Ecuador is home to Cotopaxi, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes.
Cotopaxi is a nearly symmetrical, snow-capped stratovolcano in Ecuador’s Andes. Its summit rises to about 5,897 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth. The mountain is located south of Quito within Cotopaxi National Park.
The volcano has erupted many times since the eighteenth century, with notable activity in 1742, 1744, 1768, and 1877. Its name is commonly interpreted as meaning “neck of the moon” in an Indigenous Andean language, although translations vary.
Cotopaxi is not Ecuador’s highest mountain; that distinction belongs to Chimborazo, a fact sometimes confused with the volcano’s dramatic appearance. Cotopaxi’s special distinction is its combination of great elevation, classic cone shape, and continuing volcanic activity.