Krakatoa: Elevation, Location, Coordinates, Type and Last Eruption

Krakatoa

Elevation: 813 metres ( 2,667 ft. )

Location: Sunda Strait, Indonesia

Coordinates: 16.7 South Latitude and 105.4 East longitude

Type: Stratovolcano

Last Eruption: 2009

A Stratovolcano ( Composite Volcano ) is a tall conical volcano ( cone shape ) with layers of hardened lava and volcanic ash.

The last eruption from the volcano of Krakatoa was during April 2009.

Krakatoa and Continental Plates

Krakatoa was formed by the collision of both the Indian Ocean Plate and the Asian Plate. The volcano of Krakatoa was formed when the Indian Ocean Plate and the Asian Plate collided. There was so much pressure by the plates pushing against each other, that after thousands of years the land plates pushed up into a mountain. It erupted because of the massive amount of pressure from the magma flow that the whole volcano exploded. As a result of the whole volcano exploding the noise of the eruption was heard from thousands of kilometres away. Other examples of Continental Plates and colliding and forming of mountain and volcano's is the most obivious which is Mount Everest.

Krakatoa's Popularity

During 1883 one of the most powerful and well known volcano eruption occurred at the volcano of Krakatoa. Krakatoa was and still is on of the most explosive volcano eruptions. During this explosive volcano the force broke the island of Krakatau apart. In a list of the 30 biggest eruptions in world history, Krakatoa lists 21st on the list. The explosion has inspired many books and movies. The books inspired by the eruption of Krakatoa are Pudd'nhead Wilson, The Twenty-One Balloons and Songs of Distant Earth. The movie Krakatoa, East of Java ( Krakatoa is actually west of Java ). Others have been inspired such as music, television and video games.

Simple Facts about Krakatoa

In the year 1883 the volcano of Krakatoa erupted. The volcano of Krakatoa is located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. The island is 13 square miles.On the morning of August 27, 1883. The massive noise from the eruption of the volcano was heard from 5000 kilometres away in Austrailia. Six hours later in Australia 36,417 citizens were killed.

How did these people die?

These people were killed because of the pressure wave from the eruption. The shockwave from the final explosion travilled around the world seven times. The hot ash and steam was sent flying into the air over 80 kilometres high. The reasons I have explained are the most logical reasons that could have killed so many people so far away.In the years following the eruption, the weather was chaotic. The weather didn't return to normal until the year of 1888.