Volcán Tajumulco

Volcán Tajumulco
Volcán Tajumulco
	Crater of the Volcán Tajumulco
Highest point
Elevation	4,203 m (13,789 ft)
Prominence	3,980 m (13,060 ft)
Listing	World most prominent peaks 24th; North America highest peak 69th; North America prominent 5th; North America isolated peak 15th; Country high point;
Coordinates	15°02′37″N 91°54′12″W / 15.043685°N 91.903308°W
Geography
	Volcán Tajumulco Location in Guatemala
Location	San Marcos, Guatemala
Parent range	Sierra Madre
Geology
Mountain type	Stratovolcano
Volcanic arc	Central America Volcanic Arc
Last eruption	Unknown

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]

Notes

^ ^a ^b "Tajumulco Volcano." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 27 February 2012. Accessed 22 April 2017
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Tajumulco". Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
^ Stewart, Iain (2009). The Rough Guide to Guatemala. Rough Guides Limited. p. 477. ISBN 978-1-84836-017-4.

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.