Java, Indonesia

The settlement, located on the island of Java, is worth to be mentioned among the most extreme. Here, people literally live on a volcano. The island features the world famous Merapi volcano that is the most active of the 128 volcanoes in Indonesia. On average, the structure erupts twice a year, and large destructive explosions occur every seven years. Literally, every such an explosion takes lives and razes settlements. About 500 000 people live in the immediate vicinity of the volcano.

The island of Java is about 132 000 square km, the number of the island's population exceeds 140 million people. The place is very popular among tourists; they are attracted with picturesque rainforests, unique historical sites, magnificent beaches, and resort hotels. It is difficult to imagine that near this picturesque region that is full of life stands on extremely dangerous lands where people are exposed to the mortal danger literally every day.

There is a huge number of Buddhist sites, including the majestic temple of Borobudur. Many historical sites of the island are included in the UNESCO list. You have only to get close to the foot of the volcano, and completely different landscapes will open to your eyes. Here, you can see a lot of ghost towns that were completely destroyed during one of the eruptions. Today, these towns are completely covered with ashes and stand absolutely lifeless. Next - Motu