Eastern Africa
What tectonic plate is South Sudan on?
South Sudan spans 2 tectonic plates: the African Plate (89%) and the Somali Plate (11%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 4
- Holocene volcanoes
- 0
- Land area
- 623,965 km²
Plates under South Sudan
Share of South Sudan's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
A plate boundary runs through or along South Sudan: the Somali-African boundary (divergent, about 0.3 cm/yr).
Earthquakes in South Sudan
Large earthquakes are uncommon in South Sudan. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 4 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 km ENE of Juba, South Sudan | M7.2 | 1990 | 15 km | Somali |
| 63 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | M7.1 | 1990 | 16 km | African |
| 60 km N of Juba, South Sudan | M6.6 | 1990 | 13 km | African |
| 54 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | M6.5 | 1990 | 17 km | African |
Volcanoes in South Sudan
South Sudan 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 South Sudan on?
South Sudan spans 2 tectonic plates: the African Plate (89%) and the Somali Plate (11%).
Is South Sudan on a plate boundary?
A plate boundary runs through or along South Sudan: the Somali-African boundary (divergent, about 0.3 cm/yr).
Does South Sudan get earthquakes?
Large earthquakes are uncommon in South Sudan. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 4 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country. The largest was the M7.2 69 km ENE of Juba, South Sudan in 1990.
Are there volcanoes in South Sudan?
South Sudan has no volcanoes that have erupted in the last 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.