Which volcano forms the highest point of the North American mainland, at 5,636 metres?
Answer
Pico de Orizaba
Pico de Orizaba forms the highest point of the North American mainland, at about 5,636 metres.
The Mexican stratovolcano stands in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, between the states of Veracruz and Puebla. It is also Mexico’s highest mountain and the third-highest mountain in North America, after Denali and Mount Logan when the continent is considered as a whole.
Its summit rises above a large glacier-covered cone. The mountain’s Nahuatl name, Citlaltépetl, is commonly translated as “Star Mountain,” a reference to its striking appearance from surrounding regions.
This question refers to the mainland rather than all North American islands. Denali is higher than Pico de Orizaba, but it is not a volcano.