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Plate boundaries - EduqasGlobal distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions affect people all over the world. They are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Tectonic hazards can destroy buildings, infrastructure and cause deaths.

Part of GeographyHazardous landscapes

Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes

Earthquakes are located mostly in long, narrow belts, along all types of (or margins) as shown on this map.

[A] Most earthquakes happen along fault lines. [B] Most volcanoes appear on plate boundaries.

Volcanoes and earthquake activity often occur in similar places in narrow zones of activity, as shown on the map. These zones include:

  • the Pacific Ring of Fire around the Pacific Ocean
  • the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge that extends along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean
  • southern Europe

There are however some important exceptions. The Hawaiian Islands, which are entirely volcanic in origin, formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more than 3,200 km from the nearest plate boundary. This is explained by the 'hotspot' theory.

[A] Most earthquakes happen along fault lines. [B] Most volcanoes appear on plate boundaries.
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Different types of plate boundaries
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The Earth's structure and plate tectonics

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