Smithsonian Global Volcanism ProgramVNUM 311390

Amak

Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc, United States. This page separates the permanent volcano catalogue, historical eruption records, and selective weekly activity reports.

Coordinates
55.42° N, 163.15° W
Elevation
547 m
Last recorded eruption
1796 CE
Historical eruption records
3
Primary type
Stratovolcano
Evidence
Eruption Observed
GVP database
5.4.0
Catalogue revision
Revision 2

Volcano profile

Volcanic landform
Composite
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Geologic epoch
Holocene
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Region
North America Volcanic Regions
Subregion
Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc

Geological summary

Amak, the easternmost of the Aleutian Islands, is a small island stratovolcano that lies north of the main Aleutian volcanic front, about 50 km NW of Frosty volcano on the western tip of the Alaska Peninsula. The summit of the small, roughly 1 km3 volcano is only 488 m above sea level. Blocky lava flows with prominent levees were emplaced during historical eruptions from 1700-1710 and in 1796 (Marsh, in Wood and Kienle 1990). The flows radiate from a well-defined central crater and cover much of the central part of the island. Earlier volcanism perhaps 4000-5000 years ago consisted of the emission of thin, platy andesitic lava flows. A flat alluvial plain on the S flank contains a flat-bottomed crater that may be a maar.

Separate activity dataset

Weekly volcanic activity reports

Preliminary and selective

Smithsonian/USGS weekly reports are selective and preliminary. They are not a comprehensive list of all eruptions or volcanic activity.

No weekly report appears on this page. Absence from the weekly report does not establish an absence of volcanic activity.

Historical catalogue records

Eruption history

Dates can be approximate, incomplete, or BCE. These are historical catalogue observations, not a statement about present activity.

Historical Smithsonian GVP eruption records with original chronology, confirmation state, VEI, evidence, and source links.
StartEndActivityConfirmationVEIEvidenceRecord
1796 CENot suppliedConfirmed EruptionConfirmedNot suppliedObservations: ReportedGVP 20110Database 5.4.0
1700 CE1710 CEConfirmed EruptionConfirmedNot suppliedObservations: ReportedGVP 20109Database 5.4.0
2551 ±500 years BCENot suppliedConfirmed EruptionConfirmedNot suppliedCorrelation: TephrochronologyGVP 20108Database 5.4.0

Source and attribution

Source: Data: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Volcanoes of the World.

View the original Smithsonian GVP record

Global Volcanism Program, 2026. Volcanoes of the World 5.4.0.

The GVP database is scientific documentation that changes as evidence is reviewed. Historical dates may be approximate or uncertain. This platform is not an official emergency-warning service.

Read the GVP terms of use

Data freshness

Source updated
Not supplied
Retrieved
11 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC
GVP database version
5.4.0
Catalogue revision
2

Source-update and retrieval times describe this catalogue record. Each weekly report carries its own publication date and preliminary status.