Volcanoes are openings, or vents, in the surface of Earth where gases, lava and pyroclastic material are erupted. Because of the different types of magma, and the locations where they form, volcanoes can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Volcanoes are classified based on their height, shape, magma type, and eruption style. In this section, you can learn about four types of volcanoes.

The two primary types are shield volcanoes and composite volcanoes. Cinder cones and lava domes are considered to be secondary cones, because they occur on or near composite or shield volcanoes.

Explore a volcano type by selecting an image on the left.