Would You Live Here?

    The island of Stromboli sits off the coast of Italy. It’s beautiful—and tiny. You can get from one end to the other in about 20 minutes.

    Today about 300 people live on Stromboli. In the early 1900s, the population was closer to 4,000. Then, in 1930, there was a big eruption. Six people were killed. Parts of the village were destroyed. That was enough to scare most people away. 

    Not everyone left, though. The people who live on Stromboli today feel like they know the volcano well. They call it “he” and talk about it as if it’s a friend.

    The island of Stromboli sits off the coast of Italy. It’s beautiful. It’s tiny too. You can get from one end to the other in about 20 minutes.

    Today about 300 people live on Stromboli. In the early 1900s, about 4,000 people lived there. Then, in 1930, there was a big eruption. Six people were killed. Parts of the village were destroyed. That scared people. Many left.

    Some people stayed, though. The people who live on Stromboli today feel like they know the volcano well. They call it “he.” They talk about it like it’s a friend. 

    The island of Stromboli, which sits off the coast of Italy, is beautiful—and tiny. You can get from one end of the island to the other in about 20 minutes.

    Today about 300 people live on Stromboli. In the early 1900s, the population was closer to 4,000—but in 1930, a big eruption killed six people and destroyed parts of the village. That was enough to scare most people away.

    Not everyone left, however. The people who live on Stromboli today feel like they know the volcano well. They call it “he” and talk about it as if it’s a friend.

    That “friend” brings thousands of visitors to the island each year. They rent rooms, take boat rides, and eat fancy meals. They also love to hike up the volcano at night. Usually they’re guided by a local tour guide. All this tourism helps the people of Stromboli make money.

    Scientists visit too. They study the volcano, hoping to understand how it works. Over the years, their discoveries have led to a better warning system. Today, before a dangerous eruption, sirens alert anyone nearby. After that, they’ll have just 10 minutes to run away. If they’re close to the top of the volcano, the warning won’t save them.

    Jacopo Crimi spent time on the island as a kid. Now he lives there. He likes that the volcano reminds him of the power of nature. “You really miss it when you leave here,” he told The New York Times. “You feel lost.” 

    That “friend” brings thousands of visitors to the island each year. They rent rooms. They take boat rides. They eat fancy meals. They hike up the volcano at night (with a local tour guide). The people of Stromboli make money from these visits.

    Scientists visit too. They study the volcano. They try to learn how it works. Their work has led to a better warning system. Today, sirens go off before a big eruption. People have 10 minutes to run away. If they’re near the top of the volcano, the warning won’t save them.

    Jacopo Crimi spent time on the island as a kid. Now he lives there. The volcano reminds him of the power of nature. “You really miss it when you leave here,”
he says. “You feel lost.” 

    That “friend” attracts thousands of visitors to the island each year. They rent rooms, take boat rides, and enjoy fancy meals. They also love to hike up the volcano at night—usually guided by a local tour guide. All this tourism creates opportunities for the people of Stromboli to make money.

    Scientists also visit the island, studying the volcano in hopes of understanding how it works. Over time, their discoveries have led to a better warning system. Today, before a big eruption, the sound of sirens gives people 10 minutes to run away. If they’re close to the top of the volcano, the warning won’t save them.

    Jacopo Crimi, who spent time on the island as a kid and now lives there, appreciates the way the volcano reminds him of the power of nature. “You really miss it when you leave here,” he told The New York Times. “You feel lost.”