Most Famous Geysers Around the World That are Truly Spectacular

A geyser, in simple terms, can be described as a natural expulsion of water from below the Earth's surface, often coexisting with steam. Geysers are rare phenomena, and hence, we at Buzzle try to enlist such geysers that are known for their unique characteristics.

The term geyser has its roots in the Icelandic verb geysa, meaning 'to gush'.

Geysers are formed as a result of hydro geological conditions, when the groundwater is heated by magmatic bodies. Once the groundwater is heated to near-boiling point, sometimes, the pressure in the passages within the geysers is suddenly released. This results into the spouting or a jet-like release of the water through the vent, accompanied by vapor.

Although an uncommon geological feature, there over a thousand natural geysers present around the world. Most of those (more than 300) are located in the Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Around 200 are found in Russia, while the remaining are present all over the world, including Iceland and New Zealand. Some of the most famous geysers around the world are witnessed in action in USA, Russia, Iceland, and New Zealand. This Buzzle article gives you a gist of some of these hot water geysers that attract millions of tourists every year.

Strokkur

Location: East of Reykjavik, Iceland

A part of the Haukadalur geothermal area, Strokkur is a fountain geyser near the Hvítá River in Iceland. Named after the Icelandic word meaning to churn, the geyser erupts at an interval of every 5 to 10 minutes. Strokkur's first record of active eruption dates back to 1789, but in 1896, an earthquake blocked its passage or plumbing system, putting a halt to its activity. In 1963, locals cleared the conduit and unblocked the plumbing system, thereby restoring its erupting cycle.

Valley of Geysers

Location: Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

The world's second-largest geyser field, the Valley of Geysers is a 6-km long basin located in the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. The field contains over 30 geysers that have been officially named. Designated a World Heritage Site, a mud-flow disaster of 2007 submerged most of the field area. However, some of the geysers remain active till date.

Steamboat Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Steamboat can erupt more than 90 m in height, making it the world's tallest active geyser. The eruptions are irregular, having a duration of 3 to 40 minutes. Located in the Norris Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, Steamboat's recent eruptions have been reported to be 3 to 5 m high.

Castle Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Named after its original structure resembling a castle, the Castle Geyser erupts every 9 - 11 hours to a height of 18 - 27 m. After every eruption, a loud steam phase follows for another 30 - 40 minutes. A cone geyser, this geological feature also exhibits shorter eruptions and steam phases of up to 11 minutes.

Old Faithful

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Of all the geysers in Yellowstone National Park, the Old Faithful was the first one to receive a name. A cone geyser, the Old Faithful is located at an elevation of 2,240 m in the Upper Geyser Basin region of the park. Study states that the eruptions of this geyser occur approximately every 90 minutes (on an average). With the height reaching up to 45 m, the duration of each eruption lasts roughly between 1.5 to 5.5 minutes.

Geysers of Whakarewarewa

Location: Rotorua, New Zealand

Whakarewarewa is a geothermal region located in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of Rotorua city in New Zealand. Out of a possible 500 pools, 7 geysers are currently active, having an extremely complex geology, where the activity of one geyser influences the working of others. One of the most famous geysers in this geyser field is the Pohutu geyser, which can erupt up to 30 m high.

The Great Geysir

Location: Southwestern Iceland

The Great Geyser is located in the Hauka valley (Haukadalur) of Iceland. The oldest records of Geyser's activity date back to the 13th century, which were a result of frequent earthquakes taking place in that region. The geyser can erupt up to 70 m vertically, with the eruptions being extremely irregular.

Great Fountain Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

The Great Fountain is located in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, and is considered one of the 'great geysers' of the park. This geyser erupts in series which can last up to 2 hours. The time interval between two eruptions range from 9 to 15 hours, with the height varying between 23 to 67 m.

Other Famous Geysers

Beehive Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Giant Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Grand Geyser

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Prince of Wales Feathers Geyser

Location: Whakarewarewa, New Zealand

Waimangu Geyser

Location: Rotorua, New Zealand

Although a geyser's eruptive nature may change owing to human interference, earthquakes, deposition of minerals within the conduit, and/or influence of nearby hot springs, its unique mechanism continues to be a topic of interest and study.