Smithsonian Global Volcanism ProgramVNUM 352824

Altar

Northern Andean Volcanic Arc, Ecuador. This page separates the permanent volcano catalogue, historical eruption records, and selective weekly activity reports.

Coordinates: 1.67° S, 78.42° W
Elevation: 5,321 m
Last recorded eruption: Not supplied
Historical eruption records: 0
Primary type: Stratovolcano
Evidence: Not supplied
GVP database: 5.4.0
Catalogue revision: Revision 1

Volcano profile

Volcanic landform: Composite
Tectonic setting: Not supplied
Geologic epoch: Pleistocene
Major rock type: Not supplied
Region: South America Volcanic Regions
Subregion: Northern Andean Volcanic Arc

Geological summary

Altar is a large stratovolcano of Plio-Pleistocene age with a caldera breached to the west (Hall 1987, pers. comm.). Indian legends report that the top of Altar collapsed after seven years of activity in about 1460, but the caldera is considered to be older than this (Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World, Hall, 1977).

Separate activity dataset

Weekly volcanic activity reports

Preliminary and selective

Smithsonian/USGS weekly reports are selective and preliminary. They are not a comprehensive list of all eruptions or volcanic activity.

No weekly report appears on this page. Absence from the weekly report does not establish an absence of volcanic activity.

Historical catalogue records

Eruption history

Dates can be approximate, incomplete, or BCE. These are historical catalogue observations, not a statement about present activity.

No historical eruption records appear on this page.

Source and attribution

Source: Data: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Volcanoes of the World.

View the original Smithsonian GVP record

Global Volcanism Program, 2026. Volcanoes of the World 5.4.0.

The GVP database is scientific documentation that changes as evidence is reviewed. Historical dates may be approximate or uncertain. This platform is not an official emergency-warning service. This entry is from GVP's preliminary Pleistocene volcano list and may be revised.

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Data freshness

Source updated: Not supplied
Retrieved: 11 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC
GVP database version: 5.4.0
Catalogue revision: 1

Source-update and retrieval times describe this catalogue record. Each weekly report carries its own publication date and preliminary status.