How many active volcanoes are there on Earth?
There are about 1,500 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, aside from the continuous belts of volcanoes on the ocean floor at spreading centers like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. About 500 of those 1,500 volcanoes have erupted in historical time. Many of those are located along the Pacific Rim in what is known as the 'Ring of Fire.' In the United States, volcanoes in the Cascade Range and Alaska (Aleutian volcanic chain) are part of the Ring, while Hawaiian volcanoes form over a 'hot spot' near the center of the Ring.
There are 169 potentially active volcanoes in the United States.
Good sources for information about volcanoes outside the United States include Oregon State University's Volcano World and the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program.
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