Ambae, also known as Aoba, is a volcanic island located in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu. It is a shield volcano, meaning it has a broad, flat shape with gentle slopes. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Vanuatu, with over 50 recorded eruptions since the 18th century. Ambae has a long history of eruptions, with the most recent one occurring in September 2017. This eruption forced the entire population of the island, approximately 11,000 people, to evacuate to neighboring islands due to the dangers posed by the ash and lava. The volcano has three main craters, with the largest one, Lake Voui, being the most active. In fact, it is the largest lake in the country, measuring approximately 1.5 kilometers in diameter. The volcano is constantly monitored by the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory, which gives early warning signs of any potential eruptions.
| Location: | Ambae Island, Vanuatu |
| Coordinates: | 37.751568, 14.993376 |
| Volcano Type: | Shield |
Ambae’s Location
Ambae’s Latest Status
2026: Alert Level 3 – Erupting
Ambae’s Eruptive History
| 1600’s | Major eruption that built the volcanic cone at the summit |
| 1700’s | Tuff cone was constructed within Lake Voui |
| 2005 | New eruption and new cone formed |
| 2017 | Major eruption forced the entire population of the island, approximately 11,000 people, to evacuate to neighboring islands due to the dangers posed by the ash and lava. The eruption caused significant damage to the island’s infrastructure and agriculture |
| 2018 | Major eruptions continue. The island remains evacuated. |
| 2023 | Fire fountaining observed – lava flows formed and evaporated part of the summit lake. A small eruption occurred on Dec 11. |
| 2025 | (July 19-22) Extreme Pursuit expedition. We observed strong degassing of water vapour and concentrated SO2. An orange glow was visible at night.
(Dec 8) Eruption. Continuous emissions from Manaro Voui (Ambae, Vanuatu) are producing a volcanic plume estimated at 3–4,000m ASL. Significant ashfall is occurring downwind affecting communities in northern Ambae and Maewo. There has also been a pronounced upward trend in SO2 relative to baseline levels over the last several weeks. The Alert Level remains at 2. |
| 2026 | Manaro Voui has erupted, producing likely large fire fountaining and recording moderate thermal anomalies. A very visible glow was seen on the VMGD web cam. Ash plumes reaching heights of 2km have been recorded. Alert Level raised to 3. |
Ambae Monitoring
For monitoring, please refer to the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department.
Ambae Images
