Cerro Cariquima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cariquima |
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Cerro Cariquima is a tall volcano in the Andes mountains. It stands at 5,365 metres (17,602 ft) high, which is about 3.3 miles! For the people living nearby, this mountain is very special. They consider it a sacred mountain and have even built a special place of worship, called a mountain sanctuary, on it.
About Cerro Cariquima
Cerro Cariquima is a huge volcano. Scientists estimate its size, or "volume," to be about 36 cubic kilometres (8.6 cu mi). That's like a giant mountain of rock! Based on how much the mountain has worn away over time (this is called erosion), some scientists thought it might be around 4.6 million years old.
How Old is the Volcano?
The exact age of Cerro Cariquima is a bit of a mystery. Even though some signs point to it being very old, the volcano also looks quite new and fresh. There's even a smaller cone, which is like a mini-volcano, on its northeast side. People thought this smaller cone might have been active in the last 2,000 years.
However, the main volcano looks a lot like other volcanoes that formed during a time called the Pliocene epoch, which was millions of years ago. Also, scientists haven't found any clear signs of recent volcanic activity. Cariquima is located in an area known as the Pica gap, where there hasn't been much volcanic activity recently. This makes its true age a puzzle for geologists!
See also
- In Spanish: Nevado Cariquima para niños
