Etna

... More >

rock allows water to sink down rapidly to lower levels, where it meets an impervious bed of rocks and emerges in many places as springs. Oranges and lemons are grown up to about 500m/1,650ft, olives and vines to 1,300m/4,290ft. Above this are forest trees and macchia up to 2,100m/6,930ft, sometimes with recent lava flows cutting through them. The summit region up to the snow line is a dull black wasteland glistening in the sun.

Eruptions

There are more than one hundred known eruptions of Etna. The volcanic vents, more than 260 in number, are mostly on the flanks of the mountain. Major activity occurs at intervals of four to twelve years (the most recent eruption was in 1992).

Solar power-station

On the south slope of Etna, where the sun shines for 3,000 hours in a year, stands the solar power-station "Eurhelios" (surface 6,000 sq.m/7,176 sq.yd).