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San Cristóbal

Nicaragua's Highest and Most Restless Volcano

Elevation

1,745 m

Last Eruption

2024

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Nicaragua

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity2 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Nicaragua Volcanoes
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Chinandega Department
Regional volcanoes
a view of the ocean with a city in the distance

Boris Busorgin

via Unsplash

Other Volcanoes in Nicaragua

Interesting Facts

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San Cristóbal is Nicaragua's highest volcano at 1,745 m (5,725 ft) — taller than any other peak in the Marrabios Range.

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The volcano has erupted 38 times in its recorded history, with 16 eruptions since 2001 alone — averaging more than one eruption per year in the 21st century.

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San Cristóbal is one of Central America's top volcanic sources of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), with persistent degassing from its 500 × 600 m summit crater.

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The 1998 Hurricane Mitch disaster on neighboring Volcán Casita — part of the same volcanic complex — killed over 2,500 people in a catastrophic landslide and lahar, one of the deadliest volcanic-terrain disasters of the 20th century.

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The city of Chichigalpa, home to ~46,000 people and Central America's largest sugar mill, lies only 8 km from the summit crater.

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San Cristóbal is also known as 'El Viejo' ('The Old Man'), a name shared with the nearby colonial town founded in the early 16th century.

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The volcanic complex consists of five principal edifices: San Cristóbal, El Chonco, Moyotepe, Casita, and La Pelona caldera — spanning roughly 20 km.

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The volcano's basaltic composition is unusual among Central American stratovolcanoes, which typically erupt andesitic magma.

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The August 2017 VEI 3 eruption was the strongest at San Cristóbal in nearly 500 years, sending an ash plume approximately 4.5 km above the summit.

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San Cristóbal's summit crater is persistently degassing, producing visible gas plumes that serve as a daily marker for residents of the Chinandega lowlands.

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The gap between 1685 and 1971 in the eruption record — nearly 300 years — likely reflects incomplete reporting rather than true quiescence.

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Fertile volcanic soils derived from San Cristóbal's eruptions support one of Nicaragua's most productive sugarcane-growing regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Cristóbal volcano active?
Yes, San Cristóbal is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. It has produced 38 recorded eruptions since 1528, with 16 eruptions since 2001 alone. The most recent eruption occurred in June 2024. The volcano is continuously monitored by INETER (Nicaragua's seismological institute) and its summit crater is a persistent source of SO₂ gas emissions. Future eruptions in the near term are considered highly likely given its historical eruption frequency.
When did San Cristóbal last erupt?
San Cristóbal's most recent eruption occurred on June 7, 2024, rated VEI 1. Prior to that, the volcano was in an extended eruption phase from December 2020 to 2022 (VEI 2). The volcano has averaged more than one eruption per year in the 21st century, making brief quiet intervals between events the norm rather than the exception.
How tall is San Cristóbal?
San Cristóbal stands at 1,745 m (5,725 ft), making it Nicaragua's highest volcano. For comparison, other notable Nicaraguan volcanoes include Momotombo (1,297 m), Concepción (1,610 m), and Telica (1,061 m). Despite being the tallest, San Cristóbal is not the most voluminous volcano in the country — that distinction goes to the massive Masaya caldera complex.
What happened at Volcán Casita in 1998?
On October 30, 1998, torrential rainfall from Hurricane Mitch destabilized the hydrothermally altered rocks of Volcán Casita — part of the San Cristóbal volcanic complex — triggering a massive debris avalanche that became a lahar. The flow buried the communities of El Porvenir and Rolando Rodríguez near Posoltega, killing over 2,500 people in minutes. This was not a volcanic eruption but a rainfall-induced slope failure on volcanic terrain, illustrating the compound hazards of volcanic complexes.
Can you hike San Cristóbal?
Yes, San Cristóbal can be hiked, though it is a strenuous ascent. The round trip from the base near Chichigalpa takes 5–7 hours, gaining roughly 1,400 m in elevation over steep, loose volcanic terrain. Local guides can be arranged through tour operators in Chinandega or León. Hikers should check INETER volcanic alerts before ascending, as the summit crater emits toxic gases and the volcano can erupt with little warning.
How dangerous is San Cristóbal?
San Cristóbal poses a high hazard due to its frequent eruptions and proximity to populated areas. The city of Chichigalpa (~46,000 people) is only 8 km from the summit, and the departmental capital Chinandega (~135,000) lies approximately 20 km south-southwest. Ashfall from eruptions can damage crops, contaminate water, and cause respiratory problems. The compound nature of the volcanic complex adds landslide and lahar risks, as demonstrated by the 1998 Casita disaster that killed over 2,500 people.
What type of volcano is San Cristóbal?
San Cristóbal is classified as a stratovolcano (composite volcano), built up from alternating layers of lava flows, ash, and other volcanic materials. It is notable for its basaltic composition — unusual among Central American stratovolcanoes, which typically erupt andesitic magma. The volcano is part of a complex of five volcanic edifices including El Chonco, Moyotepe, Casita, and La Pelona caldera.
Why is San Cristóbal also called El Viejo?
'El Viejo' means 'The Old Man' or 'The Old One' in Spanish. The name is shared with the nearby colonial town of El Viejo, one of Nicaragua's oldest settlements. The dual naming reflects the volcano's deep cultural significance in the Chinandega region. In volcanological literature, 'San Cristóbal' is the formal designation, while 'El Viejo' remains the common local name.