Etna: active volcano, fertile slopes

Sicily’s Mount Etna is one of Europe’s most active volcanoes and, according to UNESCO, the world’s most active stratovolcano. Its eruptions produce lava flows and emit ash and gases, changing the landscape. Communities, orchards, and vineyards occupy the lower slopes: volcanic soils, climate, and the nearby sea support varied agriculture. Eruptions can also threaten settlements, so fertility does not remove the risk.