Mount Vesuvius (Monte Vesuvio in Italian) is a stratovolcano east of Naples, in Italy. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting.
Mount Vesuvius is on the coast of the Bay of Naples, about nine kilometres east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is conspicuous in the beautiful landscape presented by that bay, when seen from the sea, with Naples in the foreground.
Mount Vesuvius is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompei and Herculaneum. It has erupted many times since and is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3.000.000 people living nearby. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.