Volcanoes are scary natural formations, spewing forth lava in often destructive eruptions. The Hawaiian island chain, formed by volcanoes over millions of years, is home to several volcanoes, and a few of these are still active in 2011. Volcanoes in the Aloha State erupt with varying frequencies and the lava flows on the Big Island are a popular tourist attraction.
Volcanic activity in the Aloha State is reserved for the Big Island, since the volcanoes on the other islands are all considered extinct, or "dead." There are five volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii. According to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Service, of those five volcanoes, one is extinct, one is dormant and three are considered active as of 2011.
Dormant volcanoes are not extinct nor are they considered active. Mauna Kea is such a volcano, and though it hasn't erupted in 3,600 years, it probably will erupt again eventually. Mauna Kea is located on the north side of the Big Island.
Mauna Loa, a volcano over 13,600 feet tall, towers over the northwest side of Volcanoes National Park and is considered to be one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984, and there have been 33 confirmed eruptions since 1843.
On the southeastern shore of the Big Island is Kilauea, which has had 61 eruptions in confirmed history. The last major eruption was in 1983, and lava continually flows from the volcano's rifts to this day, an appropriate fact given the meaning for the word "Kilauea": much spreading. Some consider Kilauea to be the most active volcano in the world.
Hualalai is on the west coast of the Big Island and last erupted around the turn of the 19th century. Although it has been over two centuries since it last erupted, Hualalai is considered to be an active volcano.
Lo'ihi is a "submarine" volcano, meaning that it is a volcano based on the seafloor. Lo'ihi is about 15 miles southeast of the Big Island and last erupted in 1996. It has been active since, and lava flows freely from several different rifts in its body.
