Q 01/05

Vesuvius stands on the shore of which body of water?

A) The Gulf of Taranto

B) The Gulf of Naples

C) The Gulf of Genoa

D) The Gulf of Venice

Answer · why

B) The Gulf of Naples

It is about nine kilometres east of the city and only a short distance from the water.

Q 02/05

Vesuvius is in which region of Italy?

A) Sicily

B) Calabria

C) Campania

D) Lazio

Answer · why

C) Campania

It is one of several volcanoes making up the Campanian volcanic arc.

Q 03/05

What type of volcano is Vesuvius?

A) A cinder cone

B) A stratovolcano

C) A shield volcano

D) A lava dome

Answer · why

B) A stratovolcano

More precisely a somma-stratovolcano: a large cone partly ringed by the rim of an older, collapsed structure.

Q 04/05

The steep rim partly encircling Vesuvius's cone is the remnant of which older, much higher structure?

A) Mount Somma

B) Mount Epomeo

C) Monte Amiata

D) Monte Nuovo

Answer · why

A) Mount Somma

It gave its name to the geological term 'somma volcano' for any volcano with a summit caldera around a newer cone.

Q 05/05

How high is the summit of Vesuvius's main cone above sea level?

A) 1,281 m

B) 2,081 m

C) 1,481 m

D) 1,681 m

Answer · why

A) 1,281 m

Around 25,000 years ago the early volcano was about 2,000 metres tall, with its summit 500 metres east of today's.