Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Number of significant volcanic eruptions was 1 events in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu, 1430–2023
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu is 1 events, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu peaked at 2 events in 1878 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1430.
Vanuatu ranks 6th of 25 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1430 | 1 events | — |
| 1670 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1894 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1901 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2023 | 1 events | -50.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 1 events is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 1 events is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1430s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1670s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1860s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1890s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1900s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1910s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1950s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1990s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 2020s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 3 Italy 2 events compare
- 3 Japan 2 events compare
- 3 Philippines 2 events compare
- 6 Chile 1 events compare
- 6 Colombia 1 events compare
- 6 Comoros 1 events compare
- 6 Costa Rica 1 events compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 1 events compare
- 6 Ecuador 1 events compare
- 6 Greece 1 events compare
- 6 Guatemala 1 events compare
- 6 Iceland 1 events compare
- 6 Mexico 1 events compare
- 6 New Zealand 1 events compare
- 6 Nicaragua 1 events compare
- 6 Papua New Guinea 1 events compare
- 6 Portugal 1 events compare
- 6 Russia 1 events compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 1 events compare
- 6 Spain 1 events compare
- 6 Tanzania 1 events compare
- 6 Tonga 1 events compare
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0174 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0583 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0658 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4612 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5857 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu?
- Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Vanuatu was 1 events in 2023, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant volcanic eruptions recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 2 events in 1878.
- What is the lowest number of significant volcanic eruptions recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1430.
- How does Vanuatu rank for number of significant volcanic eruptions?
- Vanuatu ranks 6th out of 25 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of significant volcanic eruptions rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant volcanic eruptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
A significant eruption is classified as one that meets at least one of the following criteria: caused fatalities, caused moderate damage (approximately $1 million or more), with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6 or larger, caused a tsunami, or was associated with a major earthquake.