Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located about 28 km (17 mi) south of Quito, Ecuador, South America. It is the second highest summit in the country, reaching a height of 5,897 m (19,347 ft)
Cotopaxi has an almost symmetrical cone that rises from a highland plain of about 3,800 metres (12,500 ft), with a width at its base of about 23 kilometres (14 mi). It has one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world, which starts at the height of 5,000 metres (16,400 ft). The mountain is clearly visible on the skyline from Quito. It is part of the chain of volcanoes around the Pacific plate known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The volcano is the subject of 1855 and 1862 paintings by Frederic Edwin Church. It last erupted in 1940 or 1942.
Tungurahua Quilotoa Cotopaxi Illiniza Antisana Pichincha Reventador Cayambe Galeras Chimborazo Major volcanoes in EcuadorRead more about Cotopaxi: Volcanic Activity, Climbing, Etymology, In Art