Acatenango
Stratovolcano(es) in Guatemala
Key Facts
Elevation
3,976 m (13,045 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano(es)
Location
14.501°, -90.876°
Region
Central America Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Acatenango is ~15 km SW of the city of Antigua, Guatemala, and 3 km N of Fuego volcano. Both edifices were constructed during three eruptive periods post-dating the roughly 85,000-year-old Los Chocoyos tephra from Atitlán caldera. An older Acatenango edifice collapsed to the south sometime prior to 43,000 years ago, forming La Democracia debris-avalanche deposit, which covers a wide area of the Pacific coastal plain.
Construction of the Yepocapa cone, ~900 m N of the main crater, was completed about 20,000 years ago, after which growth of the larger southern cone, Pico Central (also known as Pico Mayor), began. The first well-documented eruptions took place from 1924 to 1927 CE. Francisco Vasquez, writing in 1690 CE, noted that in 1661 a volcano that lay aside of Fuego "opened a smoking mouth and still gives off smoke from another three, but without noise.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 54 years ago | Historical | Recently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 342080
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Acatenango (right) is seen here with Fuego at the center in 1986. Volcán Acatenango was constructed during three eruptive periods post-dating the roughly 84,000-year-old Los Chocoyos Ash from Atitlán caldera. The eruptive period of Yepocapa, the northern peak of Acatenango, ceased about 20,000 years ago. The eruption of the southern and highest cone, Pico Mayor began at that time.
Photo by Bill Rose, 1986 (Michigan Technological University).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.