Mount Liamuiga

Mount Liamuiga is a 3,792-foot (1,156 m) stratovolcano which forms the western part of the island of Saint Kitts. The peak is the highest point on the island of Saint Kitts, in the federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and in the entire British Leeward Islands, as well as one of the tallest peaks in the eastern Caribbean archipelago. The peak is topped by a 0.6-mile (1 km) wide summit crater, which contained a shallow crater lake until 1959. As of 2006, the crater lake had re-formed.[1] The last verified eruptions from the volcano were about 1,800 years ago, while reports of possible eruptions in 1692 and 1843 are considered uncertain.

Mount Liamuiga
Mount Liamuiga
Location in Saint Kitts and Nevis
Highest point
Elevation3,792 ft (1,156 m)
Prominence3,792 ft (1,156 m)
Listing
Coordinates17°22′N 62°48′W 
Geography
LocationSaint Kitts
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Last eruption160 CE ± 200 years

Mount Liamuiga was formerly named Mount Misery. The renaming took place on the date of St. Kitts' independence, September 19, 1983. However, many older citizens still refer to it as Mount Misery. The name Liamuiga is derived from the Kalinago name for the entire island of St. Kitts, which means, "fertile land."

The mountain sides are covered in farmland and small villages up to the 1,500-foot (460 m) height, after which lush tropical rainforests drape the slopes until cloud forest takes over at 3,000 ft (900 m). Many tours and guided hikes are organized to the peak's summit and surrounding rainforests, usually starting from Belmont Estate in the village of St. Paul's. From the summit, the views are outstanding, including the entire island and the beautiful Caribbean Sea, as well as the neighbouring islands of Saba, Statia, St. Barths, St. Martin, Antigua, and Nevis.

See also

References
  • "Liamuiga". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  • University of the West Indies - Seismic Research Unit: St. Kitts Volcanism (extensive info, photos, and geological maps)
  • Braun, Morton R. (1990-11-18). "Climbing a St. Kitts Volcano". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
  1. Avery, Roberta (2006-12-21). "Trek to top of 'Mount Misery' is a picnic – even in the rain". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
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