Sabalan

Sabalan in July 2006

Crater lake of Sabalan

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The Sabalan (Persian سبلان, also Savalan on Azerbaijani ) is probably no longer the active stratovolcano in Iran.

Location

The Sabalan is in the northwest of Iran, in the province of Ardabil. In the south of the mountain in the district of Sarab is located in the province of East Azerbaijan. He is the third highest mountain ( 4811 m) and after Damavand is the second highest volcano in the country. The higher-lying region is used as a winter sports resort, the mountain itself is a popular destination for climbers and hikers. Near the mountain there is also a spa.

Geology

The andesitic rocks of the Sabalans is 1.4 to 5.6 million years old. The summit region has several high points, of which the highest with 4811 m is located in the northeast. At the top there is a crater lake has formed, the all year round apart from the occasional exceptions in late July or early August, covered over with ice. At over 4,000 m altitude, the cold air is sufficient to obtain a total of seven glaciers, rock glaciers are partly or go into those.

History

The last eruption of the volcano is less than 10,000 years ago and dated order from the Holocene. The Urartian rock inscription of nibbles -e ban dates from the time of Argišti II.