Question
Tungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the following countries?
AEcuador ✓
BPeru
CBolivia
DColombia
Tungurahua Geopark — Key Numbers
5,023 m
Height of Tungurahua Volcano — active stratovolcano
Apr 10, 2025
UNESCO Executive Council officially designated the geopark
2,300+ km²
Area of the geopark across Tungurahua and Chimborazo provinces
417 million yrs
Geological history preserved within the geopark
229 total
UNESCO Global Geoparks worldwide (50 countries) after 2025 designations
3rd for Ecuador
After Imbabura (2019) and Napo Sumaco (2025)
About the Tungurahua Volcano UNESCO Global Geopark
🌋 Key Facts — Ecuador’s Tungurahua Geopark
Name meaning: “Tungurahua” = “Throat of Fire” in the indigenous Quichua language — named for its fierce volcanic activity
Location: Cordillera Oriental of the central Andes, Ecuador. Spans five municipalities — Baños, Patate, Pelileo, Guano, and Penipe
Geological significance: 417 million years of geological history — volcanic eruptions, tectonic uplift, glacial activity, deep canyons, crystal-clear rivers, icy waterfalls. Active site for volcanological studies
Recent eruptions: Between 1999 and 2016, repeated volcanic eruptions — communities responded with resilience and eco-tourism. Major earthquakes in 1797 and 1949 also shaped the landscape
Famous nearby town: Baños de Agua Santa — a popular tourist destination built around hot springs heated by the volcano’s geothermal energy
Indigenous communities: Salasaca and Puruhá peoples — preserve distinctive clothing, music, dance, and ancestral storytelling. Cultural icon: Baltazar Ushca (“Last Iceman of Chimborazo”)
UNESCO designation date: April 10, 2025 — recognised by UNESCO Executive Council, along with Napo Sumaco (Ecuador’s other 2025 geopark)
Why Peru, Bolivia and Colombia Are Wrong
❌ Peru (Option B)
Peru shares the Andes and Pacific Ring of Fire, but Tungurahua is strictly in Ecuador — to Peru’s north. Peru has its own prominent volcanoes.
Peru volcano: El Misti (near Arequipa) · Sabancaya · Ubinas
❌ Bolivia (Option C)
Bolivia is an Andean nation known for Salar de Uyuni and high-altitude formations, but it is landlocked and south of Ecuador. No Tungurahua connection.
Bolivia feature: Salar de Uyuni · Nevado Sajama volcano
❌ Colombia (Option D)
Colombia borders Ecuador to the north and also has the Andes, but Tungurahua is an Ecuadorian volcano in the Cordillera Oriental, not Colombian territory.
Colombia volcano: Nevado del Ruiz · Galeras · Nevado del Huila
UNESCO Global Geoparks — Key Context
| Parameter | Detail |
| What is a UNESCO Global Geopark? | Unified geographical area with international geological significance · Sustainable development via conservation, education, and responsible tourism · Established as official UNESCO designation in 2015 (10th anniversary in 2025) |
| Tungurahua Volcano Geopark | Ecuador · Designated April 10, 2025 · Tungurahua + Chimborazo provinces · 2,300+ km² · 5,023 m volcano |
| Ecuador’s Geoparks | 3 total: Imbabura (2019) · Napo Sumaco (2025) · Tungurahua Volcano (2025) |
| Total UNESCO Geoparks (2025) | 229 geoparks in 50 countries (after April 2025 designations including Tungurahua) |
| Other 2025 designations | UNESCO designated 16 new geoparks in April 2025 globally — Ecuador received two (Tungurahua + Napo Sumaco) |
| India’s geopark status | India has NO UNESCO Global Geopark yet · GSI tentative list includes Lonar Lake (Maharashtra), Deccan Traps, Siwalik fossil parks · Ministry of Mines aims to nominate by 2028 |
| Tungurahua in current affairs | April 2025 UNESCO designation · Located in Ecuadorian Andes · Active stratovolcano · Indigenous Quichua + Salasaca heritage · Eco-tourism model for volcanic regions |
Memory Trick — Never Forget This
🧠 Remember It This Way
Tungurahua = “Throat of Fire” = Ecuador’s fire-breathing mountain: The name itself is Quichua — an indigenous language of Ecuador and Peru. The word “Tungurahua” from Quichua + its fiery volcanic history = Ecuador’s iconic active volcano. Ecuador = Galapagos Islands + Tungurahua Volcano + Imbabura Geopark.
Ecuador’s geopark trio: Imbabura (2019) → Napo Sumaco (2025) → Tungurahua Volcano (2025). Ecuador has 3 UNESCO Global Geoparks — the most in South America relative to its territorial size.
April 10, 2025 — the exact date: UNESCO Executive Council officially designated Tungurahua on April 10, 2025. It was part of a batch of 16 new geoparks globally. This is the current affairs hook that UPSC tested.
India context: India has zero UNESCO Global Geoparks. Despite GSI lists and government intentions (Lonar Lake, Deccan Traps), no Indian site has been designated yet. Questions about Tungurahua also test awareness of this gap.
