Which Is the Largest Volcano on Earth?

Mauna Loa, one of five volcanoes forming the island of Hawaii, is the largest active volcano on Earth by both volume and area. Its total volume is approximately 75,000 km³, and it rises about 4,170 metres above sea level. However, measured from its base on the ocean floor (about 5,000 metres below sea level), Mauna Loa stands roughly 9,170 metres tall. It is a shield volcano, built by successive flows of fluid basaltic lava that spread widely rather than building steep slopes. Mauna Loa last erupted in November 2022 after a 38-year pause. The Tamu Massif, an underwater volcanic structure in the Pacific, is larger by area but is no longer active and may not be a single volcano.