Klyuchevskoy Volcano

Updated: May 1, 2025 18:21 GMT - refresh

Stratovolcano

Kamchatka, 56.06°N / 160.64°E

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Summit height: 4835 m (15,863 ft)

Current status: minor activity or eruption warning (3 out of 5)

Last update: 30 Apr 2025 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Klyuchevskoy volcano (also spelled Kliuchevsky, Klyuchevskaya) is Kamchatka's highest and one of the world's most active volcanoes.
Klyuchevskoy is located in a remote area of the Kamchatka peninsula. It has a large active crater with frequent strombolian and lava fountain eruptions.

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Typical eruption style: Dominantly explosive, strombolian and vulcanian activity, sometimes lava flows from fissure vents. At present in a phase of near-persistant activity.
Klyuchevskoy volcano eruptions: 1697-98, 1720-21, 1727-31, 1737, 1740, 1762, 1767, 1770, 1772, 1785, 1787, 1788, 1789-90, 1791, 1807, 1812, 1813, 1819-22, 1829, 1840, 1848, 1852, 1853-54, 1865, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1882, 1883, 1890, 1896-97, 1890, 1896-97, 1898, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1915, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1935-36, 1937-39, 1944-1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960-63, 1963-64, 1965-1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1971-73, 1974, 1977-80, 1981, 1982, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1986, 1986-90, 1991, 1992, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2002-04, 2005 - ongoing

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
May 2, 04:12 am (Kamchatka)	0.3 1 km	11 km (7 mi) to the S	43 km south of Klyuchi, Ust-Kamchatsky District, Kamchatka, Russia	Info
May 2, 01:55 am (Kamchatka)	1.1 31 km	3.8 km (2.3 mi) to the W	33 km southwest of Klyuchi, Ust-Kamchatsky District, Kamchatka, Russia	Info
May 2, 12:11 am (Kamchatka)	1.0 32 km	3.1 km (1.9 mi) to the W	Russia: 118 km From Esso	Info
May 1, 02:57 pm (Kamchatka)	0.7 1.2 km	10.8 km (6.7 mi) to the S	Russia: 119 km From Esso	Info
May 1, 02:07 pm (Kamchatka)	0.2 0.5 km	10.5 km (6.5 mi) to the S	Russia: 119 km From Esso	Info
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
May 1, 10:36 am (Kamchatka)	0.8 1.5 km	1 km (0.6 mi) to the E	Russia: 118 km From Usty-Kamchatsk	Info
May 1, 10:03 am (Kamchatka)	1.3 29 km	0.7 km (0.4 mi) to the SW	Russia: 120 km From Usty-Kamchatsk	Info
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Apr 30, 03:49 am (Kamchatka)	2.0 28 km	3.6 km (2.2 mi) to the NW	118 km From Esso	Info
Monday, April 28, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Apr 28, 10:55 pm (Kamchatka)	2.0 29 km	3 km (1.9 mi) to the NW	119 km From Esso	Info

View recent quakes

Background

Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. Kliuchevskoi rises above a saddle NE of sharp-peaked Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred at Kliuchevskoi during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3600 m elevation. The morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.
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Source: Klyuchevsky information by the GVP (Smithsonian Institution)

Klyuchevskoy Volcano Photos

Erupting Klyuchevskoy volcano, Kamchatka, with the new lava flow and Kamen volcano (Sep 2013) (Photo: Sergey Krasnoshchokov)

Panorama of 4 volcanoes (l-r): Ushkovsky, Klyuchevskoy, Kamen and Bezymianny seen from the plateau north of Tolbachik. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Erupting Klyuchevskoy volcano, Kamchatka, with the new lava flow (Sep 2013) (Photo: Sergey Krasnoshchokov)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Klyuchevskoy volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Klyuchevskoy has had at least 110 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 107 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 2 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Klyuchevskoy volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Klyuchevskoy volcano since around 1990. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Klyuchevskoy can be found on the news page of Klyuchevskoy volcano.

Date	Note	VEI
2023 Jun 22 - Dec 31	Historical obs./docs.	3
2022 Nov 17 - Nov 25 ?	Historical obs./docs.	1
2019 Apr 9 - 2021 Mar 20	Historical obs./docs.	2
2015 Aug 28 - 2018 Jul 14	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	3
2015 Jan 1 - May 10	Summit crater and multiple flanks Historical obs./docs.	2
2013 Aug 15 - Dec 20	Summit crater and multiple flanks Historical obs./docs.	3
2012 Sep 1 ? - 2013 Jan 28 ±3 d.	Summit crater? Historical obs./docs.	1
?? 2011 Nov 2	Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs.	?
2011 Mar 30 - Jul 3	Summit crater? Historical obs./docs.	2
2009 Aug 1 ? - 2010 Dec 20 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
2008 Oct 8 - 2009 Apr 16 ?	Historical obs./docs.	1
2007 Feb 15 - Jul 15	Historical obs./docs.	2
2005 Jan 20 or before - Apr 7	Historical obs./docs.	2
2004 Sep 15	Historical obs./docs.	1
2002 Nov 24 - 2004 Apr 8	Historical obs./docs.	2
2002 Apr 9 - Jun 9 or before	Historical obs./docs.	2
2000 Jul 28 - Sep 22	Historical obs./docs.	2
2000 Feb 3 - Feb 8 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
1999 Feb 5 - Jul 12	Historical obs./docs.	2
1998 Jul 23 - Sep 2 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
1997 Sep 7 - Sep 26	Historical obs./docs.	1
1996 Nov 14 - 1997 Mar 20 ±12 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1994 Sep 8 - 1995 Jan 14 or later	Historical obs./docs.	3
1992 Sep 12 - 1993 Sep 12 ±1 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1992 Jan 25 - May 25 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
1991 Apr 8 - Jun 24 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
1986 Nov 27 - 1990 Sep 16 ±15 d.	Summit, SE, SW, NE and east flanks Historical obs./docs.	4

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Klyuchevskoy Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Klyuchevskoy occurred in 2023.

+How often does Klyuchevskoy volcano erupt?

Since 1697 AD, Klyuchevskoy volcano has had at least 107 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 3.1 years.
Many eruptions of Klyuchevskoy have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 134 out of 328 years until now. In other words, Klyuchevskoy has been active at least one in 2.4 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Klyuchevskoy is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Klyuchevskoy volcano at present?

Klyuchevskoy volcano is extremely active: Since 1900, it has been near-continuously active, showing eruptive activity during 90 years out of 126 as of now. The last eruption was in 2023 and ended 16 months ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano?

The largest eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano in historic times occurred during 1986 - 1990. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Klyuchevskoy Volcano Tours

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Klyuchevskoy Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).