Volcanic activity in the area has been steadily increasing since November

Jan 24, 2013 20:11 GMT  ·  By

New Zealand's White Island is located in the Bay of Plenty, and for the time being at least, it is uninhabited.

This is because this region is characterized by significant and ongoing hydrothermal activity, and probably also because the island measures just 2 km (1.25 miles) in diameter.

Apparently, the people living on mainland are quite happy to have the White Island in their proximity (i.e. about 48 km/30 miles off the north island of New Zealand), seeing how such displays of activity more often than not attract quite a lot of tourists.

In order to have a closer look at the island, these tourists use either a boat, or a helicopter.

This particular video was shot and made available to the general public by Brad Scott of GNS Science, who witnessed the volcano's increased hydrothermal activity while carrying out a routine monitoring trip.