Hawaii Volcanoes

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, national park on southern Hawaii Island, Hawaii, established in 1916 and covering 927.4 sq km (358.1 sq mi). It contains two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcanic mass, towers 4,170 m (13,680 ft) above sea level. The walls of its summit crater, Mokuaweoweo, rise to about 180 m (600 ft); eruptions occur here and from the fissures and newer craters that have formed on the slopes of the mountain. Kilauea projects from the eastern slope of Mauna Loa; it rises 1,247 m (4,090 ft) above sea level. The east rift of Kilauea has been erupting continuously for more than 10 years. Kilauea's crater, with an area of more than 10 sq km (4 sq mi), is the largest active volcanic crater in the world. Its vast inner pit, Halemaumau, is sometimes called the “House of Everlasting Fire”. The park's varied landscape includes the Kau Desert on the arid leeward (eastern) slope of Kilauea and a luxuriant tree fern forest on its moist windward (western) slope. Hawaii Volcano Observatory (established 1911) is on the rim of Kilauea Crater. Until 1961, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was combined with Haleakala National Park on Maui Island as Hawaii National Park. In 1987 the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.