Masaya Volcano Wonders

Masaya Volcano is a complex shield volcano with a large caldera.

Masaya Volcano lies 20 kilometers south of Nicaragua’s capital Managua.

The volcano contains the active Santiago crater that emits sulfur dioxide.

Masaya caldera formed 2,500 years ago from a huge eruption.

An 8 cubic kilometer basaltic ignimbrite created the Masaya caldera.

The caldera floor is mostly covered by ʻaʻā lava from recent flows.

Only two lava flows erupted since the 16th century at Masaya.

Nindiri crater held a one kilometer wide lava lake in 1670.

Masaya Volcano National Park covers 54 square kilometers of terrain.

Masaya is part of the Central American Volcanic Belt formed by plates.

Several explosive events have occurred at Masaya in the last 50 years.

Nik Wallenda walked a steel cable over Masaya’s caldera in 2020.