Mauna Loa Is the Largest Active Volcano on Earth

Hawaii is home to a mountain that is bigger than it looks. The U.S. National Park Service states that Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on the planet. It makes up roughly 51 percent of Hawaii Island and stands 13,681 feet, or 4,170 meters, above sea level. The Park Service calls what lies below the water more impressive: the volcano rises about 30,000 feet, or 9,144 meters, from the bottom of the sea, a greater height than Mount Everest. The name means long mountain in Hawaiian, and its broad, rounded slopes make it a classic shield volcano. It is far from quiet. According to the Park Service, Mauna Loa has erupted 34 times since 1843, averaging once every five years, and scientists believe that 90 percent of its surface is covered by flows that erupted within the past 4,000 years.