active volcano of the Kamchatka Peninsula, far eastern Russia. It is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, rising to a height of 15,584 feet (4,750 m), the highest point on the peninsula. The volcano consists of a truncated cone with a central crater, with some 70 lateral craters and cones on the lower slopes. The volcano, which has erupted more than 50 times since 1700, is characterized by smoke continuously billowing above its summit. The Kamchatka Volcanological Station, established in 1935, is located at its base.