Cordillera Central (Costa Rica)
Cordillera Central | |
---|---|
Cordillera Volcánica Central | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Irazú Volcano |
Elevation | 3,432 m (11,260 ft) |
Coordinates | 9°58′37″N 83°51′15″W / 9.97694°N 83.85417°W |
Geography | |
Country | Costa Rica |
Parent range | Central America Volcanic Arc |
Biome | Lowland tropical wet forest |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Quaternary |
The Cordillera Central is a volcanic
Cordillera de Tilarán by Balsa River and Platanar and Zarcero hills. The Cordillera Central is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica
.
It contains four large volcanoes Poás (2,708 m), Barva (2,906 m), Irazú and Turrialba (3,340 m). The highest peak is Irazú at 3,432 m.[1]
South of the range lie elevated plains of central tectonic depression of Costa Rican Central Valley.[2]
Cordillera Central's four main volcanoes are protected as
hydrothermal activity (hot springs) and is a part of Braulio Carrillo National Park
.
Irazú Volcano National Park contains Irazú Volcano, the highest volcano of Costa Rica. The significant elevation of the volcano makes it a strategic site for telecommunications, many national television and radio stations have their antennas at the summit.
Turrialba Volcano National Park centered on Turrialba Volcano features fumarolic activity and gas emissions.[3]
References
- ISBN 0-275-95349-1.
- ISBN 978-1-56691-847-3.
- ^ Costa Rican Vulcanologic and Seismologic Observatory: Turrialba Archived 2010-02-12 at the Wayback Machine