Indonesia (813 m) – Most Destructive Volcano in Recorded History Mount Krakatoa is one of the world’s most violently active volcanoes. Located in a particularly active part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, it has erupted on a massive scale on numerous occasions, most notably in 1883. Geologically it is one of Earth’s most amazing sites as Krakatoa literally reformed from scratch … [Read more...]
MOUNT BANAHAW
Philippines (2,170 m) – Largest Active Volcano in the Philippines Mount Banahaw is the largest active volcano in the Philippines, and one of the tallest mountains in the Pacific region between Japan and Indonesia. A nearly perfect volcanic cone, Banahaw is a rare mountain of its type in that it is covered in greenery from base to cone. On a very clear day it is visible from … [Read more...]
MOUNT HALEAKALA
Hawaii (3,055 m) – World’s Fastest Ascending Road Mount Haleakala if the domininant geographical feature on the Hawaiian island of Maui. A dormant shield volcano, Haleakala constitutes more than three-quarters of the island. It is also home to one of the world’s largest volcanic craters. A road from the base to the peak climbs over ten thousand feet in just a few miles of … [Read more...]
MAUNA KEA & MAUNA LOA
Hawaii (4,205 m, 4,169 m) – Tallest Mountain in the World from Base to Peak; Tallest Active Volcano in the World Mauna Kea is the highest point in Hawaii. However, its real claim to fame is that, when measured from base to tip, Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on Earth. Judged this way, the 10,300 meter tall Mauna Kea is more than twice the height of Mount Everest. Mauna … [Read more...]
MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO
Australia (2,228 m) – Tallest Mountain in Australia Mount Kosciuszko is the tallest mountain on the continent of Australia. However, because there are other higher peaks on other islands in greater Oceania, Kosciuszko’s claim to being one of the Seven Summits is disputed. There are also taller peakss in some of Australia’s external territories. The mountain is named in … [Read more...]
PUNCAK JAYA
Indonesia (4,884 m) – Tallest Mountain in Oceania Puncak Jaya, which is technically the highest peak of Mount Carstensz, is the tallest mountain in the Pacific region collectively known as Oceania. Although located on the Indonesia portion of the island of New Guinea, Puncak Jaya is higher than any other peak on any Pacific island including the continent of Australia. It is … [Read more...]
MOUNT VINSON
Antarctica (4,892 m) – Tallest Mountain in Antarctica Mount Vinson is the tallest mountain on the continent of Antarctica. Because of its location, there were no local tribes in the area of Vinson prior to the arrival of western explored, and therefore it was the last of the Seven Summits to be discovered and explored in 1958. It was named in honor of Carl Vinson, an … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF HINGAKAKA (HINGAKAKA BATTLEFIELD)
Ohaupo, New Zealand (c. 1803 AD) The Battle of Hingakaka is claimed to have been the largest battle ever fought in New Zealand. It may also have been one of the last great battles in world history that did not see significant usage of gunpowder firearms or other modern weapons. Essentially an intertribal conflict among the Maori, the details of Hingakaka are surprisingly … [Read more...]
SYDNEY FORTIFICATIONS
Sydney, Australia By the time European colonists reached the Pacific, the days of large, fixed fortifications were almost over. However, because Sydney was the largest city on the entire continent of Australia, the British invested heavily in its defense. By the time British-Japanese tensions reached their height in the interwar years, Sydney had become the second-most … [Read more...]
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
London, Kiribati “How’d ya like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island? How’d ya like to spend the holiday away across the sea? How’d ya like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island? How’d ya like to hang your stocking on a great big coconut tree?” So asks lyracist Lyle Moraine and singer Jimmy Buffet in the song Christmas Island. It is uncertain exactly which Christmas … [Read more...]
