Pico de Orizaba - Geography

Geography

Pico de Orizaba is located at 19°1′48″N 97°16′12″W at a distance of 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Orizaba is located 200 kilometres (120 mi) miles east of Mexico City lies on the border between the states of Veracruz and Puebla. The volcano is approximately 480 kilometres (300 mi) south of the Tropic of Cancer. Orizaba is found at the southeastern end of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, a volcanic chain that runs from west to east across Central Mexico; it is the only historically active volcano in the area. A companion peak lying about six km to the southwest of the Pico de Orizaba is the Sierra Negra, at 4,640 metres (15,223 ft). This subsidiary peak is significantly lower than its massive neighbor, but is traversed by the highest road in North America passing over its summit.

Pico de Orizaba like the Sierra Madre Oriental forms a barrier between the coastal plains of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Plateau. The volcano blocks the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico from saturating central Mexico and contributes to the climates of both areas. Both the state of Veracruz and Puebla depend on Pico de Orizaba for supplying fresh water. The largest river to be supplied by the Volcano is the Jamapa River.