South America
What tectonic plate is Bolivia on?
Bolivia spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (67%) and the Altiplano Plate (33%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 15
- Holocene volcanoes
- 8
- Land area
- 1.09 million km²
Plates under Bolivia
Share of Bolivia's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
A plate boundary runs through or along Bolivia: the Altiplano-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr).
- Altiplano and South American: convergent, 1.3 cm/yr
Earthquakes in Bolivia
Bolivia has frequent large earthquakes: 15 of magnitude 6.5 or more struck in or just off the country since 1900 (rank 38 of 213).
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 km NNW of Reyes, Bolivia | M8.2 | 1994 | 631 km | South American |
| 51 km W of Atocha, Bolivia | M7.7 | 1957 | 233 km | Altiplano |
| 136 km WSW of Challapata, Bolivia | M7.3 | 1915 | 160 km | Altiplano |
| 78 km SW of Colchani, Bolivia | M7.2 | 1910 | 120 km | Altiplano |
| 16 km NW of Villazón, Bolivia | M7.1 | 1997 | 276 km | South American |
| 69 km NW of Camargo, Bolivia | M7.0 | 1909 | 255 km | Altiplano |
Volcanoes in Bolivia
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 8 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Bolivia.
- Irruputuncu Stratovolcano · 5,163 m Last eruption 1995
- Putana Stratovolcano · 5,884 m Last eruption 1810
- Parinacota Stratovolcano · 6,336 m Last eruption 290
- Tata Sabaya Stratovolcano · 5,430 m Last eruption Unknown
- Olca-Paruma Stratovolcano(es) · 5,705 m Last eruption Unknown
- Sairecabur Stratovolcano(es) · 5,961 m Last eruption Unknown
- Licancabur Stratovolcano · 5,916 m Last eruption Unknown
- Guayaques Lava dome(s) · 5,598 m Last eruption Unknown
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Bolivia on?
Bolivia spans 2 tectonic plates: the South American Plate (67%) and the Altiplano Plate (33%).
Is Bolivia on a plate boundary?
A plate boundary runs through or along Bolivia: the Altiplano-South American boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr).
Does Bolivia get earthquakes?
Bolivia has frequent large earthquakes: 15 of magnitude 6.5 or more struck in or just off the country since 1900 (rank 38 of 213). The largest was the M8.2 55 km NNW of Reyes, Bolivia in 1994.
Are there volcanoes in Bolivia?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 8 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Bolivia.