Whakaari / White Island is an active
andesite stratovolcano, situated 48
km from the east coast of the North
Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of
Plenty. The nearest mainland towns
are Whakatane and Tauranga.

The island is roughly circular,
about two km in diameter, and rises
to a height of 321 m above sea
level. However this is only the peak
of a much larger submarine mountain,
which rises up to 1600 m above the
nearby seafloor.

Sulphur mining was attempted but was
abandoned in 1914 after a lahar
killed all 10 workers. The main
activities on the island now are
guided tours and scientific
research.