nicaragua a place to enjoy of nature OMETEPE

Ometepe Island is a 276-square-kilometer jewel in the Great Lake of Nicaragua. It is considered the largest island in the world found within a freshwater lake. It is located between 11° 23” and 11ş 36” latitude north and between 85° 26” and 85° 43” longitude west.From its southwest tip, the island is 12 kilometers from San Jorge; from Jesús María Point and the city of Moyogalpa, it is 17 kilometers from the lake port.

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Ometepe Island is a 276-square-kilometer jewel in the Great Lake of Nicaragua. It is considered the largest island in the world found within a freshwater lake. It is located between 11° 23” and 11ş 36” latitude north and between 85° 26” and 85° 43” longitude west.
From its southwest tip, the island is 12 kilometers from San Jorge; from Jesús María Point and the city of Moyogalpa, it is 17 kilometers from the lake port.

Its name derives from the Náhuatl words ome, meaning two, and tepetl, meaning hill or mountain: the place of two mountains. Ometepe was a shelter and home to many tribes, which arrived and settled to leave their respective legacies in the island’s history and development.

Ometepe’s current population is approximately 42,000, inhabiting only 136 square kilometers. The rest of the island’s land is used mainly for farming in small rural communities. Average temperatures range between 28 and 32 degrees centigrade, dropping to 30 in November and December. The rainy season begins in May and lasts until October.

During the rainy season, it is not uncommon for heavy rainfall to last for thirty minutes, after which a bright sun will appear. For this reason, many tourists describe Ometepe as the island of eternal summer. Visiting the island offers an excellent opportunity to enjoy the most intense greens that nature can provide.

Politically, Ometepe Island is formed by the municipalities of Moyogalpa and Altagracia. The former is the main port of entry for tourists and trade. Medium size vessels and ferries visit daily from the port at San Jorge, following schedules that begin at very early hours of the morning.

The island is shaped like an irregular figure eight, with both circles each holding a volcano: Concepción (1,610 masl) and its twin brother Maderas (1,395 masl), offering a great variety of ecosystems and natural tourist attractions such as rivers, waterfalls, springs, beaches and wetlands, all characterized by their almost virgin conditions.

For a better understanding, the island can be divided into three regions. The first is the area of Concepción Volcano, which extends from Altagracia to the northeast down to San José del Sur on the southeast side of the volcano. This zone covers an area of approximately 127 square kilometers, with the island’s heaviest population density, conservation forests and lots of vegetation.

Several towns are located on the slopes of the volcano, where the main productive activities —farming and ranching— are carried out. Plantain is the predominant crop in this zone, followed by the sesame.

The narrow part of the island is formed by the Istián Isthmus, which at its narrowest point is less than four kilometers wide. During rainy winters, this stretch is covered with water, as if the island were divided into two halves.

The island’s central zone includes the Istián Isthmus from the skirts of Concepción Volcano to the towns of Balgüe and Mérida to the southwest, covering an area of approximately 69 square kilometers. The soils are composed of a fine argillic texture, providing optimal conditions for agricultural development. The main crops in this area include rice, plantain and pasture.

Ranching activities are a significant source of employment, as are the incipient fishing activities in Santo Domingo.

The zone of Maderas Volcano includes the entire volcano, covering some 80 square kilometers. This area has a variable and irregular topography, with rocky soils and mountainous terrain.

Maderas Volcano reaches a height of 1,395 masl. Its vegetation is thick, with a good level of conservation. In this zone, the predominant agricultural activity is coffee cultivation, followed by rice, corn and plantain.