The ‘Mud Volcanoes’ of the Soviet Republic

The volcanoes of Azerbaijan are located in the state reserve of Qobustan in the Soviet republic. They are so concentrated in this country (from the estimates there are 300 of the 700 existing in the world) that Azerbaijan has been awarded the Guiness World Records for the presence of the largest number of mud volcanoes on the surface.

Some reach heights of over 15 meters, others just a few centimeters. Their peculiarity is precisely the absence of lava: the clay, made soft by the water, rises to the surface under the pressure of the gases.

It is therefore not a real volcanic activity, but the spectacle that is witnessed is truly incredible. Among those present throughout the area, one of the highest volcanoes is that of Otman Bozdag. On 23 September 2018 its eruption produced a mud lava that reached 4km in length and cracks up to 80 meters deep.

In fact, NASA geologists have carried out multiple studies on mud volcanoes coming to the conclusion that those of Azerbaijan are very similar to the hills on Mars due to their structure. The most populous are found in Sicily and are the “Macalube di Aragona.”