Pacific Ring of Fire
region at edges of Pacific Ocean known for tectonic activity / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an arc around the Pacific Ocean where many volcanoes and earthquakes are formed.[1] The area is also called the Pacific Rim, a term which refers to the coastal areas of the countries round the Pacific.[2]
About three quarters of the world's dormant volcanos and active volcanos are here. The ring is 40,000km long, and there are 452 volcanoes.[3]
About 90%[4] of the world's earthquakes and 81%[5] of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire. The next most seismic region (5–6% of earthquakes and 17%[5] of the world's largest earthquakes) is the Alpide belt, which extends from Java to Sumatra through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the third most prominent earthquake belt.[6][7]
The Ring of Fire is a direct result of plate tectonics and the movement and collisions of crustal plates.[8]