Eastern Africa
What tectonic plate is Djibouti on?
Djibouti spans 3 tectonic plates: the Arabian Plate (52%), the Somali Plate (45%) and the African Plate (2.8%).
- Plates
- 3
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 1
- Holocene volcanoes
- 4
- Land area
- 21,704 km²
Plates under Djibouti
Share of Djibouti's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
3 plate boundaries run through or along Djibouti: the Arabian-African boundary (divergent, about 1.4 cm/yr), the Somali-Arabian boundary (divergent, about 2.4 cm/yr) and the Somali-African boundary (divergent, about 0.3 cm/yr).
Earthquakes in Djibouti
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Djibouti. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 1 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 km ENE of Gâlâfi, Djibouti | M6.5 | 1989 | 12 km | Arabian |
Volcanoes in Djibouti
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 4 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Djibouti.
- Ardoukoba Fissure vent(s) · 298 m Last eruption 1978
- Manda-Inakir Fissure vent(s) · 600 m Last eruption 1928
- Mousa Alli Stratovolcano · 1,993 m Last eruption Unknown
- Gufa Volcanic field · 600 m Last eruption Unknown
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Djibouti on?
Djibouti spans 3 tectonic plates: the Arabian Plate (52%), the Somali Plate (45%) and the African Plate (2.8%).
Is Djibouti on a plate boundary?
3 plate boundaries run through or along Djibouti: the Arabian-African boundary (divergent, about 1.4 cm/yr), the Somali-Arabian boundary (divergent, about 2.4 cm/yr) and the Somali-African boundary (divergent, about 0.3 cm/yr).
Does Djibouti get earthquakes?
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Djibouti. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 1 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country. The largest was the M6.5 12 km ENE of Gâlâfi, Djibouti in 1989.
Are there volcanoes in Djibouti?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 4 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Djibouti.