Southern Europe
What tectonic plate is Italy on?
Italy spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (91%) and the African Plate (8.6%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 8
- Holocene volcanoes
- 13
- Land area
- 300,288 km²
Plates under Italy
Share of Italy's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
2 plate boundaries run through or along Italy: the Eurasian-African boundary (convergent, about 0.6 cm/yr) and the Aegean Sea-Eurasian boundary (divergent, about 3.0 cm/yr).
- Eurasian and African: convergent, 0.6 cm/yr
- Aegean Sea and Eurasian: divergent, 3.0 cm/yr
Earthquakes in Italy
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Italy. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 8 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km W of San Nicolò, Italy | M7.2 | 1905 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| Messina, Italy Earthquake and Tsunami | M7.1 | 1908 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| 2 km N of Cairano, Italy | M6.9 | 1980 | 10 km | Eurasian |
| 4 km WNW of San Benedetto dei Marsi, Italy | M6.7 | 1915 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| 3 km SSW of Bisaccia Nuova, Italy | M6.6 | 1930 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| 5 km ESE of Preci, Italy | M6.6 | 2016 | 8 km | Eurasian |
Volcanoes in Italy
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 13 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Italy.
- Stromboli Stratovolcano · 924 m Last eruption 2026
- Etna Stratovolcano(es) · 3,357 m Last eruption 2026
- Vesuvius Stratovolcano · 1,281 m Last eruption 1944
- Pantelleria Shield · 836 m Last eruption 1891
- Vulcano Stratovolcano(es) · 500 m Last eruption 1890
- Campi Flegrei del Mar di Sicilia Volcanic field · -8 m Last eruption 1867
- Campi Flegrei Caldera · 458 m Last eruption 1538
- Ischia Complex · 789 m Last eruption 1302
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Italy on?
Italy spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (91%) and the African Plate (8.6%).
Is Italy on a plate boundary?
2 plate boundaries run through or along Italy: the Eurasian-African boundary (convergent, about 0.6 cm/yr) and the Aegean Sea-Eurasian boundary (divergent, about 3.0 cm/yr).
Does Italy get earthquakes?
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Italy. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 8 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country. The largest was the M7.2 5 km W of San Nicolò, Italy in 1905.
Are there volcanoes in Italy?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 13 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Italy.