Mauna Loa << MOW nuh LOH uh >>, a volcanic mountain in Hawaii (also spelled Hawai‘i) Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii, rises 13,677 feet (4,169 meters) from sea level to its peak. Mauna Loa means long mountain in the Hawaiian language. It is the world’s largest volcano. At the top is Mokuaweoweo, a crater. Kilauea volcano lies on the southeastern slope of the mountain.
Mauna Loa’s longest eruption lasted 18 months in 1855-1856. Most of the lava produced by eruptions comes from rifts (cracks) in the mountain’s sides, not from the peak crater. In 1926, lava destroyed a coastal settlement. Parts of other settlements were buried in 1950. A 1984 eruption sent lava flowing to within 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) of the city of Hilo. Eruptions in late 2022 produced spectacular lava flows.
