Composite and shield volcanoes are found along plate margins. They have distinctive characteristics and can have both positive and negative effects on people and the landscape.
There are two main types of volcano - composite and shield. The two types of volcano form in different places and have very different characteristics.
Composite volcanoes are found on destructive plate margins, where the oceanic crust sinks beneath the continental crust. Composite volcanoes have the following characteristics:
An example of a composite volcano is Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.
Shield volcanoes are found on constructive plate margins, where two plates move away from one another. Shield volcanoes have the following characteristics: