Platanar Volcano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Platanar Volcano |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,183 metres (7,162 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Platanar Volcano
Location in Costa Rica
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| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Holocene |
| Mountain type | Volcano |
| Last eruption | Unknown |
Platanar Volcano is located in the Cordillera Central mountain range. Part of a complex that covers 900 square kilometres (220,000 acres) and is dominated by Porvenir Volcano at 2,267 m (7,438 ft). It is located within the Juan Castro Blanco National Park.
Physical aspects
It has a destroyed crater to the northwest. Prehistoric lava flows on its western flank; one of them, the so-called Florida flow, was perhaps created by Platanar's most recent activity. Cerro Porvenir has a truncated caldera at the summit with a cone inside. Both of these are part of a composed stratovolcano of Upper Pleistocene age that on Platanar's side overlies the remains of Palmera's collapsed caldera, of probable late Pleistocene age. Platanar has erupted lavas ranging from basalts to andesites in composition.
Social and economic activities
The western flanks of both volcanoes are used for dairy farming. In 1968 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) on Cerro Platanar were converted into a National Forest.
Recent activity
On 30 March 1997 there were six earthquakes on the south flank, the strongest being of magnitude 2.7. A previous seismic swarm in April 1980 had lasted for 2–3 weeks.
See also
In Spanish: Volcán Platanar para niños
