Africa's Complex Plate
Africa sits on the African Plate, one of Earth's tectonic plates. Despite its name, the plate extends beyond the continent, encompassing oceanic crust to include the Atlantic Ocean's floor adjacent to West Africa.
Rifting Shapes Geography
The East African Rift, a tectonic plate boundary zone, is splitting the African Plate into two. The Somali Plate and the Nubian Plate are moving apart, gradually reshaping the continent's geography over millions of years.
Africa's Plate Movement
The African Plate is moving at about 2.15 cm per year. This movement is mainly northwest, which is slowly closing the Mediterranean Basin and causing the uplift of mountain ranges along the continental margins.
Saharan Surprise: A Microplate
Beneath the Sahara lies a lesser-known tectonic feature: the Saharan Metacraton. Considered a microplate, its boundaries are not well-defined, but its presence influences the geodynamics of northern Africa.
Ancient Rifting Events
The African Plate holds evidence of ancient rifting dating back over 600 million years. These events are responsible for the birth of early ocean basins and the distribution of Africa's rich mineral resources.
Volcanism and Earthquakes
Tectonic activities, especially along the East African Rift, result in frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya are both volcanic in origin, born from this tectonic unrest.
Future: A New Ocean
As the East African Rift continues to widen, a new ocean may eventually form. This could split the Horn of Africa away from the rest of the continent, fundamentally altering the world map.
What does the African Plate include?
Just the African continent
Africa and adjacent Atlantic Ocean
Only the Sahara region
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