ILOPANGO, LAKE

Spanish Lago De Ilopango, lake, south central El Salvador, on the borders of San Salvador, La Paz, and Cuscatln departments. Occupying the crater of an extinct volcano, at an altitude of 1,450 ft (442 m), it has an area of 40 sq mi (100 sq km). In 1880 the water level rose, a natural channel (Ro Jiboa) was formed on the eastern side, and the resultant drainage left a volcanic island in the centre of the lake. The island, known as Ilopango Volcano, is 150 ft high and 500 ft across. In 1928 the water again rose, destroying houses along the shoreline. The lake has since become a popular tourist resort, with activity centred on the towns of Asino and Ilopango on the western shore.