Popocatepetl (Mexico)

Popocatépetl, Mexico's most active volcano, looms just 70 km from Mexico City, threatening over 25 million people. Nicknamed "El Popo," this 5,426-meter stratovolcano has erupted over 50 times since 1519, with recent activity (1994–present) producing ash plumes, lava domes, and pyroclastic flows. Sacred to Aztec culture, it’s monitored 24/7 due to its explosive potential. Its 2023 eruptions grounded flights and blanketed towns in ash. A symbol of beauty and peril, Popocatépetl remains one of the world’s most closely watched—and feared—volcanoes.