Vanuatu lies along the New Hebrides subduction zone, where the Australian Plate dives beneath the Pacific Plate, making the archipelago one of the most seismically active places on Earth for its size. The rapid convergence generates frequent strong earthquakes and feeds a chain of highly active volcanoes running the length of the island group.
Among its standout volcanoes are Yasur on Tanna, one of the world's most continuously active and accessible volcanoes, and the restless caldera of Ambrym with its lava lakes. Large offshore earthquakes and their tsunami potential are a constant hazard, and Vanuatu regularly ranks among the countries most exposed to natural disasters worldwide.