The Gulf of Fonseca (Spanish: Golfo de Fonseca; pronounced [ˈɡol.fo ðe fonˈse.ka]), a part of the Pacific Ocean, is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The waters of the gulf are shared among all three countries.
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👉 Gulf of Fonseca in the context of Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa.
Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century. The Spanish introduced Catholicism and the now predominant Spanish language, along with numerous customs that have blended with the indigenous culture. Honduras became independent in 1821 and has since been a republic, although it has consistently endured much social strife and political instability, and remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. In 1960, the northern part of what was the Mosquito Coast was transferred from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice.
In this Dossier
Gulf of Fonseca in the context of Conchagua (volcano)
Conchagua (also known as Cochague) consists of two overlapping stratovolcanoes in a single conical edifice. It is located in southeastern El Salvador overlooking the Gulf of Fonseca. Cerro de La Banderas, at 1133 m, appears younger but is dated at 0.41 ± 0.1 Ma. To the west-southwest is the Cerro del Ocotal at 1225 m and dated at 0.15 ± 0.02 Ma. There are active fumarolic areas on both peaks but no recorded history of eruptions.
It is surrounded by forest called Bosque Conchagua. Conchagua, in Native American indigenous Salvadoran Lenca language, means (Flying Jaguar). According to historians, the volcano was settled by the Lenca civilization, who worshipped the goddess Comizahual, an indigenous Jaguar Princess. Lenca legends say that Conchagua was Comizahual's favorite volcano, and upon her death she was taken on top on Conchagua where her body turned into many golden Chiltota birds. At the summit is a retreat called El Espíritu de la Montaña, which means Mountain Spirit.
Gulf of Fonseca in the context of Cosigüina
Cosigüina (also spelt Cosegüina) is a stratovolcano located in the western part of Nicaragua. It forms a large peninsula extending into the Gulf of Fonseca. The summit is truncated by a large caldera, 2 x 2.4 km in diameter and 500 m deep, holding a substantial crater lake (Laguna Cosigüina). This cone has grown within an earlier caldera, forming a somma volcano. The earlier caldera rim is still exposed on the north side, but has been buried by the younger cone elsewhere.