At 2,381 metres (7,812 ft) above sea level, it is the highest volcano in the country.

The volcano was the inspiration for one of the active volcanoes in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's famous French novella (The Little Prince), based on his life with his Salvadoran wife Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry, who was The Rose in the story.

Collapse of the summit during the late Pleistocene (inferring from underlying soil samples, the upper age limit is no more than 57,000 years ago) produced a massive debris avalanche that reached the Pacific Ocean, forming the Acajutla Peninsula.

[1] There have been numerous historical eruptions since the 16th century, both at the summit and from cinder cones on the lower flanks, and also the flank vents of San Marcelino located east of Santa Ana.

The climate on the northeast facing slope of the volcano sees substantial rainfall in the summer months.