Middle Africa
What tectonic plate is São Tomé and Principe on?
São Tomé and Principe sits entirely on the African Plate.
- Plates
- 1
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 0
- Holocene volcanoes
- 0
- Land area
- 986 km²
Plates under São Tomé and Principe
Share of São Tomé and Principe's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
No plate boundary crosses São Tomé and Principe itself, so it sits in the stable interior of the African Plate.
Earthquakes in São Tomé and Principe
The USGS catalog has no earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or more centered in or just off São Tomé and Principe since 1900. Smaller quakes still happen, and distant large ones can be felt.
Volcanoes in São Tomé and Principe
São Tomé and Principe has no volcanoes that have erupted in the last 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is São Tomé and Principe on?
São Tomé and Principe sits entirely on the African Plate.
Is São Tomé and Principe on a plate boundary?
No plate boundary crosses São Tomé and Principe itself, so it sits in the stable interior of the African Plate.
Does São Tomé and Principe get earthquakes?
The USGS catalog has no earthquake of magnitude 6.5 or more centered in or just off São Tomé and Principe since 1900. Smaller quakes still happen, and distant large ones can be felt.
Are there volcanoes in São Tomé and Principe?
São Tomé and Principe has no volcanoes that have erupted in the last 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.