Tectonic plates map
This map shows the tectonic plates of the PB2002 model, including the major plates and many smaller plates. Plate boundaries cross both land and ocean; thin country coastlines help you locate them.
How to read this map
The lithosphere is divided into moving plates. At divergent boundaries plates move apart; at convergent boundaries they move toward one another; at transform boundaries they move sideways. This overview shows where plate edges lie, but does not classify every boundary by its motion.
Continents and tectonic plates are different units. A single plate can carry continental and oceanic crust, and a continent can span more than one plate. Plate outlines also depend on the model: smaller fragments and broad deformation zones can be represented in different ways.
The source is Peter Bird’s 2003 PB2002 model, converted to GIS formats by Hugo Ahlenius. The model has 52 plates. It is a geological framework for education and comparison, not a live earthquake forecast or a map of hazard for an individual address.
Features and names
| Reference | Name or description |
|---|---|
| AF | Africa |
| AN | Antarctica |
| SO | Somalia |
| IN | India |
| AU | Australia |
| EU | Eurasia |
| NA | North America |
| SA | South America |
| NZ | Nazca |
| PA | Pacific |
| AR | Arabia |
| SU | Sunda |
| TI | Timor |
| KE | Kermadec |
| KE | Kermadec |
| TO | Tonga |
| NI | Niuafo'ou |
| WL | Woodlark |
| MO | Maoke |
| SB | South Bismarck |
| SS | Solomon Sea |
| NB | North Bismarck |
| NH | New Hebrides |
| CA | Caribbean |
| CO | Cocos |
| OK | Okhotsk |
| JF | Juan de Fuca |
| AP | Altiplano |
| ND | North Andes |
| ON | Okinawa |
| PS | Philippine Sea |
| AM | Amur |
| CL | Caroline |
| MA | Mariana |
| FT | Futuna |
| SC | Scotia |
| SL | Shetland |
| AS | Aegean Sea |
| AT | Anatolia |
| YA | Yangtze |
| BU | Burma |
| RI | Rivera |
| BH | Birds Head |
| MS | Molucca Sea |
| BS | Banda Sea |
| MN | Manus |
| CR | Conway Reef |
| BR | Balmoral Reef |
| BR | Balmoral Reef |
| EA | Easter |
| JZ | Juan Fernandez |
| GP | Galapagos |
| SW | Sandwich |
| PM | Panama |
Data sources and license
- Peter Bird (2003), PB2002; GIS conversion by Hugo Ahlenius: Open Data Commons Attribution 1.0.
- Natural Earth: Public domain.
Map design and rendered images: Atlas of Maps, CC BY 4.0. Source databases retain their own licenses; the map license does not replace them.
Frequently asked questions
How many tectonic plates are there?
The number depends on the model and on whether small plates are counted. The PB2002 model shown here includes 52 plates, rather than only the handful of largest plates.
Are plate boundaries the same as country borders?
No. Plate boundaries describe the Earth’s lithosphere. Country borders are political boundaries and usually do not follow plate edges.
Use this map
You can download, print and share this map for free, in class, in school projects, in presentations and on websites, as long as you credit the source: Tectonic plates map · Atlas of Maps (atlasofmaps.com), license CC BY 4.0.