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 11º 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.
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 11º 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.
