Krakatau is a caldera volcano located in Indonesia at a tectonic subduction zone with a continental crust greater than 25 kilometers thick. Standing at an elevation of 285 meters, Krakatau has a documented history of 57 confirmed eruptions in the official record maintained by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. These events span from the earliest recorded year of 250 CE up to the 21st century.
Overview of Recorded Eruptions by Century
The historical record shows that Krakatau's eruptive activity is distributed across multiple centuries, with concentrations varying widely over time. The official record catalogs 50 eruptions with a measured Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), reaching a maximum recorded VEI of 6.0.
The distribution of confirmed eruptions across centuries in the official record includes:
- 3rd century CE: 1 eruption (starting around 250 CE with a 50-year uncertainty)
- 6th century CE: 1 eruption
- 9th century CE: 1 eruption
- 10th century CE: 1 eruption
- 11th century CE: 1 eruption
- 12th century CE: 1 eruption
- 14th century CE: 1 eruption
- 16th century CE: 1 eruption
- 17th century CE: 2 eruptions
- 19th century CE: 1 eruption
- 20th century CE: 36 eruptions
- 21st century CE: 10 eruptions
Selected Historical Eruption Milestones
The official record captures shifts in Krakatau's activity areas and eruption magnitudes over centuries of observation:
- 250 CE: The earliest recorded eruption in the dataset, noted via reported observations with an estimated start year uncertainty of 50 years.
- May 20, 1883 – October 21, 1883: A major confirmed eruption located at Krakatau Island (Perbuwatan, Danan), reaching a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6.0.
- January 4, 1935 – July 12, 1935: An eruption sequence at Anak Krakatau assigned a VEI of 2.0.
- March 17, 1953 – May 1, 1953: Activity at Anak Krakatau with a VEI of 2.0.
- May 25, 2021 – February 20, 2024: A confirmed eruption period at Anak Krakatau with a VEI of 2.0, representing the latest structured eruption start date in the confirmed eruption collection, while the profile's last-known eruption year is recorded as 2024.
Frequently asked questions
When did Krakatau's recorded eruptions begin?
The earliest recorded eruption in the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program record for Krakatau began around 250 CE, with a 50-year uncertainty.
How many confirmed eruptions does Krakatau have?
The official record contains 57 confirmed eruptions for Krakatau.
What is the largest recorded VEI for Krakatau?
The highest recorded Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) for Krakatau is 6.0, which occurred during the May to October 1883 eruption.
Image credits
- SentinelHub — Wikimedia Commons source — CC BY 2.0
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.