As of current estimates, there are approximately 1,350 potentially active volcanoes on Earth, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This number includes volcanoes that have erupted in the Holocene period (the last 11,700 years), are currently erupting, or have the potential to erupt. However, the exact count can vary depending on how "active" is defined—some sources, like the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, focus on volcanoes with confirmed eruptions in historical time, numbering around 500 to 600.
Only a small fraction of these are actively erupting at any given moment. According to the most recent data from the Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report (as of late February 2025), there are typically around 40–50 volcanoes in a state of ongoing eruption worldwide, with about 20 erupting on any particular day. This number fluctuates as eruptions begin and end.
