About Lajas, Las
Lajas, Las is a caldera rising to 926 meters (3,038 feet) in Nicaragua's Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions. No historical eruptions have been recorded, though the volcano is classified based on geological evidence of past activity.
Geography & Climate
Lajas, Las is located in Nicaragua, within the Central America Volcanic Arc of the broader Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions. Situated at 12.30° N, 85.73° W in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a tropical climate zone. With a summit elevation of 926 meters above sea level, Lajas, Las is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a caldera, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.
GVP Reference Summary
Las Lajas is the largest volcano of possible Quaternary age east of the Nicaraguan graben. The low 7-km-diameter basaltic caldera is breached on the SE side, where a river drains into Lake Nicaragua. Five coalescing andesitic-dacitic lava domes are located in the center of the caldera, and additional domes are present on the outer flanks. McBirney and Williams (1965) was considered Las Lajas to be Holocene based on morphology, and Van Wyk de Vries (1999, pers. comm.) noted that it was of probable Pleistocene age, but that youthful cinder cones on the flanks are similar to those of the Nejapa alignment and may be Holocene. However, Plank et al. (2002) obtained three radiometric dates of Miocene age.
— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program
0 Recorded Eruptions
No eruption records available for Lajas, Las.
Real-Time Data
USGS Alert Level
Thermal Anomalies
Frequently Asked Questions About Lajas, Las
Is Lajas, Las an active volcano?+
Lajas, Las is not currently classified as active. Its activity evidence is listed as "unknown." No recorded eruptions have been documented. However, no volcano is ever considered permanently extinct.
How high is Lajas, Las?+
Lajas, Las has a summit elevation of 926 meters (3,038 feet) above sea level. At 926 meters, it is a relatively low-elevation volcano.
What type of volcano is Lajas, Las?+
Lajas, Las is classified as a Caldera. Calderas are large volcanic depressions formed when a volcano erupts so powerfully that its magma chamber collapses, creating a basin that can be kilometers wide. They are often sites of some of Earth's largest eruptions.
Where is Lajas, Las located?+
Lajas, Las is located in Nicaragua, in the Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions. More specifically, it lies within the Central America Volcanic Arc. Its exact coordinates are 12.305° latitude, -85.729° longitude.
Is it safe to visit Lajas, Las?+
Lajas, Las can generally be visited, but as with any volcano, visitors should check local conditions and any advisory notices before traveling. Nicaragua may have specific regulations for accessing volcanic areas. Guided tours are often the safest and most informative way to experience a volcano.
