About Biu Plateau
Biu Plateau is a volcanic field rising to 930 meters (3,051 feet) in Nigeria's Northern Africa Volcanic Regions. No historical eruptions have been recorded, though the volcano is classified based on geological evidence of past activity.
Geography & Climate
Biu Plateau is located in Nigeria, within the Western Africa Volcanic Province of the broader Northern Africa Volcanic Regions. Situated at 10.75° N, 12.09° E in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a tropical climate zone. With a summit elevation of 930 meters above sea level, Biu Plateau is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a cluster, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.
GVP Reference Summary
The Biu Plateau in NE Nigeria is composed of basaltic lava flows. A large number of recent cinder cones with well-defined craters are aligned in a NNW-SSE direction over a distance of 50 km. The cinder cones and lava flows often contain abundant peridotite xenoliths. Work in this area has been inconsistent and infrequent. Age dates (K-Ar) were reported by Lar and others (2013; citing Baudin, 1991) as being in the 5-1.4 Ma range. Fitton and Dunlop (1985) presented K-Ar ages of 5.20 +/- 0.33 Ma for a basalt 24 km S of the town of Biu near the base of the plateau, and 0.84 +/- 0.09 Ma for a basanite on the north end of the plateau; neither roadside sample was clearly identified with a specific cone. Obaje (2009) describes the chronology of the Biu Plateau as "well controlled by radiometric dating" with plateau basalts in the 7-5 Ma range and Quaternary basalts less than 1 Ma; no citations are provided. A pollen record from Lake Tila (Salzmann, 2000) spanned the entire Holocene; however, adjacent graph scales showing age (in ka BP) and core depth terminating at 840 cm have apparently been misunderstood, resulting in Salzmann being cited in some places as indicating volcanism 840,000 years ago.
— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program
0 Recorded Eruptions
No eruption records available for Biu Plateau.
Real-Time Data
USGS Alert Level
Thermal Anomalies
Frequently Asked Questions About Biu Plateau
Is Biu Plateau an active volcano?+
Biu Plateau is not currently classified as active. Its activity evidence is listed as "unknown." No recorded eruptions have been documented. However, no volcano is ever considered permanently extinct.
How high is Biu Plateau?+
Biu Plateau has a summit elevation of 930 meters (3,051 feet) above sea level. At 930 meters, it is a relatively low-elevation volcano.
What type of volcano is Biu Plateau?+
Biu Plateau is classified as a Volcanic field. Volcanic fields consist of clusters of small volcanic vents and cinder cones spread across a region. Rather than a single central vent, eruptions can occur at many points across the field.
Where is Biu Plateau located?+
Biu Plateau is located in Nigeria, in the Northern Africa Volcanic Regions. More specifically, it lies within the Western Africa Volcanic Province. Its exact coordinates are 10.750° latitude, 12.088° longitude.
Is it safe to visit Biu Plateau?+
Biu Plateau can generally be visited, but as with any volcano, visitors should check local conditions and any advisory notices before traveling. Nigeria may have specific regulations for accessing volcanic areas. Guided tours are often the safest and most informative way to experience a volcano.
