One of America's most active volcanoes: How Pagan Island became home to just two residents

Far out in the western Pacific, in a chain of islands that form part of United States territory, sits Pagan, one of the most active volcanoes in the entire Mariana Islands arc. The island was completely evacuated in 1981 after a major eruption forced its small community to flee, and it has remained largely uninhabited ever since. Current population figures put the island's residents at just two people, though only one, a man who has drawn attention online after being featured in a travel documentary, has had his life on the island documented in any detail. He has spent years living there, on a volcanic island still closely monitored for eruptions by American geological agencies. The island itself, its volcanic history and its official hazard status are all matters of public scientific record.What makes Pagan Island one of the most active volcanoes in US territoryAccording to the United States Geological Survey, Pagan is the largest and one of the most active volcanoes in the Mariana Islands, made up of two stratovolcanoes connected by a narrow strip of land. The northern volcano, Mount Pagan, rises 570 metres above sea level and accounts for almost all of the island's recorded hist...