Australia and New Zealand
What tectonic plate is New Zealand on?
New Zealand spans 3 tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate (43%), the Australian Plate (38%) and the Kermadec Plate (19%).
- Plates
- 3
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 189
- Holocene volcanoes
- 23
- Land area
- 266,855 km²
Plates under New Zealand
Share of New Zealand's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
3 plate boundaries run through or along New Zealand: the Pacific-Australian boundary (convergent, about 5.2 cm/yr), the Kermadec-Pacific boundary (convergent, about 7.8 cm/yr) and the Kermadec-Australian boundary (divergent, about 2.6 cm/yr).
- Pacific and Australian: convergent, 5.2 cm/yr
- Kermadec and Pacific: convergent, 7.8 cm/yr
- Kermadec and Australian: divergent, 2.6 cm/yr
The fastest of these is the Kermadec-Pacific boundary, where the plates move about 7.8 cm/yr relative to each other. That is faster than fingernails grow.
Earthquakes in New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 189 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off New Zealand since 1900, which ranks it 9 of 213 countries.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kermadec Islands, New Zealand Earthquake | M8.2 | 1917 | 15 km | Pacific |
| Kermadec Islands, New Zealand Earthquaketsunami | M8.1 | 2021 | 29 km | Kermadec |
| Kermadec Islands, New Zealand Earthquake | M8.0 | 1976 | 33 km | Kermadec |
| 97 km WSW of Te Anau, New Zealand | M7.8 | 2009 | 12 km | Pacific |
| 53 km NNE of Amberley, New Zealandtsunami | M7.8 | 2016 | 15 km | Pacific |
| Kermadec Islands region | M7.7 | 1986 | 29 km | Kermadec |
Volcanoes in New Zealand
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 23 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in New Zealand, the 13th most of any country.
- Whakaari/White Island Stratovolcano(es) · 294 m Last eruption 2026
- Monowai Stratovolcano · -132 m Last eruption 2014
- Tongariro Stratovolcano(es) · 1,978 m Last eruption 2012
- Havre Seamount Stratovolcano · -897 m Last eruption 2012
- Rumble III Stratovolcano · -220 m Last eruption 2008
- Ruapehu Stratovolcano · 2,797 m Last eruption 2007
- Raoul Island Stratovolcano · 516 m Last eruption 2006
- Okataina Lava dome(s) · 1,111 m Last eruption 1981
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is New Zealand on?
New Zealand spans 3 tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate (43%), the Australian Plate (38%) and the Kermadec Plate (19%).
Is New Zealand on a plate boundary?
3 plate boundaries run through or along New Zealand: the Pacific-Australian boundary (convergent, about 5.2 cm/yr), the Kermadec-Pacific boundary (convergent, about 7.8 cm/yr) and the Kermadec-Australian boundary (divergent, about 2.6 cm/yr).
Does New Zealand get earthquakes?
New Zealand is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 189 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off New Zealand since 1900, which ranks it 9 of 213 countries. The largest was the M8.2 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand Earthquake in 1917.
Are there volcanoes in New Zealand?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 23 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in New Zealand, the 13th most of any country.