Mount Paektu

Mount Paektu is an active stratovolcano located on the border between China and North Korea.

In China, the mountain is known as Changbai Mountain. It is the tallest peak in North Korea and Northeast China. It also stands as the highest point of the Baekdu-daegan and Changbai mountain ranges. The highest point of the volcano is called Janggun Peak. This peak is often covered in snow for about eight months of the year.

The volcano is a stratovolcano, which is a type of volcano built by layers of lava and ash. The central part of the mountain is rising by about 10 centimeters every year. This happens because magma, or molten rock, is rising beneath the center of the mountain. At the summit, there is a large, broken crater called a caldera. This caldera is about 10 kilometers wide and is quite deep. It is partially filled by the waters of Heaven Lake.

Heaven Lake is a massive body of water located within the caldera. The lake has a circumference of 14 kilometers. Its average depth is about 216 meters, though it reaches a maximum depth of 394 meters. From mid-October to mid-June, the lake is usually covered in ice. Water flows north out of the lake through a waterfall. This water serves as the source for three major rivers: the Songhua, the Tumen, and the Yalu. The Tumen and Yalu rivers form the northern border between North Korea, China, and Russia.

The geological history of the mountain is still being studied by scientists. There are two main theories about how it formed. One theory is that it is caused by a hotspot. Another theory suggests an uncharted part of the Pacific Plate is sinking beneath the mountain. About 5 million years ago, the volcano began erupting basaltic lava. This created a large lava plateau. About 1 million years ago, the volcano began building its cone. During this time, it released many large Plinian-type eruptions. These eruptions deposited ash into the Sea of Japan.

Two massive explosive events shaped the mountain's current form. The first was the Tianwenfeng eruption, which created thick layers of grey and yellow pumice. The second was the Millennium eruption in the year 946. This was a colossal event with a Volcanic Explosivity Index, or VEI, of 6. It was one of the most powerful eruptions on Earth in the last 5,000 years. The blast was so large that its tephra, or volcanic debris, was found as far away as Greenland and Japan. This eruption destroyed much of the summit and created the caldera.

Since those major events, the volcano has had smaller eruptions in 1668, 1702, and 1903. Scientists believe the volcano erupts roughly every hundred years. Because of this, there is much interest in its activity. In the 2010s, several countries began research to see when the next eruption might happen. In 2011, experts from North and South Korea met to discuss these risks. The North Korean government also invited international volcanologists to study the site. In 2020, these researchers formed the Mt. Paektu Research Center.

The mountain is also a place of great cultural and biological importance. It is considered a sacred ancestral homeland by Korean, Chinese, and Manchu people. For Koreans, it is a powerful national symbol. It appears on the national emblem of North Korea and is mentioned in the national anthems of both North and South Korea.

The mountain's forests are home to many animals, including Siberian tigers, bears, and wolves. The area is also a protected habitat for many different types of birds, such as the scaly-sided merganser.