Nicaragua Volcanoes

 

Nicaragua, located within the active Central American Volcanic Arc, possesses a chain of volcanoes sculpted by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate. This dynamic geological setting fuels the country’s significant volcanism, manifested in the forms of towering stratovolcanoes, sprawling calderas, and low-lying volcanic complexes.

Nicaragua’s volcanoes showcase a range of eruptive styles and activity levels. Masaya, a basaltic shield volcano with a persistently active lava lake, produces continuous gas emissions and occasional lava fountaining. San Cristóbal, the country’s highest volcano, exhibits periods of unrest and phreatic (steam-driven) eruptions. Concepción, an imposing stratovolcano on the island of Ometepe, has a history of both effusive lava flows and explosive activity. Other notable volcanoes, such as Cerro Negro, a young cinder cone with a record of frequent eruptions, and Telica, known for its persistent degassing, contribute to Nicaragua’s active volcanic landscape.

• Concepción Volcano
• Masaya
• Momotombo
• San Cristóbal