"Determine the geographic coordinates of Mount Vesuvius" - such a task can be obtained by any student in a geography lesson. In order not to get confused in the search for this natural object on the physical map, read our short article. In it we will tell not only about the location of Vesuvius, but also about its most famous eruptions.
Geographical location and coordinates of the volcano
Vesuvius is the only active volcano in continental Europe. “The younger brother of Etna” - so often they call him for unpredictability and rather “hot” disposition. Where is this geographical feature located? What are the coordinates of the volcano?
Vesuvius (in Italian - Vesuvio) is located in the southern part of Italy. It is part of the Apennine mountains and has a height of 1281 meters. The exact geographical coordinates of the volcano (Vesuvius is located in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth) are given in the following table:
Latitude of Vesuvius | 40º 49 '15 "North |
Longitude of Vesuvius | 14º 25 '30 "East. Longitude |
As we can see, Vesuvius is far from the largest volcano in the world. However, he is undoubtedly the most famous. And he owes his worldwide fame to the tragic event that happened two thousand years ago.
Eruptions of Vesuvius Volcano
Vesuvius is a very troubled geological formation. From historical documents we know about 80 of his serious eruptions, the last of which occurred not so long ago - in 1944. Actually, the name of the volcano, according to one version, comes from the Oscan word fest, which translates as “smoke”.
Vesuvius appeared relatively recently: only 12 thousand years ago. Previously, it was part of another, larger submarine volcano, but then became part of continental Europe. In 79, one of the most powerful eruptions of Vesuvius in history has occurred. Then under the ashes and lava three cities were buried - Herculaneum, Oplontis and Pompeii. It is symbolic that the eruption of Vesuvius began just a day after the Romans celebrated the feast in honor of the god Vulcan.
But this tragedy was far from the last in the history of the volcano. He presented unpleasant surprises to the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula and later. So, in the middle of the XVII century there was another terrible eruption of Vesuvius, which claimed the lives of four thousand people.
Today, Mount Vesuvius is rightfully considered one of the most dangerous in the world. And the reason for this, in part, is the coordinates of the volcano. Vesuvius is located in a densely populated region, just 15 km from a major city - Naples.
Vesuvius and tourism
Local authorities receive considerable income from the "exploitation" of the tourism potential of this place. After all, millions of tourists come every year to take a look at the “deadly mountain”.
One hundred years ago, it was possible to climb Mount Vesuvius by cable car. However, in 1944 it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. Today, you can climb to its top only through a specially equipped walking path. Ascent, despite the insignificant height of the volcano, is quite difficult. After all, the surface of Vesuvius is covered with dust and small pebbles, and on the way there is practically no vegetation that could protect the tourist from the scorching sun.
Nevertheless, travelers with great zeal conquer Vesuvius. Having risen to its peak, you can not only see the deadly crater of the volcano with your own eyes, but also enjoy the stunning views that open up to the city of Naples.