The capital city, San Salvador, is situated on the shore of Lago Ilopongo. Like most of the lakes in the Central American volcanic belt, this lake has a volcanic origin. It lies in a large caldera, similar to that of Lake Atitlán, in Guatemala.

Santa Ana volcano is located near the capital city of San Salvador. It was exhibiting moderate fumarolic activity but had not erupted in a long time. This image was taken from the summit of Izalco volcano, a parasitic cone perched on Santa Ana's south side.

 
 

Santa Ana is a stratovolcano as is clearly shown by the inside of the crater wall where interbedded ashes and lavas can be seen. The lake in the crater is highly acidic due to the intense fumarolic activity.

To the northeast of Santa Ana is Lago Coatepeque, a caldera lake similar in appearance to Crater Lake, Oregon. Unlike its North American counterpart, the island in this lake is composed of a rhyolitic dome.

Izalco volcano is a parasitic cone on Santa Ana's south flank. It used to be known as the "Lighthouse of the Pacific" because it was in continuous eruption from colonial times until the late 1960's. Since its sudden cessation of eruptive activity it has stood benignly over the countryside below.

To the west-northwest of Santa Ana is a chain of closely spaced volcaonoes. While we were on the summit of Izalco, the clouds began welling up from the valleys between the mountains. The slope of Santa Ana is in the foreground.

May 7, 2007r the Pacific. The coastline is somewhat visible just above the clouds in the lower right. The horizon is far out in the ocean. It is not surprising that the Spanish referred to this volcano as the "Lighthouse of the Pacific".

San Vicente volcano, known to indigenous people as Chichontepec, looms above the city of San Vicente in eastern El Salvador. It has had several minor eruptions in recorded history.