Stromboli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stromboli
Struògnuli (Sicilian)
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Island
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Aerial view of Stromboli from the northeast; to the right, the Sciara del Fuoco can be seen.
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 Stromboli
Location in Sicily
Stromboli
Location in Italy
Stromboli
Location in Europe
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| Country | Italy |
| Island grouping | Aeolian Islands |
| Region | Sicily |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.6 km2 (4.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 924 m (3,031 ft) |
| Population
(2016)
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500 |
Stromboli ( strom-BƏ-lee Sicilian: Struògnuli) is a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is located off the north coast of Sicily, a large island in Italy. Stromboli is famous for its active volcano, Mount Stromboli. It is one of only four active volcanoes in Italy.
Stromboli is part of the seven Aeolian Islands. These islands are a chain of volcanoes north of Sicily. Long ago, people believed this was the home of Aeolus, the god of winds.
The island covers about 12.6 square kilometres (4.9 sq mi). This area is actually the top part of the volcano sticking out of the sea. Around 500 people lived on Stromboli in as of 2016[update]. The volcano erupts often with small bursts. These eruptions are usually easy to see from the island and the sea. This is why Stromboli is often called the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean."
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Stromboli comes from an Ancient Greek word, Strongýlē. This word means "round." The volcano looks round and cone-shaped from far away. That's how it got its name!
Stromboli's Size and Shape
Stromboli stands 926 metres (3,038 ft) above the sea. But it is much taller if you measure from the sea floor. From the bottom of the sea, it is over 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) high!
The island itself is 12.6 square kilometres (4.9 sq mi) in size.
At the very top of the volcano, there are three active craters. These are the openings where the lava and ash come out.
There is a large, horseshoe-shaped area on the northwest side of the volcano. It is called the Sciara del Fuoco, which means "stream of fire." This shape was made over thousands of years by parts of the volcano collapsing. About 2 kilometres (1+1⁄4 miles) to the northeast, you can see Strombolicchio. This is a tall rock that used to be part of an older volcano.
Stromboli's Volcano
Mount Stromboli has been erupting almost non-stop for 2,000 to 5,000 years! Its last big eruption was in 1921. It usually has small to medium eruptions. These eruptions send glowing volcanic bombs (pieces of hot rock) into the air. This happens every few minutes or hours. This type of eruption is called a Strombolian eruption. Many other volcanoes around the world show this same pattern.
When Stromboli erupts, it usually has short, strong bursts. These bursts can send ash, hot lava, and rocks hundreds of meters high. Most of Stromboli's activity is explosive. But sometimes, when the volcano is very active, lava flows down its sides. This happened in 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2013–14. Scientists use special tools to measure gases coming from the volcano. This helps them predict when the volcano might erupt.
On July 3, 2019, there were two large explosions. Several other smaller explosions happened too. Some people near the volcano were hurt by flying rocks. Six people had minor injuries.
On August 28, 2019, another explosive eruption happened. It sent a flow of hot gas and rock down the volcano's side and into the sea. The ash cloud from this eruption reached 2,000 m (6,600 ft) high!
Life on Stromboli
There are two main villages on Stromboli: San Bartolo and San Vincenzo. They are on the northeast side of the island. A smaller village called Ginostra is on the southwest side. These villages are part of a larger municipality called Lipari, in Messina.
In the early 1900s, thousands of people lived on Stromboli. But many people moved away over the years. Since the mid-1950s, only a few hundred people have lived there. In as of 2016[update], about 500 people lived on the island.
Most people on Stromboli speak Italian. But they also speak a special dialect (a local way of speaking) called Aeolian. This dialect is used on Stromboli and the other Aeolian islands.
See also
- 2002 Stromboli tsunami
- List of islands of Italy
