Lake Güija
Encyclopedia
Lake Güija is a lake
in Central America
. The lake is situated on the border between Guatemala
and El Salvador
and has an area of 45 km², of which approximately 32 km² lies in El Salvador.
The lake is of volcanic origin and was formed by a large basaltic lava
flow from the San Diego volcano which blocked the Güija depression's original drainage. Lake Güija is fed by the Ostúa, Angue and Cusmapa rivers and is drained on its southeastern side by the río Desagüe, a tributary of the río Lempa
. The lake is surrounded by the volcanic cones of the Mita, San Diego and Cerro Quemado. The Salvadoran side of the lake has several small isles: Teotipa, Cerro de Tule and Iguatepec, where a substantial number of pre-Columbian
céramics have been discovered since excavations started in 1924.
Bosque San Diego La Barra
lies on the eastern side of the lake.
World Heritage Tentative List on September 21, 1992 in the Mixed (Cultural + Natural) category.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. The lake is situated on the border between Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
and has an area of 45 km², of which approximately 32 km² lies in El Salvador.
The lake is of volcanic origin and was formed by a large basaltic lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
flow from the San Diego volcano which blocked the Güija depression's original drainage. Lake Güija is fed by the Ostúa, Angue and Cusmapa rivers and is drained on its southeastern side by the río Desagüe, a tributary of the río Lempa
Lempa River
The Lempa River is a 422 km long river in Central America. Its sources are located in between the Sierra Madre and the Sierra del Merendón in southern Guatemala, near the town of Olopa. In Guatemala the river is called Río Olopa and flows southwards for 30.4 km before entering Honduras and...
. The lake is surrounded by the volcanic cones of the Mita, San Diego and Cerro Quemado. The Salvadoran side of the lake has several small isles: Teotipa, Cerro de Tule and Iguatepec, where a substantial number of pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
céramics have been discovered since excavations started in 1924.
Bosque San Diego La Barra
Bosque San Diego La Barra
Bosque San Diego La Barra is a forest of the Santa Ana Department, El Salvador. It lies on the eastern side of Lake Güija and south of Laguna de Metapan.-References:...
lies on the eastern side of the lake.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on September 21, 1992 in the Mixed (Cultural + Natural) category.