Tiscapa Lagoon is a

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into '' coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons ...

of volcanic origin that formed over 10,000 years ago. It is located in the capital city of

Managua ) , settlement_type = Capital city , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Nicar ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

, and covers an area of 0.13 km². Tiscapa Lagoon was protected as a natural reserve ( Spanish: ''Reserva Natural Laguna de Tiscapa'') on October 31, 1991. The reserve is managed by the

Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA), is in charge of environmental protection and of the study, planning, and management of the Nicaragua's natural resources. It was formerly known as the Nicaraguan Institute of Natural ...

(MARENA) and comprises one of the 78 protected areas of Nicaragua. The reserve is located within city limits of the capital, Managua, and is a popular

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...

attraction. Restaurants and stores line the walls of the lagoon, while canopy rides provide a panoramic view of the old downtown where only a few buildings survived the 1972 earthquake that destroyed 90 percent of the capital city. Of course, many new buildings and shopping malls have been built since then. Many pre-Columbian artifacts have been found in and around lagoon and reserve. The lagoon has its unique ecosystem with its own characteristic flora and fauna and height.

References

External links

Laguna de Tiscapa

Virtual Tour Tiscapa Lagoon
{{Nicaragua topics Volcanic crater lakes Lagoons of Nicaragua Managua Protected areas of Nicaragua Pleistocene volcanoes Volcanoes of Nicaragua

See also

References

External links