Cotopaxi National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cotopaxi) is a protected area in Ecuador situated in the Cotopaxi, Napo and Pichincha provinces, roughly 50 km (31 mi) south of Quito. The Cotopaxi volcano (meaning 'smooth neck of the moon' in Quechua; Quechua q'oto 'throat' + Aymara phakhsi 'moon') that lends its name to the park is located within its boundaries, together with two others: the dormant Rumiñawi volcano to its north-west and the historical Sincholagua volcano (last major eruption: 1877) to the south-east. Cotopaxi is among the highest active volcanoes in the world. Its most recent eruption began on 14 August 2015, and ended on 24 January 2016.[1]
Cotopaxi National Park | |
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Location | Ecuador Cotopaxi Province, Napo Province and Pichincha Province |
Coordinates | 0°41′3″S 78°26′14″W / 0.68417°S 78.43722°W |
Area | 33,393 ha (82,520 acres) |
Established | 11 August 1975 |
Governing body | Ministerio del Ambiente |
References
editExternal links
editMedia related to Cotopaxi National Park at Wikimedia Commons
- Cotopaxi Horse Tours Escape the city and experience the real Ecuadorian mountains on a horse ride (in Spanish)
- Cotopaxi's profile by the Ministerio del Ambiente (in Spanish)