Krakatau Volcano

Updated: Mar 22, 2025 13:45 GMT - refresh

Caldera

Sunda Strait, Indonesia, -6.1°S / 105.42°E

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Summit height: 813 m (2,667 ft.) / Anak Krakatau: 189 m

Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)

Last update: 24 Apr 2024 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Violent eruption of Krakatau showering the summit cone with incandescent bombs.

Krakatau, a small island group in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java is one of the world's most famous volcanoes. It is a mostly submerged caldera with 3 outer islands belonging to the rim and a new cone, Anak Krakatau, that has been forming a new island since 1927 and remains highly active.
Krakatau exploded spectacularly in a devastating Plinian eruption 1883 that killed more than 30,000 people (mostly by the huge tsunamis triggered by the eruption). The eruption was one of the first global news events after telegraph lines had connected the different continents.

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Typical eruption style: Explosive. Construction of a cinder cone island (Anak Krakatau) inside the caldera formed by the 1883 eruption. Frequent strombolian activity.
Krakatau volcano eruptions: 1530, 1680-81, 1684, 1883 (Plinian eruption), 1927-30, 1931-32, 1932-34, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938-40, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1946-47, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1958-59, 1959-63, 1965(?), 1969(?), 1972-73, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007-8, April 2009-early 2010, Oct 2010 - March 2011, July-Oct 2011, Jan-May + Sep 2012, 2015(?), 2017, 2018 (22 Dec eruption & tsunami), 2019-ongoing

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Background

The renowned volcano Krakatau (or Krakatoa) lies in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Collapse of the ancestral Krakatau edifice, perhaps in 416 AD, formed a 7-km-wide caldera. Remnants of this ancestral volcano are preserved in Verlaten and Lang Islands; subsequently Rakata, Danan and Perbuwatan volcanoes were formed, coalescing to create the pre-1883 Krakatau Island. Caldera collapse during the catastrophic 1883 eruption destroyed Danan and Perbuwatan volcanoes, and left only a remnant of Rakata volcano. This eruption, the 2nd largest in Indonesia during historical time, caused more than 36,000 fatalities, most as a result of devastating tsunamis that swept the adjacent coastlines of Sumatra and Java. Pyroclastic surges traveled 40 km across the Sunda Strait and reached the Sumatra coast. After a quiescence of less than a half century, the post-collapse cone of Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) was constructed within the 1883 caldera at a point between the former cones of Danan and Perbuwatan. Anak Krakatau has been the site of frequent eruptions since 1927.
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Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution

Krakatau Volcano Photos

Zoom onto the expanding ejected plug of the explosion; only few of the blocks are actually glowing red. At night, this means that most blocks won't be visible! (Photo: To...

Sea reflection of activity from Anak Krakatau volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia) on December 2nd, 2018. (Photo: V. Tricou)

A barrage of bombs hits the water, some quite far from the shore. (Photo: Iris Karinkanta)

Lightning in the eruption ash column of an explosion of Anak Krakatau (Nov 2010) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Krakatau volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Krakatau has had at least 58 confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations. There is one uncertain or discredited eruption in 1969 from Krakatau volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Krakatau volcano since around 1900. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Krakatau can be found on the news page of Krakatau volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
2021 May 25 - 2023 Dec 20	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
2018 Jun 18 - 2020 Apr 17	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	3
2018 Dec 22 (eruption 2018 Jun 18 - 2020 Apr 17)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	3	437	very heavy	Info
2018 Dec 22: BMKG coordinates with the Geological Agency to report that at Jl. 21.03 Mount Krakatau erupted again until local seismometer equipment was damaged, but the seismic Sertung Station recorded a continuous tremor (no suspicious high frequencies).(reference #12311) PVMBG of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Geological Agency stated that the body of Mount Anak Krakatau has changed due to continuous eruptions. Based on visual observations and measurements, the height of Mount Anak Krakatau, which was originally 338 meters, is currently only 110 meters. The volume of Mount Anak Krakatau decreased. The volume lost is estimated at 150-180 million cubic meters. The remaining volume currently ranges from 40-70 million cubic meters. The reduced body volume of Gunung Anak Krakarau is estimated because of the volcanic body creep process accompanied by high eruption rates from 24-27 / 12/2018.Observation of Gunung Anak Krakatau volcanic activity is still being monitored intensively by PVMBG. The status of Gunung Anak Krakatau remains at Standby level (Level III). It is recommended to the public not to approach Mount Anak Krakatau within a radius of 5 km from the crater because it is dangerous from throwing incandescent rocks, lava flows, hot clouds and heavy ash rain. (reference #12325) On 22 December 2018, Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau), an active volcanic island situated within the Krakatau caldera in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia, experienced a flank failure. This flank failure generated a volcanogenic tsunami, causing 35 widespread damage to the surrounding coastlines[...]On the day of the tsunami, the Anak Krakatau volcano was in an elevated but unexceptional phase of activity, undergoing a strombolian-style eruption. An ash column of up to 1.5 km was observed, and earthquake tremors of typical amplitude were recorded. (reference #12376) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). #12311 BMKG (Indonesia) (2018): Press Release - Tsunami events on the West Coast of Banten were not triggered by earthquakes. 22 December 2018. #12325 National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Indonesia (2018): The Body Volume of Mount Anak Krakatau Decreases, The Number of Tsunami Victims Increases. Published 30 December 2018. #12376 Williams, R., Rowley, P., and Garthwaite, M. C (2019): Reconstructing the Anak Krakatau flank collapse that caused the December 2018 Indonesian tsunami. EarthArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31223/osf.io/u965c Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2017 Feb 17 - Feb 19	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	1
2014 Mar 31	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
2013 Oct 31	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
2013 Mar 11 - Mar 29	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
2011 Jul 31 - 2012 Sep 9 ±1 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
2010 Oct 25 ? - 2012 Sep 9 ±1 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
2009 Mar 25 ? - Sep 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
2007 Oct 23 - 2008 Aug 30 ?	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
2001 Jul 21 - Sep 17 ?	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
2000 May 29 - Oct 30 ?	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1999 Feb 5 - Aug 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1997 Mar 16 ±15 d. - May 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1996 Jul 16 ±15 d. - Oct 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1994 Mar 19 - 1995 Jun 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1992 Nov 7 - 1993 Oct 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1993 Jun 13 (eruption 1992 Nov 7 - 1993 Oct 16 ±15 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	1	1		Info
1993 Jun 13: One tourist killed and 5 injured by an explosion while they were climbing on the old crater rim of Anak Krakatau. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1988 Feb 14 ±5 d. - Apr 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau (S flank 1960-81 cone) Historical obs./docs.	2
1981 Apr 24 - Oct 20	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1981 Oct 20 (eruption 1981 Apr 24 - Oct 20)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	1			Info
1981 Oct 20: In 1981, after a short period of rest, a new eruptive period began; explosions were recorded on Oct. 20th by Camus and Vincent (1981) and on Dec. 8th by Oba et al. (1982). On Oct. 20th,cannon-like explosions, followed by convective growth of an eruption column reaching 400-600m, and occasionally 1-2 km, occurred every 6-7minutes in the morning with products characterized by large dacitic bread-crust bombs. In that sense the 1981 activity was strictly "vulcanian". (reference #12821) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). #12821 Camus G, Gourgaud A, Vincent PM (1987): Petrologic evolution of Krakatau (Indonesia): implications for a future activity. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 33:299-316. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1980 Mar 15 ±5 d. - Dec 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1979 Jul 15 ±5 d. - Nov 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1978 Jul 10 - Nov 16 ±15 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1975 Mar 27 - Oct 26 ±5 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1972 Jun 10 ±3 d. - 1973 Jul 1 ±30 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
?? 1969 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Uncertain Eruption	2?
1965 ?	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1?
1959 Dec 16 ±15 d. - 1963 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1958 Oct 2 - 1959 Jun 25 ±4 d.	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1955 Feb 11	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1953 Sep 21 - Nov 25	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1953 Mar 17 - May 1 ?	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1952 Oct 10 - Oct 11	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1950 Jul 3 - Jul 7	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1949 May 12	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1946 Dec 26 ±5 d. - 1947 Aug 7 or later	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1946 Jul 25	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1945	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1944	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1943	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1942 Jan 29 - Jan 30	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1941 Jan 28 - Feb 12	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1938 Jul 4 - 1940 Jul 2	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	3
1937 Aug 6 - Nov 23	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1936 Oct 13 - Nov	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	1
1935 Jan 4 - Jul 12	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1932 Nov 14 - 1934 Jun 9	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	3
1931 Sep 23 - 1932 Feb 17	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1927 Dec 29 - 1930 Aug 15	Anak Krakatau Historical obs./docs.	2
1930 Mar 17 (eruptive episode 1930 Mar 17)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	2			Info
1930 Mar 17: March 17, 1930. In 1930, the Krakatau Volcano erupted with the formation of a mud island. At one of the intermediate stages (the 12th), between March 10 and April 5, the surface of the sea repeatedly swelled up above the volcano, on March 17 to a height of 500 m. (reference #414) Cited references #414 Soloviev, S.L., and Ch.N. Go (1974): A catalogue of tsunamis on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean [dates include 173-1968. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Nauka Publishing House, Moscow, 439 p. [Canadian Translation of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences no. 5077, 1984, translation available from Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A OS2, 447 p.] #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1928 Mar 26 (eruption 1927 Dec 29 - 1930 Aug 15)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	2			Info
1928 Mar 26: Reference #414: 1928, March 26. An eruption of Krakatau Volcano was accompanied by waves which were observed in the vicinity of the volcano. Cited references #414 Soloviev, S.L., and Ch.N. Go (1974): A catalogue of tsunamis on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean [dates include 173-1968. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Nauka Publishing House, Moscow, 439 p. [Canadian Translation of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences no. 5077, 1984, translation available from Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A OS2, 447 p.] #10953 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 551 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

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

Krakatau Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Krakatau volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Krakatau occurred during 2021 - 2023.

+How often does Krakatau volcano erupt?

Since 250 AD, Krakatau volcano has had at least 58 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 30.6 years.
Many eruptions of Krakatau have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 77 out of 1775 years until now. In other words, Krakatau has been active at least one in 23.1 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Krakatau is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Krakatau volcano at present?

Krakatau volcano is extremely active: Since 1900, it has been frequently active, showing eruptive activity during 65 years out of 126 as of now. The last eruption was from 2021 until 2023 and ended 15 months ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Krakatau volcano?

The largest eruption of Krakatau volcano in historic times occurred in 1883. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 6 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.

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Krakatau Volcano Tours

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West Java (Indonesia)

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expedition to study & observe Anak Krakatau volcano and its activity

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Volcano expedition to Lewotobi and Ile Lewotolok volcanoes in Feb 2024

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Krakatau 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).