Eastern Asia
What tectonic plate is Mongolia on?
Mongolia spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (67%) and the Amur Plate (33%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 13
- Holocene volcanoes
- 2
- Land area
- 1.56 million km²
Plates under Mongolia
Share of Mongolia's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
A plate boundary runs through or along Mongolia: the Amur-Eurasian boundary (divergent, about 1.0 cm/yr).
Earthquakes in Mongolia
Mongolia has frequent large earthquakes: 13 of magnitude 6.5 or more struck in or just off the country since 1900 (rank 39 of 213).
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulnay (Bolnai), Mongolia Earthquake | M8.3 | 1905 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| Gobi-Altay, Mongolia Earthquake | M8.1 | 1957 | 30 km | Eurasian |
| Tsetserleg, Mongolia Earthquake | M8.0 | 1905 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| Western Mongolia | M7.1 | 1903 | – | Eurasian |
| 77 km SSW of Bulgan, Mongolia | M7.0 | 1967 | 15 km | Eurasian |
| 21 km NW of Ölgii, Mongolia | M7.0 | 1938 | 10 km | Eurasian |
Volcanoes in Mongolia
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 2 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Mongolia.
- Taryatu-Chulutu Volcanic field · 2,326 m Last eruption 2980 BCE
- Khoid Naiman Nuur Pyroclastic cone · 2,532 m Last eruption Unknown
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Mongolia on?
Mongolia spans 2 tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate (67%) and the Amur Plate (33%).
Is Mongolia on a plate boundary?
A plate boundary runs through or along Mongolia: the Amur-Eurasian boundary (divergent, about 1.0 cm/yr).
Does Mongolia get earthquakes?
Mongolia has frequent large earthquakes: 13 of magnitude 6.5 or more struck in or just off the country since 1900 (rank 39 of 213). The largest was the M8.3 Bulnay (Bolnai), Mongolia Earthquake in 1905.
Are there volcanoes in Mongolia?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 2 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Mongolia.