List of tectonic plates

Geologists generally agree that the following tectonic plates currently exist on Earth's surface with roughly definable boundaries. Tectonic plates are sometimes subdivided into three fairly arbitrary categories: major (or primary) plates, minor (or secondary) plates, and microplates (or tertiary plates). Major plates These plates comprise the bulk of the continents and the Pacific Ocean. For purposes of this list, a major plate is any plate with an area greater than . • – • – • – • (sometimes considered to be two separate tectonic plates) – • – • – • – • – Minor plates These smaller plates are often not shown on major plate maps, as the majority of them do not comprise significant land area. For purposes of this list, a minor plate is any plate with an area less than but greater than . • • – • – • – • – • – • – • – • – • • – • – • – • • Microplates These plates are often grouped with an adjacent principal plate on a tectonic plate world map. For purposes of this list, a microplate is any plate with an area less than . Some models identify more minor plates within current orogens (events that lead to a large structural deformation of Earth's lithosphere) like the Apulian, Explorer, Gorda, and Philippine Mobile Belt plates. The latest studies have shown that microplates are the basic elements of which the crust is composed and that the larger plates are composed of amalgamations of these, and a subdivision of ca. 1200 smaller plates has come forward. • African plate • • • • Danakil microplate - a microplate at the Afar triple junction • Antarctic plate • • • • Australian plate • • • • • • • • • Caribbean plate • • • • • • • Cocos plate • • Eurasian plate • • • • • • – Small tectonic plate in south Iceland, between the Eurasian plate and the North American plate • • • • • • • • • • Nazca plate • • • North American plate • • • Pacific plate • • • • • • – 250,000 km2 • • • • • • • • • • Philippine Sea plate • • • Scotia plate • • Somali plate • • South American plate • • • (mainly in Colombia, minor parts in Ecuador and Venezuela) ==Ancient tectonic plates==