The Hawaiian archipelago stretches 1,500 miles across the central Pacific Ocean from Kure Island in the northwest to the island of Hawaii in the southeast. The islands are the tips of huge volcanoes that have slowly built up from the depths of 18,000 feet as a result of coutless underwater eruptions. (Time-Life) The volcanoes are tops of undersea shield volcanoes. Shield volcanoes are gently sloping mountains produced from a large number of generally very fluid lava flows. There are eight main islands: Hawaii, Oahu, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai, and Niihau; one additional small island: Kaala; and the Northwest Hawaii Islands that are small, older land masses. After Iceland, the island of Hawaii is the world's largest volcanic island. The island is known as the Big Island because it has 4,030 square miles of area more than all seven of the other main islands put together. Hualalai and Mauna Loa are two of the three active volcanoes on the Big Island. These volcanoes are among the highest mountains in the world.
Background Info
Formation of Volcanoes
Active Volcanoes
Inactive Volcanoes
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