed the modern Taupō caldera and deposited ash across New Zealand and the Pacific.
Mount Tambora's 1815 eruption is the largest confirmed eruption in recorded history. It rated VEI 7, ejected ~160 km³ of material, and caused the 1816 'Year Without a Summer' with global climate disruption and widespread crop failures.
The 1257 eruption of Samalas, part of the Rinjani volcanic complex on Lombok Island, is one of the largest Holocene eruptions. It ejected ~40 km³ of material and produced sulfate spikes in polar ice cores that helped date the event.
The Minoan eruption of Thera ~1600 BCE was one of the largest Holocene events, ejecting ~60 km³ of material. It reshaped the island of Santorini and may have inspired the legend of Atlantis.
The Tierra Blanca Joven eruption of Ilopango around 535 AD produced ~70 km³ of ejecta. It is linked to extreme global climate anomalies in the mid-6th century, including darkened skies and crop failures documented across Europe and Asia.
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa was one of the deadliest volcanic events in history. VEI 6, it ejected ~20 km³ of material, generated tsunamis over 40 m high, and its atmospheric effects produced vivid sunsets worldwide for years.
The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo was the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century. VEI 6, it ejected ~10 km³ of material and injected 20 million tonnes of SO₂ into the stratosphere, temporarily lowering global temperatures by ~0.5 °C.
| # | Name | Location | Eruption year | Ejecta volume | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Garita Caldera (Fish Canyon Tuff), Colorado | Colorado, USA | ~27.8 Ma | ~5,000 km³ | Largest known eruption |
| 2 | Huckleberry Ridge Tuff (Yellowstone), Wyoming | Wyoming, USA | ~2.1 Ma | ~2,500 km³ | Yellowstone's largest eruption |
| 3 | Toba Caldera, Sumatra | Sumatra, Indonesia | ~74,000 years ago | ~2,800 km³ | Largest Quaternary eruption |
| 4 | Taupo (Oruanui Eruption), New Zealand | North Island, New Zealand | ~26,500 years ago | ~1,170 km³ | Largest eruption in ~70,000 years |
| 5 | Tambora, Sumbawa | Sumbawa, Indonesia | 1815 | ~160 km³ | Largest in recorded history |
| 6 | Samalas (Rinjani), Lombok | Lombok, Indonesia | 1257 | ~40 km³ | Largest Holocene eruption in Indonesia |
| 7 | Thera (Santorini), Greece | Santorini, Greece | ~1600 BCE | ~60 km³ | Minoan eruption, may have inspired Atlantis |
| 8 | Ilopango (Tierra Blanca Joven), El Salvador | El Salvador | ~535 AD | ~70 km³ | Linked to 6th-century climate anomalies |
| 9 | Krakatoa, Sunda Strait | Sunda Strait, Indonesia | 1883 | ~20 km³ | One of the deadliest eruptions |
| 10 | Mount Pinatubo, Luzon | Luzon, Philippines | 1991 | ~10 km³ | Second-largest 20th-century eruption |
Eruptions are ranked by Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), then by estimated tephra volume (bulk deposit volume in km³) for ties. VEI ratings and volume estimates are sourced from the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the USGS, and peer-reviewed geological studies. Only eruptions with sufficient geological evidence to assign a reliable VEI are included.
The VEI is a logarithmic scale from 0 to 8 that measures the size of explosive volcanic eruptions, based primarily on the volume of tephra ejected. Each whole-number increase represents roughly a tenfold increase in ejecta volume.
The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia (VEI 7) is the largest confirmed eruption in recorded human history. It caused the Year Without a Summer in 1816.
Yes, geological evidence shows that VEI 8 eruptions occur on Earth roughly once every 50,000–100,000 years on average. Active caldera systems like Yellowstone, Toba, and Taupo have produced VEI 8 eruptions in the past and remain capable of another.