Coatepeque Caldera
Satellite view of the Coatepeque Caldera
Highest point
Elevation	746 m (2,448 ft)[1]
Coordinates	13°52′N 89°33′W / 13.87°N 89.55°W / 13.87; -89.55
Dimensions
Length	7 km (4.3 mi)
Width	10 km (6.2 mi)
Naming
Native name	Kuātepēk (Pipil)
English translation	"at the snake hill"
Geography
Coatepeque Caldera
Country	El Salvador
Department	Santa Ana
Municipality	Coatepeque
Geology
Formed by	Volcanic eruption
Mountain type(s)	Caldera, stratovolcanoes[1]
Rock type(s)	Rhyolite, Dacite, Andesite/Basaltic andesite, Pumice, Ignimbrite
Volcanic arc	Central America Volcanic Arc
Last eruption	72,000 and 57,000 years ago
Lake Coatepeque
Lago de Coatepeque (Spanish)
Location	Coatepeque, Santa Ana
Coordinates	13°51′53″N 89°32′48″W / 13.864702°N 89.546800°W / 13.864702; -89.546800
Type	Caldera lake
Basin countries	El Salvador
Max. length	7 km (4.3 mi)[2]
Max. width	10 km (6.2 mi)[2]
Surface area	10 mi2 (26 km2)
Average depth	115 ft (35 m)
Max. depth	115 m (377 ft)
Surface elevation	745 m (2,444 ft)
Islands	Isla Teopán
References	[2]
Location
Interactive map of Lake Coatepeque

Coatepeque Caldera (Nawat: kuātepēk, "at the snake hill") is a volcanic caldera in El Salvador in Central America. The caldera was formed during a series of rhyolitic explosive eruptions from a group of stratovolcanoes between about 72,000 and 57,000 years ago. Since then, basaltic cinder cones and lava flows formed near the west edge of the caldera, and six rhyodacitic lava domes have formed. The youngest dome, Cerro Pacho, formed after 8000 BC.

Lake Coatepeque

Lake Coatepeque (Lago de Coatepeque) is a large crater lake in the east part of the Coatepeque Caldera. It is in Coatepeque municipality, Santa Ana, El Salvador. There are hot springs near the lake margins. At 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi), it is one of the largest lakes in El Salvador. In the lake is the island of Teopan, which was a Mayan site of some importance.

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  Isla Teopán
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Lake Coatepeque is also known to change colors from blue to turquoise. According to authorities of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador, this is a cyclical phenomenon that occurs from time to time. The color change has happened in 1998, 2006, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. ^[3]

See also

• List of volcanoes in El Salvador

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coatepeque Caldera.

• "Coatepeque Caldera". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.

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