Western Europe
What tectonic plate is France on?
France spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (86%) and the South American Plate (13%), plus slivers of the Somali Plate and Caribbean Plate.
- Plates
- 4
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 0
- Holocene volcanoes
- 6
- Land area
- 635,045 km²
Plates under France
Share of France's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
A plate boundary runs through or along France: the Caribbean-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.9 cm/yr).
- Caribbean and South American: convergent, 1.9 cm/yr
Earthquakes in France
The USGS catalog has no earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or more centered in or just off France since 1900. Smaller quakes still happen, and distant large ones can be felt.
Volcanoes in France
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 6 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in France.
- Fournaise, Piton de la Shield · 2,632 m Last eruption 2026
- Fani Maore Cone · -2,500 m Last eruption 2019
- Soufriere Guadeloupe Stratovolcano · 1,467 m Last eruption 1977
- Pelee Stratovolcano · 1,372 m Last eruption 1932
- Mayotte Shield · 660 m Last eruption 2050 BCE
- Chaine des Puys Lava dome(s) · 1,464 m Last eruption 4040 BCE
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is France on?
France spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (86%) and the South American Plate (13%), plus slivers of the Somali Plate and Caribbean Plate.
Is France on a plate boundary?
A plate boundary runs through or along France: the Caribbean-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.9 cm/yr).
Does France get earthquakes?
The USGS catalog has no earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or more centered in or just off France since 1900. Smaller quakes still happen, and distant large ones can be felt.
Are there volcanoes in France?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 6 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in France.