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Tectonic Hotspots

WorldPhysical Environment

Locations of tectonic hotspots—areas in the mantle where heat rises as a thermal plume from deep in the Earth.

Smithsonian Institution

A world map shows tectonic hotspots around the globe, marked with red dots. High concentrations of hotspots are found along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Pacific Ring of Fire. Areas with fewer hotspots include Europe, Asia, and Australia.

In North America, prominent hotspots are concentrated along the western United States, including the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, extending into Alaska. Additional hotspots are found in the Gulf of California, and in Central America, especially in Mexico and Guatemala. The Atlantic Ocean features multiple hotspots, notably near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Africa's hotspots are primarily situated along the East African Rift, particularly in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, with others scattered across the continent, including Nigeria and Algeria. The Indian Ocean hosts several hotspots, especially near Madagascar and the Seychelles. In Europe, hotspots are visible in Iceland, France, and Spain. Asia's tectonic activity is concentrated in Vietnam and Cambodia. The western part of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly Saudi Arabia, also shows considerable tectonic activity. The regions of Mongolia and Japan show numerous tectonic hotspots. The map also shows hotspots in the South Pacific Ocean, near New Zealand and various island nations.

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Tectonic Hotspots

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Tectonic Hotspots

Amerindian and Indo-European

Eskimo-Aleut

Indo-European

Alaska
127.6%0.108%0.153%
Arizona
119.5%80.5%
Utah
10.663%99.3%
Yukon
188.3%11.6%0.107%
Northwest Territories
52.2%7.85%4.66%
District of Columbia
100%
Florida
98.8%
Idaho
1100%
New Hampshire
100%
Rhode Island
94.9%
Vermont
100%
Washington
0.121%
Wyoming
1100%
Nunavut
8.72%0.383%0.977%
Montana
100%
Maine
0.167%
North Dakota
100%
Kentucky
100%
Nova Scotia
18.3%
Virginia
99.7%
Delaware
99.2%
Prince Edward Island
94.3%
Saskatchewan
12.5%87.5%
Mississippi
100%
West Virginia
100%
Nebraska
100%
Texas
99.8%
Missouri
100%
Louisiana
0.147%
Hawaii
11.39%
North Carolina
99.4%
Oregon
199.9%
New Brunswick
99.2%
Alabama
99.9%
New Mexico
1100%
Kansas
100%
Wisconsin
100%
British Columbia
163.0%0.157%
Newfoundland and Labrador
34.1%14.7%24.7%
New Jersey
99.1%
South Carolina
99.8%
Michigan
100%
Alberta
55.4%0.298%
Connecticut
99.9%
Pennsylvania
100%
Colorado
1100%
Nevada
100%
Massachusetts
0.557%
Georgia
99.9%
New York
2.63%
Maryland
98.1%
Québec
24.9%34.9%0.469%
Manitoba
4.25%66.4%
Oklahoma
100%
Tennessee
100%
Ontario
49.9%50.0%
California
99.7%
Arkansas
100%
South Dakota
100%
Ohio
100%
Indiana
100%
Minnesota
100%
Iowa
100%
Illinois
100%
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