Skip to main content
Back to map
CompareShow on map

Costa Rica · Stratovolcano

Irazú Volcano

Irazu

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
3436m
Last eruption
1977
Irazú Volcano
Photo: Rafael Golan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Costa Rica
Region
Middle America & Caribbean / Central America Volcanic Arc
Elevation
3436m
Coordinates
9.979, -83.852
Last eruption
1977
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic andesite

Geological summary

The massive Irazú volcano in Costa Rica, immediately E of the capital city of San José, covers an area of 500 km2 and is vegetated to within a few hundred meters of its broad summit crater complex.

Excerpt from the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution · Read the full summary on GVP →

From Wikipedia

The Irazú Volcano is an active volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the Cordillera Central near the city of Cartago.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

31 recordedGlossary

Record summary

Confirmed eruptions
24
Uncertain eruptions
7
Span of confirmed record
640 BCE (±500 yrs) – 1977
Largest confirmed eruption
VEI 3 (1963, the most recent of 8)
Confirmed eruptions since 1900
8
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
640 BCE~452 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3301~489 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3677~865 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31053~1241 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31430~1618 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31618~1806 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 31806~1994 · 23 eruptions · max VEI 3640 BCE76 BCE67712411806

Detailed timeline

  1. 1994VEI 2Observed
    1994-12-08 – 1994-12-08
    Upper NW flank
  2. 1977VEI 1Observed
    1977-03-03 – end unknown
  3. 1963VEI 3Observed
    1963-03-13 – 1965-02-13
  4. 1939VEI 2Observed
    1939-05-18 – 1940-02-16
  5. 1933VEI 2Observed
    1933-03-22 – 1933-07-25
  6. 1930VEI 2Observed
    1930-10-16 – end unknown
  7. 1928VEI 2Observed
    1928-02-14 – 1928-05-26
  8. 1924VEI 2Observed
    1924-03-16 – 1924-04-16
  9. 1917VEI 3Observed
    1917-09-27 – 1921-07-02
  10. 1914VEI ?Method not stated
    1914-02-21 – end unknown
  11. 1909VEI 2Method not stated
    1909-07-02 – end unknown
  12. 1886VEI 2Observed
    1886-07-02 – end unknown
  13. 1885VEI 2Observed
    1885-07-02 – end unknown
  14. 1882VEI 2Method not stated
    1882-07-02 – end unknown
  15. 1875 (±5 yrs)VEI 2Observed
    1875-07-02 – end unknown
  16. 1864VEI 2Observed
    1864-09-16 – 1864-09-17
  17. 1847VEI 2Observed
    1847-05-18 – end unknown
  18. 1844VEI 2Method not stated
    1844-05-16 – end unknown
  19. 1842VEI 2Observed
    1842-07-02 – end unknown
  20. 1826VEI ?Method not stated
    1826-07-02 – end unknown
  21. 1823VEI 2Observed
    1823-07-02 – end unknown
  22. 1822VEI 2Observed
    1822-05-07 – end unknown
  23. 1821VEI 2Method not stated
    1821-05-16 – end unknown
  24. 1775VEI 2Observed
    1775 – end unknown
  25. 1726VEI 2Observed
    1726-05 – end unknown
    Diego de la Haya Crater
  26. 1723VEI 3Observed
    1723-02-16 – 1724-02
    Diego de la Haya Crater
  27. 1560 (±75 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1560 – end unknown
  28. 1110 (±100 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1110 – end unknown
  29. 690 (±40 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    690 – end unknown
  30. 430 (±500 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    430 – end unknown
  31. 640 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    640 BCE – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.