Volcán Tajumulco

LocationSan Marcos, GuatemalaParent rangeSierra MadreGeologyMountain typeStratovolcanoVolcanic arc/beltCentral America Volcanic ArcLast eruptionUnknown

Volcán Tajumulco is a large stratovolcano in the department of San Marcos in western Guatemala. It is the highest mountain in Central America at 4,203 metres (13,789 ft). It is part of the mountain range of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, which begins in Mexico's southernmost state of Chiapas.^[1]

Description

Tajumulco is composed of andesitic-dacitic lavas on the top of a large escarpment of uncertain origin. It has two summits, one of which has a crater 50–70 metres (160–230 ft) wide. A lava flow from the north-western summit descends into a steep valley on the same side of the volcano.^[2]

The volcano's eruptive history is unclear and the date of its last eruption unknown. Reports from the 18th and early 19th century claim to record eruptions but these are considered unlikely.^[2]

The region around Tajumulco is relatively sparsely populated.^[2] The nearest town is San Marcos, located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) to the south-east.^[1] Although it is infrequently visited,^[2] the volcano can be climbed in about five hours from the hamlet of Tuichán. Views are variable as the area is frequently covered in mist and cloud, with conditions at their least favorable between April and September.^[3]

See also

• List of mountain peaks of North America
  • List of mountain peaks of Central America
    • List of volcanoes in Guatemala
• List of elevation extremes by country

Notes

References

• Encyclopædia Britannica Online. "Tajumulco Volcano". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
• INSIVUMEH. "Volcanes de Guatemala" (in Spanish). Guatemala City: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorologíá e Hidrologíá (INSIVUMEH) - Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda. Retrieved 2011-01-14.

External links

• "Tajumulco". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
• Media related to Tajumulco at Wikimedia Commons