Why People Stay

It seems irrational to live next to a volcano, but the reasons are compelling. Volcanic soil is among the most fertile on Earth. Minerals from erupted rock weather into nutrient-rich soil supporting intensive agriculture. Vesuvius slopes produce Italy's finest tomatoes and wine.

Volcanoes also attract tourism and provide geothermal energy. In Iceland, geothermal heat warms about 90% of homes and supplies a large share of its electricity. Many volcanic regions have been home to communities for thousands of years, and ancestral ties outweigh the rare catastrophic risk.