Did You Know? #37

What and where is the largest volcano on Earth?

The largest volcano on earth is Mauna Loa on Hawaii's Big Island. It is a massive shield volcano constructed by countless lava flows. When measured from the base to the top, the pile of lavas measures more than 56,000 ft! When measured from the sea floor, Mauna Loa's height is 29,527 ft., thus it is also the highest mountain on earth. . Mauna Loa is one of the Earth's most active volcanoes, with 33 well-documented eruptions in historic times since 1843. Its last eruption was in 1984 and since 2004, Mauna Loa is showing increasing signs of a possible awakening in a not-too-distant future.

Fred's Note:  The inspiration for this particular question came from an article I read about little know facts about Hawaii.  So in addition to being home to the world's largest volcano, did you know...

• The Hawaiian language has only a 13-letter alphabet and every word (and syllable) ends with one of five vowels.
• Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee, cacao, and vanilla beans.
• Hawaii has the highest life expectancy in the United States at 81.3 years.
• The state gem isn't a gem at all. Black coral is technically an animal.
• Hawaii is one of four states that outlaws billboards. (The others are Alaska, Maine, and Vermont.)
• Snakes are outlawed in Hawaii. The only legal serpents are housed in zoos.