Pacaya
Pacaya, volcanic massif, 8,373 ft (2,552 m) high, S central Guatemala, 19 mi (30 km) S of Guatemala City, on the southern edge of the ancient caldera that contains Lake Amatitlán. One of the world's most active volcanoes and a popular tourist attraction, Pacaya includes several stratovolcanoes (see volcano ) the MacKenny Crater has been continually active since 1965. Eruptions in 2010 resulted in heavy ash raining down on Guatemala City and the closure of the international airport there. Another of Pacaya's craters, Cerro Chino, was active in the 19th cent.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Latin American and Caribbean Physical Geography
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