Volcano · Ecuador
Cotopaxi
One of the highest active volcanoes, capped with glaciers.
Status right now
No current reports
Cotopaxi is not in the latest Smithsonian weekly report or the GDACS volcano alerts. That usually means it is quiet, but not every change is reported straight away. For official alerts, follow the local volcano observatory.
Checked 4 Nov 2026, 23:40 UTC.
Key facts
- Country
- Ecuador
- Region
- South America
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Summit
- 5,911 m (19,393 ft)
- Coordinates
- 0.677° S, 78.436° W
- Smithsonian number
- 352050
What kind of volcano is it?
Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a tall, steep cone built from layers of lava, ash and rock from many eruptions. Its sticky magma traps gas, so eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns and fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
Eruption history
| Date | VEI | Deaths | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1877 | 4 | 340 | – |
| 4 Apr 1768 | 4 | – | – |
| 15 Jun 1742 | 3 | – | – |
| 9 Dec 1742 | 3 | – | – |
| 1698 | 3 | – | – |
| 455 BCE | 4 | – | – |
6 significant eruptions near Cotopaxi in NOAA's Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, which lists eruptions that caused deaths, damage or a tsunami, or were VEI 6 or larger. VEI is the Volcanic Explosivity Index, from 0 to 8.
Nearby volcanoes
- ReventadorEcuador · 109 km
- SangayEcuador · 148 km
- Nevado del RuizColombia · 709 km
- PoásCosta Rica · 1,369 km
- Sierra NegraEcuador (Galápagos) · 1,416 km
- FernandinaEcuador (Galápagos) · 1,459 km
Not an official warning service. In an emergency, follow your local authorities.