Smithsonian GVP Holocene Volcanoes
Quick answer: The Smithsonian GVP Holocene Volcano List provides authoritative location and morphological data for 1,214 Holocene volcanoes worldwide, maintained by the Smithsonian Institution's Department of Mineral Sciences.
About this dataset
Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program (GVP) database of 1,214 Holocene volcanoes with coordinates, elevation, volcano type, tectonic setting, and eruption history.
The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP) Volcanoes of the World database documents volcanoes active during the Holocene epoch (the last ~11,700 years). This hosted snapshot contains 1,214 Holocene volcanoes with official volcano numbers, primary names, country, region, subregion, morphological landform, primary volcano type, activity evidence, last known eruption date, WGS84 latitude and longitude coordinates, elevation in meters, tectonic setting, and dominant rock type.
Notable Global Volcanoes in this Dataset
The dataset spans famous stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, volcanic fields, and subsea calderas across every continent and ocean basin.
West Eifel Volcanic Field (Germany)
Volcano #210010 · Elevation 600 m · Maar / Volcanic field
Central European volcanic field with 8300 BCE last eruption.
Chaine des Puys (France)
Volcano #210020 · Elevation 1,464 m · Lava dome(s)
Western European cinder cone and lava dome cluster with 4040 BCE eruption.
Etna (Italy)
Volcano #211060 · Elevation 3,357 m · Stratovolcano
Europe's most active stratovolcano situated in the Mediterranean subduction zone.
Kilauea & Mauna Loa (Hawaii, USA)
Hawaiian Hotspot · Shield volcanoes · Basaltic lava
Massive active shield volcanoes in the central Pacific plate.
Fuji (Japan)
Volcano #283030 · Elevation 3,776 m · Stratovolcano
Iconic stratovolcano near the triple junction of Pacific, Philippine, and Eurasian plates.
Krakatau (Indonesia)
Volcano #262000 · Elevation 813 m · Caldera
Sunda Arc caldera known for catastrophic historic eruptions.
Smithsonian GVP Dataset Schema & Attributes
Each row in the spreadsheet corresponds to a Holocene volcano with 14 standardized attributes.
| Field Name | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Volcano Number | 210010 | Unique GVP catalog identifier |
| Volcano Name | West Eifel Volcanic Field | Primary canonical volcano name |
| Country | Germany | Country or territory of location |
| Volcanic Region Group | European Volcanic Regions | Broad geographic region grouping |
| Volcanic Region | Central European Volcanic Province | Specific regional volcanic province |
| Volcano Landform | Cluster | Morphological landform category |
| Primary Volcano Type | Volcanic field / Stratovolcano / Shield | Primary volcanological classification |
| Activity Evidence | Eruption Dated / Observed / Credible | Level of Holocene eruptive evidence |
| Last Known Eruption | 8300 BCE / 2026 CE / Unknown | Year or epoch of most recent known activity |
| Latitude | 50.17 | WGS84 decimal latitude (degrees) |
| Longitude | 6.85 | WGS84 decimal longitude (degrees) |
| Elevation (m) | 600 | Summit or vent elevation above sea level in meters |
| Tectonic Setting | Rift zone / Subduction zone / Intraplate | Geodynamic tectonic context and crustal thickness |
| Dominant Rock Type | Basalt / Andesite / Foidite / Dacite | Primary lithological rock classification |
Data source: Global Volcanism Program, 2026. [Database] Volcanoes of the World (v. 5.4.0; 7 Aug 2026). Distributed by Smithsonian Institution, compiled by Venzke, E. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2026.5.4
How to download
- 1 Click 'Download Holocene Volcano List (.xls)' to get the complete 1,214 volcano dataset directly.
- 2 Drop the .xls file into GeoDataViewer Studio to immediately visualize, filter, and style all volcano locations on 3D or 2D maps.
- 3 Or visit the official Smithsonian GVP portal at volcano.si.edu for in-depth eruption chronologies and bulletin reports.
Download Holocene Volcano List (.xls)
Smithsonian GVP v5.4.0 official spreadsheet (1,214 volcanoes)
Official GVP Holocene Volcano Portal
Search, filter, and view volcano profiles on volcano.si.edu
GVP Volcano Search & Custom Export
Filter by region, rock type, eruption date, or explosivity
Smithsonian GVP DOI Repository
Official Smithsonian persistent identifier (DOI: 10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2026.5.4)
FAQ
How should I cite this Smithsonian GVP dataset?
Please cite this as: Global Volcanism Program, 2026. [Database] Volcanoes of the World (v. 5.4.0; 7 Aug 2026). Distributed by Smithsonian Institution, compiled by Venzke, E. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2026.5.4
What defines a 'Holocene' volcano?
A Holocene volcano is one that has erupted within the Holocene epoch — the past ~11,700 years since the end of the last major ice age. Approximately 1,500 volcanoes worldwide are known or suspected to have been active during this timeframe.
Can I open and convert this .xls file to GeoJSON or Shapefile?
Yes. Drop the .xls file into GeoDataViewer Studio to view interactive points with all attributes, or convert it to GeoJSON, Shapefile, KML, or GeoPackage locally in your browser with zero upload.
What coordinate system is used in the spreadsheet?
All coordinates are standard WGS84 (EPSG:4326) decimal degrees in the Latitude and Longitude columns.