South America
What tectonic plate is Peru on?
Peru spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (78%) and the Altiplano Plate (22%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 93
- Holocene volcanoes
- 13
- Land area
- 1.30 million km²
Plates under Peru
Share of Peru's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
5 plate boundaries run through or along Peru: the Nazca-South American boundary (convergent, about 7.8 cm/yr), the Nazca-Altiplano boundary (convergent, about 6.5 cm/yr), the Nazca-North Andes boundary (convergent, about 5.7 cm/yr), the Altiplano-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr) and the North Andes-South American boundary (convergent, about 0.9 cm/yr).
- Nazca and South American: convergent, 7.8 cm/yr
- Nazca and Altiplano: convergent, 6.5 cm/yr
- Nazca and North Andes: convergent, 5.7 cm/yr
- Altiplano and South American: convergent, 1.3 cm/yr
- North Andes and South American: convergent, 0.9 cm/yr
The fastest of these is the Nazca-South American boundary, where the plates move about 7.8 cm/yr relative to each other. That is faster than fingernails grow.
Earthquakes in Peru
Peru is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 93 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off Peru since 1900, which ranks it 15 of 213 countries.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 km SSW of Atico, Peru | M8.4 | 2001 | 33 km | Altiplano |
| 21 km SE of Huacho, Peru | M8.2 | 1940 | 45 km | South American |
| 21 km NNE of Minas de Marcona, Peru | M8.1 | 1942 | 30 km | Altiplano |
| 67 km W of Paramonga, Peru | M8.1 | 1966 | 37 km | South American |
| 41 km SW of San Vicente de Cañete, Peru | M8.0 | 2007 | 39 km | South American |
| 78 km NE of Navarro, Perutsunami | M8.0 | 2019 | 123 km | South American |
Volcanoes in Peru
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 13 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Peru.
- Sabancaya Stratovolcano(es) · 5,960 m Last eruption 2026
- Ubinas Stratovolcano · 5,608 m Last eruption 2024
- Misti, El Stratovolcano · 5,793 m Last eruption 1985
- Tutupaca Stratovolcano(es) · 5,801 m Last eruption 1802
- Ticsani Lava dome(s) · 5,382 m Last eruption 1800
- Huaynaputina Stratovolcano · 4,679 m Last eruption 1600
- Andahua-Orcopampa Volcanic field · 4,713 m Last eruption 1490
- Huambo Volcanic field · 4,554 m Last eruption 700 BCE
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Peru on?
Peru spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (78%) and the Altiplano Plate (22%).
Is Peru on a plate boundary?
5 plate boundaries run through or along Peru: the Nazca-South American boundary (convergent, about 7.8 cm/yr), the Nazca-Altiplano boundary (convergent, about 6.5 cm/yr), the Nazca-North Andes boundary (convergent, about 5.7 cm/yr), the Altiplano-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr) and the North Andes-South American boundary (convergent, about 0.9 cm/yr).
Does Peru get earthquakes?
Peru is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 93 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off Peru since 1900, which ranks it 15 of 213 countries. The largest was the M8.4 6 km SSW of Atico, Peru in 2001.
Are there volcanoes in Peru?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 13 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Peru.