Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The African Plate is a major tectonic plate straddling the Equator as well as the prime meridian. It includes much of the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges. Continental rifting is breaking E. and S. Africa into multiple microplates.
This resource has been developed as part of the SAGE facility operated by IRIS via support
from the National Science Foundation.
For more animations on tectonic settings worldwide: www.iris.edu/earthquake
Written & directed by Dr. Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Narrated by Asenath Kwagalakwe, VA Tech, and Dr. Wendy Bohon, IRIS.
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Edited by Dr. Beth Pratt-Sitaula, UNAVCO and Dr. Sarah Stamps, Virginia Tech
Photographs from: Sarah Stamps; UNAVCO; Public domain sources
Maps from GeoMappApp and the U.S. Geological Survey
Earthquake locations from IRIS Earthquake Browser (www.iris/ieb)
Microplate rotations: Sarah Stamps et al, 2020, Redefining East African Rift System kinematics; in Geology
Rifting stages modified from Biggs et al., 2021, Volcanic activity and hazard in the East African Rift Zone; in Nature Communications
Video footage of Agadir is from the Associated Press (copyright)
Music from Youssoupha Sidibe, Sacred Sound (freemusicarchive.org) and Nnankasaa, Awatsimnba, and Wogala, Elgon Troup (freemusicarchive.org)
The African Plate is a major tectonic plate straddling the Equator as well as the prime meridian. It includes much of the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges. Continental rifting is breaking E. and S. Africa into multiple microplates.
This resource has been developed as part of the SAGE facility operated by IRIS via support
from the National Science Foundation.
For more animations on tectonic settings worldwide: www.iris.edu/earthquake
Written & directed by Dr. Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Narrated by Asenath Kwagalakwe, VA Tech, and Dr. Wendy Bohon, IRIS.
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Edited by Dr. Beth Pratt-Sitaula, UNAVCO and Dr. Sarah Stamps, Virginia Tech
Photographs from: Sarah Stamps; UNAVCO; Public domain sources
Maps from GeoMappApp and the U.S. Geological Survey
Earthquake locations from IRIS Earthquake Browser (www.iris/ieb)
Microplate rotations: Sarah Stamps et al, 2020, Redefining East African Rift System kinematics; in Geology
Rifting stages modified from Biggs et al., 2021, Volcanic activity and hazard in the East African Rift Zone; in Nature Communications
Video footage of Agadir is from the Associated Press (copyright)
Music from Youssoupha Sidibe, Sacred Sound (freemusicarchive.org) and Nnankasaa, Awatsimnba, and Wogala, Elgon Troup (freemusicarchive.org)
