World Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanoes

1. How Are Earthquakes and Volcanoes Distributed?

Volcanoes

Distributed all over the world in different countries and continents but are not found it every country.

• Found mostly on the coastline
• Especially on tectonic plate boundaries

Volcano prone areas:

• 'The Ring of Fire'
• Around the Pacific plate.
• Across the NOrth and South Atlantic ocean
• There are still anomalies - Hot spots

Earthquakes

Millions of tiny earthquakes happen everyday, but we only manage to notice the bigger, major ones.

• Found on mainland and coastlines
• Especially tectonic plate boundaries

Earthquake prone areas:

• Around Pacific Ocean
• Along the Indo-Australian pate boundary
• Eastern side of Eurasian plate
• Western side of North American plate

Volcanoes and earthquakes are both found on plate boundaries. However, there is a difference between the two since volcanoes are never found on conservative and divergent boundaries because there is no change in crust to allow more magma (molten rock) to be made.

Here you can see the outline of all the main plates.

Links:

2. Why earthquakes and volcanoes occur where they do

3. Characteristic features of plate boundaries

4. Earthquake magnitude measurement

5. Why people live in areas of seismic activity

6. Causes and effects of seismic activity on people and the environment

7. Prediction and prevention of effects of seismic activity

Tectonic Landscapes

The Natural Environment

Geography-GCSE

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