What is the ring of fire?« Back to Questions List

Ring of fire is actually a belt of volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions vary a lot in their severity as do the lavas that differ in their composition and temperature. There have been least violent and most violent volcanic eruptions across the globe.

Volcanoes are normally located along the unstable areas of the earth’s crust which constitute the midocean ridges and the rift valleys. Unstable areas are characterized by the movement of crustal plates along the continental margins where they keep colliding. Such places are more vulnerable to attacks by volcanoes. The area of greatest concentration of such volcanic activities is called the ring of fire. That is it is where most of volcanoes are found. This ring nearly encircles the Pacific Ocean and borders more than half of the world’s active volcanoes.

Volcanic eruptions are deadly even then the mineral rich residue that they leave behind gradually changes to fertile soil. Lava and the volcanic rocks can be used even as building materials for roads and houses. Sometimes the flat bottomed depression left behind after violent explosions have become lakes and lava flows have created natural dams too.The fiery eruption of volcanoes releases some of the tremendous heat and pressure seeing beneath the earth’s crust. The worst eruption happened when Italy’s Vesuvius blew its top and within hours the entire city of Pompeii in Southern Italy got ruined. All life perished and disappeared.

When volcanic peaks boiled up from the floor of Pacific Ocean, a group of 16 islands got formed off the coast of South America. These islands were named Galapagos Islands that are made up of low, rocky coastal cliffs and shores of black lava. These islands are famous for their unique marine and land animals living there.

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