Ometepe

Ometepe (Spanish Isla de Ometepe ) is an island of Lake Nicaragua and about 270 km ², the world's largest volcanic island in a freshwater lake. It is located in the department of Rivas Nicaragua in Central America. On Ometepe 29 684 people ( census May / June 2005).

On the island there are numerous petroglyphs.

Geography

The main towns of the island, the island capital of Altagracia ( 4081 inhabitants) and Moyogalpa ( 2905 ). These two places are the same administrative seat of the homonymous communities between which the island is divided. In Altagracia there since 1994, a museum with exhibitions on the history of the island, in Sacramento County Moyogalpa is a museum with archaeological finds of the island and other areas in which the history of Nicaragua is illustrated by the means of payment from the respective periods.

The two volcanoes Concepcion (approx. 1610 m, last eruption 2010 ) and Maderas ( 1394m, date of last outbreak is not known) characterize the island and give it the shape of an eight.

The volcano Concepción, the higher of the two, is one of the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua, its slopes are approximately up to 1000 m altitude partly covered with forest, in other places, however, by earth and rubble chute bald. Between 1000 m and 1250 m, the vegetation changes and alpine plants have priority. The final piece to the crater consists only of loose lava. Due to its relatively regular eruptions he makes a major contribution that the soil on the island is very rich in nutrients and is highly suitable for agriculture.

The volcano Maderas is extinct and thus overgrown with dense forest to the crater, which develops at the tip to a cloud forest. On its slopes are also found Ardisia ometepensis, a tree species that is only found on Ometepe. In the crater there is a lagoon and on the south side of San Ramon there is a waterfall.

A special feature of the island is the different type of sandy beaches: on the one you encounter black volcanic sand, on the other hand you can at Playa Santo Domingo, on the isthmus between the two volcanoes, enjoy almost the typical character of Caribbean beaches.

Language and Culture

The name comes from the Nahuatl Ometepe and is composed of the words ome (two) and tepetl (mountain, hill ), which refer to the two volcanoes.

In July of each year the Fiesta St. Anna takes place in Moyogalpa. In addition to bullfights and the Miss Moyogalpa held processions in the city. These so-called fiestas Patronales be held village saint in honor of the city and. In Altagracia this mid-November will take place. Even smaller places celebrate these festivals, which take an average of 2 weeks.

Mythology

According to legend, the islands of Ometepe and Zapatera and Nicaragua from a tragic love story emerged: so, the highly Nagrando fell in love with the beautiful daughter of a neighboring tribe chieftain named Ometeptl. Both Indian tribes, however, were at odds over territorial claims and questions of power. By law, the ancestors of a love between warring tribes was forbidden. The couple had therefore soon flee from their home villages and hidden in a valley. As their love but did not remain concealed, they were pursued by their tribesmen. Finally, until they decided to commit suicide out of despair and opened up the arteries. Ometeptl fell backwards, Nagrando staggered a few steps and also fell down. The blood of both filled in the valley and covered her body - the present-day Nicaragua. From Ometeptls body protrude only her breasts above the water level, today's volcanoes Concepcion and Maderas. From the body Nagrandos one sees only something removed, the tips of the island of Zapatera.

Economy

Agriculture is a traditionally important factor in the region. Specifically, the cultivation and sale of plantains to the whole of Central America determines this sector, but there are also cultivated sesame, watermelon and tobacco. Tourism has in recent years increasingly important economically, which will be funded in the future by the airport under construction at Moyogalpa.

Partnerships

The German town of Herne maintains since 1988 a city partnership with the island of Ometepe. Nicaraguan and German partner called in 1993 in Santo Domingo, the socio-medical project Ometepe Nicaragua (POA ) to life, which works primarily in the areas of education and health.

Another partnership is with the U.S. Bainbridge Iceland.

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