Anatahan

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Anatahan, uninhabited volcanic island, 12.5 sq mi (32 sq km), Saipan dist., Northern Mariana Islands, in the W Pacific Ocean some 85 mi (140 km) N of Saipan. The island is dominated by two overlapping calderas and two peaks that reach 2,343 ft (714 m) and 2,585 ft (788 m) high. No eruptions of the volcano were recorded in historical times until 2003, when an explosive eruption began in the smaller, eastern caldera.


Anatahan

Ash from Anatahan, June 2005
Elevation 788 m (2,585 ft)
Location
Location Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 16°21′N 145°40′E / 16.35°N 145.67°E / 16.35; 145.67
Geology
Type Active stratovolcano
Last eruption 2007 – 2008

Anatahan is one of the most active volcanoes of the Northern Mariana Islands. The island of Anatahan is 9 kilometers (6 mi) long and has a land area of 31.21 km2 (12.05 sq mi). Formerly inhabited, it now has no population because of the always-present danger of volcanic eruptions. Sparseness of vegetation in the most recent lava flows on Anatahan indicated that they were of Holocene age, but the first historical eruption of Anatahan did not occur until May 2003, when a large explosive eruption took place forming a new crater inside the eastern caldera. The most recent eruption was in 2007, and lasted until 2008.

Anatahan is well-known due to a group of Japanese holdouts that remained long after the end of World War II, only surrendering in 1951.

References


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