Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily. Its topmost elevation is about 10,900 feet (3,320 metres) and it has been active since the end of the Neogene Period (i.e., for about the past 2.6 million years). The volcano has had more than one active centre and a number of subsidiary cones have been formed on lateral fissures extending out from the centre and down the sides .
Mount Etna consists of two edifices: an ancient shield volcano at its base, and the younger Mongibello stratovolcano, which was built on top of the shield. The basaltic shield volcano eruptions began about 500,000 years ago, while the stratovolcano began forming about 35,000 years ago from more trachytic lavas .
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