---
title: "Shield Volcano: Definition, Formation, Examples"
description: "A shield volcano is a broad, gently sloping basaltic cone built by fluid lava flows. Learn how it differs from a stratovolcano, with UPSC-relevant examples."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/shield-volcano"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- A shield volcano is a broad, gently sloping volcano built almost entirely from successive flows of low-viscosity basaltic lava that spread far before solidifying.
- What is the principal difference between a shield volcano and a stratovolcano?
- Why do shield volcanoes have such gentle slopes?
- Are shield volcanoes dangerous if their eruptions are non-explosive?
- How are shield volcanoes linked to hotspots and plate tectonics?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

A shield volcano is a broad, gently sloping volcano built almost entirely from successive flows of low-viscosity basaltic lava that spread far before solidifying.

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Example

In November–December 2022, Hawaii's Mauna Loa—the world's largest subaerial shield volcano—erupted for the first time since 1984, sending fluid basaltic lava flows toward the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and prompting USGS hazard monitoring.

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