The Volcán de Colima, 3,820 m, also known as Volcán de Fuego, is part of the Colima Volcanic Complex consisting of Volcán de Colima, Nevado de Colima and the eroded El Cántaro. It is the youngest of the three and as of 2015 is one of the most active volcanos in Mexico and in North America. It has erupted more than 40 times since 1576. One of the largest eruptions was on January 20–24, 1913. Nevado de Colima, also known as Tzapotépetl, lies 5 kilometres north of its more active neighbor and is the taller of the two at 4,271 meters. It is the 26th-most prominent peak in North America.
Despite its name, only a fraction of the volcano's surface area is in the state of Colima; the majority of its surface area lies over the border in the neighboring state of Jalisco, toward the western end of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It is about 485 km west of Mexico City and 125 km south of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Since 1869–1878, a parasitic set of domes, collectively known as El Volcancito, has formed on the northeast flank of the main cone of the volcano.