Seven seas (open ocean)
What tectonic plate is the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on?
The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (98%) and the Sandwich Plate (2.2%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 74
- Holocene volcanoes
- 1
- Land area
- 3,668 km²
Plates under the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Share of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
5 plate boundaries run through or along the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: the Antarctic-South American boundary (transform, about 1.8 cm/yr), the Scotia-South American boundary (transform, about 0.5 cm/yr), the Sandwich-Scotia boundary (divergent, about 7.3 cm/yr), the Sandwich-Antarctic boundary (transform, about 6.9 cm/yr) and the Sandwich-South American boundary (convergent, about 7.4 cm/yr).
- Antarctic and South American: transform, 1.8 cm/yr
- Scotia and South American: transform, 0.5 cm/yr
- Sandwich and Scotia: divergent, 7.3 cm/yr
- Sandwich and Antarctic: transform, 6.9 cm/yr
- Sandwich and South American: convergent, 7.4 cm/yr
The fastest of these is the Sandwich-South American boundary, where the plates move about 7.4 cm/yr relative to each other. That is faster than fingernails grow.
Earthquakes in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 74 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 1900, which ranks it 18 of 213 countries.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sandwich Islands Earthquake | M8.1 | 1929 | 15 km | Sandwich |
| South Sandwich Islands Earthquake | M8.1 | 2021 | 23 km | Sandwich |
| South Sandwich Islands region | M7.8 | 1964 | 125 km | Sandwich |
| South Sandwich Islands regiontsunami | M7.5 | 2021 | 47 km | Sandwich |
| South Sandwich Islands region | M7.5 | 1933 | 35 km | Sandwich |
| east of the South Sandwich Islands | M7.4 | 2006 | 13 km | Antarctic |
Volcanoes in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 1 volcano active in the last 12,000 years in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
- Montagu Island Shield · 1,370 m Last eruption 2007
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on?
The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (98%) and the Sandwich Plate (2.2%).
Is the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on a plate boundary?
5 plate boundaries run through or along the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: the Antarctic-South American boundary (transform, about 1.8 cm/yr), the Scotia-South American boundary (transform, about 0.5 cm/yr), the Sandwich-Scotia boundary (divergent, about 7.3 cm/yr), the Sandwich-Antarctic boundary (transform, about 6.9 cm/yr) and the Sandwich-South American boundary (convergent, about 7.4 cm/yr).
Does the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands get earthquakes?
The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 74 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 1900, which ranks it 18 of 213 countries. The largest was the M8.1 South Sandwich Islands Earthquake in 1929.
Are there volcanoes in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 1 volcano active in the last 12,000 years in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.