Japan is a country in the Pacific ring of fire, so there are many active volcanoes there. There is even one island in Japan, where the inhabitants live side by side with the volcano, the island is called Aogashima. This island can be categorized as one of the most extreme inhabited islands in the world.

Aogashima Island is a volcanic island located in the south of Japan which is about 358 km from the south of Tokyo. The island is part of the Izus archipelago, the southernmost and most isolated inhabited island.

Politically and administratively, the island of Aogashima is part of Japan, but geographically not part of the Japanese Archipelago. The islands border the northeastern Philippine sea and lie just north of the Bonin archipelago, which is administered by Japan.

Aogashima Island has a very interesting topography, this island is surrounded by sheer cliffs that make it look like a large bowl. When viewed from above, the shape of Aogashima Island is similar to a large bowl surrounded by High Cliffs.

Aogashima Island is formed by four overlapping cauldron-like calderas. Which means there is a caldera inside the caldera. This unique topography has its own origin, namely in 1785 this mountain experienced a violent eruption, which then formed a caldera on this island. As a result of the eruption, Aogashima Island was uninhabited for 50 years.

Despite its extreme isolation, the island is inhabited by around 206 people. The island is 3.5 KM long and 2.5 KM wide.

The island's volcano last erupted in 1785 which killed around 140 people or half the population. However, this does not frighten residents to stay on this island.

Even though the island of Aogashima has been quiet since its last eruption, the volcano here is still active and is just waiting to erupt again. But fortunately, volcanology has progressed so much that they can provide early warning of the next eruption.

The history of human settlement on the island of Aogashima is not known for certain.
Most of the people in Aogashima are Japanese. The island is mentioned in Edo period records, kept on Hachijo-jima, which record volcanic activity in 1652, and from 1670 to 1680.

Currently Aogashima Island has only one shop, one Post office, 2 bars, one elementary school, and one middle school. For accommodation on this island there are several small and simple inns. Most of the inhabitants of Aogashima live in the crater walls. Their work is generally farming, but some of them become government employees.

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