Pacific Ring of Fire

The Pacific ring of fire is the geological boundary line which surrounds the Pacific tectonic plate. Its the limit is where it meets other plates, or drifts apart from them. Thus, on its southern border the line divides it from the Antarctic plate; on its eastern side, the line separates it from the Nazca, Cocos and North American plate; on the north, this geological fissure divides it also from the North American plate, while on its western border, the Pacific plate runs into the Philippine and Australian plate; here the fissure shows intense geological activities, causing strong earthquakes and tsunamis. This is due to the collision of these tectonic plates.

The coastal regions of California are on the Pacific ring of fire. So is Japan, the Philippine islands, New Guinea, and New Zealand. When the Pacific plate edge suddenly and violently slips under the Philippine or the Australian plate, powerful earthquakes hit cities lying near this geological boundary line. The strong earthquake that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, caused an apocalyptic tsunami that killed thousands of people and affected a nuclear power plant. Thus, these violent natural phenomena are caused by what is known as the Pacific ring of fire. In other places, the volcanic activities spew out lava deep on the bottom of the ocean as the molten rocks pile up and forms islets, which over the millions of years they become islands.

Below, the different tectonic plates whose boundaries form the Pacific Ring of Fire.