Nevado del Quindío
Nevado del Quindio, province of Cauca aquarel by Manuel María Paz (1853)
Highest point
Elevation	4,760 m (15,620 ft) [1]
Listing	Los Nevados National Natural Park
Coordinates	4°42′56″N 75°23′18″W / 4.71556°N 75.38833°W / 4.71556; -75.38833 [1]
Geography
Nevado del Quindío Location of Nevado del Quindío in Colombia
Location	Risaralda, Quindío & Tolima   Colombia
Parent range	Central Ranges   Andes
Geology
Mountain type	Andesitic volcano
Volcanic arc/ belt	North Volcanic Zone   Andean Volcanic Belt
Climbing
Easiest route	Cocora valley, Quindío

The Nevado del Quindío is an inactive volcano located in the Central Cordillera of the Andes in central Colombia. The summit marks the tripoint of the departments of Risaralda, Quindío and Tolima, and is also the highest point of the departments of Risaralda and Quindío. The mountain is one of the highest peaks in the Los Nevados National Natural Park, which is a wildlife sanctuary. There are no historical records of any eruption. The andesitic volcano is located on top of the Palestina Fault. ^{[2] [3]}

The snow fields and glaciers in the mountain are decreasing in a progressive way, about ten percent annually since the first scientific measures in the late 1980s, presumably because of global warming.

The mountain offers beautiful landscapes, attracting touristic visits all the year. The lower part is a cloud forest habitat, rich in endemic species.

Botanist and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt visited the area in 1801, describing new species such as the frailejón.

In popular culture

The postal service of Colombia, AdPostal, released a postal stamp featuring the Nevado del Quindío and Von Humboldt, to celebrate the anniversary of his visit. It is a stratovolcano or composite volcano, evidenced by geological studies.

A watercolor painting of the volcano by Manuel María Paz (1820–1902) is held by the National Library of Colombia. ^[4]

Panorama

View from the north peak of Nevado del Quindío

See also

• List of volcanoes in Colombia
• List of volcanoes by elevation

References

Bibliography

• González, Humberto (2001). Geología de las planchas 206 Manizales y 225 Nevado del Ruiz - 1:100,000 - Memoria explicativa (PDF) (Report). INGEOMINAS. pp. 1–93. Retrieved 2017-06-09.^{[ dead link]}
• Mosquera, D; Marín, P; Vesga, C; González, H (1998). Geología de la Plancha 225 - Nevado del Ruiz (PDF) (Map). INGEOMINAS. p. 1. Retrieved 2017-06-06.

External links

• (in Spanish and English) Parque Nacional Natural los Nevados website
• "Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados". SummitPost.org. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
• Richard S. Williams, Jr.; Jane G. Ferrigno (1999-01-24). "Ruiz-Tolima Volcanic Massif (Cordillera Central)". USGS. Retrieved 2008-09-30.