Atitlán

Atitlán (ätētlän') [key], volcanic lake, 53 sq mi (137 sq km), 17 mi (27.3 km) long and 11 mi (17.7 km) wide, SW Guatemala. One of the most magnificent lakes of Central America, it is set among lofty mountains with three inactive volcanoes nearby; Atitlán volcano (11,565 ft/3,525 m) is the tallest. The fertile lakeshore is densely populated by subsistence farmers. The principal towns on the lake, Santiago Atitlán, San Lucas Tolimán, and Panajachel, serve as centers of tourism and commercial activity.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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