text: Scenic Lake Ilopango occupies a large volcanic caldera immediately east of the capital city of El Salvador in the foreground. The caldera is seen here from San Salvador volcano, overlooking the city of the same name, with San Vicente volcano in the background. The caldera was formed during four major eruptions, the last of which was about 1500 years ago. This eruption blanketed much of central and western El Salvador with ash and pumice. Photo by Paul Kimberly, 1999 (Smithsonian Institution).