Fonseca, Gulf

Fonseca, Gulf of

Inlet of the Pacific Ocean, Central America. Bounded by El Salvador to the northwest, Honduras to the northeast, and Nicaragua to the southeast, it reaches inland about 40 mi (65 km) and widens to about 50 mi (80 km). Its entrance, marked by Cape Amapala in El Salvador and Cape Cosigüina in Nicaragua, is about 20 mi (32 km) across. The shores are covered by mangrove swamps except where Conchagua Volcano rises sharply in the west.