| Izalco | |
|---|---|
 Izalco Volcano as seen from Santa Ana Volcano (2025) | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,950 m (6,400 ft) |
| Coordinates | 13°48′47″N89°37′59″W / 13.813°N 89.633°W /13.813; -89.633 |
| Geography | |
  Izalco Location in El Salvador | |
| Location | El Salvador |
| Parent range | Cordillera de Apaneca |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc | Central America Volcanic Arc |
| Last eruption | October to November 1966[1] |
Izalco is an activestratovolcano[2] on the side of theSanta Ana Volcano, which is located in westernEl Salvador. It is situated on the southern flank of the Santa Ana volcano. Izalco erupted almost continuously from 1770 (when it formed) to 1958[3] earning it the nickname of "Lighthouse of the Pacific", and experienced a flank eruption in 1966.[4] During an eruption in 1926, the village of Matazano was buried and 56 people were killed. The volcano erupted on highly arable land which was used for the production of coffee, cacao, and sugar cane.[5]
Thelava historically erupted from Izalco consists ofvesicularvitrophyricolivine basalts.[6] Izalco's formation was preceded byfumorolic activity in 1658, before Izalco was born in 1770.Today, Izalco experiences only fumarolic activity in the form of rainwater seeping into the volcano and contacting hot rocks, rather than steam emissions from underground gases. Thefumarole deposits of the volcano are noted as sources for several rareminerals. It is thetype locality for thecoppervanadium minerals:bannermanite,blossite,fingerite,howardevansite,lyonsite,mcbirneyite,stoiberite andziesite.[6]
The volcano is visited and climbed regularly by tourists to El Salvador via theCerro Verde National Park and is a national icon of the country, even featured on the 10 colón bank note (US dollars replaced thecolon in 2001, so the bank note is no longer in circulation). The volcano is currentlyquiescent but may erupt again.
A hotel was built on the nearby Cerro Verde to provide accommodation with a view of the erupting volcano, but the volcano ceased to erupt shortly before the hotel was completed.
The volcano on the stamps' central oval design is an allegorical representation of the coat of arms existing at the time; the stamps depict the Izalco volcano, popularly known as "El Faro del Pacífico" - "The Lighthouse of the Pacific". This argument is based on the fact that the decree signed byFrancisco Duenas, creating the coat of arms, specifically mentions the Izalco volcano as the inspiration for its design,[7] and also on the idea that the Izalco volcano was (and still is) one of the symbols of the country. Covers genuinely used with these stamps are rare. So far, only 37 have been recorded.[8][9][10][11]
| Guatemala |  | |
|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | ||
| Nicaragua | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Panama | ||
Note: volcanoes are ordered from north-west to south-east. | ||
