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Colima (Volcano) Colima Volcano is the most active volcano in Mexico, and has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. Despite its name, it is not located in the Mexican state of Colima but rather just over the border in the neighboring state of Jalisco, toward the western end of the Eje Volcnico Transversal mountain range. It is about 300 miles (485 kilometres) west of Mexico City. There are actually two peaks in the volcano complex: Nevado de Colima (4330 m), which is older and inactive, lies about 5km north of the younger and very active 3860m-tall Volcn de Colima (also called Volcn de Fuego de Colima). Geological history Colima has been the site of volcanic activity for about 5 million years. In the late Pleistocene era, a huge landslide occured at the mountain, with approximately 25 km³ of debris travelling some 120 km, reaching the Pacific Ocean. An area of some 2,200 km² was covered in landslide deposits. Massive collapse events seem to recur at Colima every few thousand years. The currently active cone is situated within a large caldera formed probably by a combination of landslides and large eruptions. About 300,000 people live within 40km of the volcano, and in light of its history of large eruptions and situation in a densely populated area, it has been designated a Decade Volcano, singling it out for particular study. Current activity In recent years there have been frequent temporary evacuations of nearby villagers due to threatening volcanic activity. Eruptions have occurred in 1991, 1998-1999 and from 2001 to the present day, with activity being characterised by extrusion of viscous lava forming a lava dome, and occassional larger explosions, forming pyroclastic flows and dusting the areas surrounding the volcano with ash and tephra. External links References - Domínguez T., Ramírez J.J., Breton M. (2003), Present Stage Of Activity At Colima Volcano, Mexico, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #V42B-0350
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