Central America
What tectonic plate is Honduras on?
Honduras sits entirely on the Caribbean Plate.
- Plates
- 1
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 3
- Holocene volcanoes
- 3
- Land area
- 113,514 km²
Plates under Honduras
Share of Honduras's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
2 plate boundaries run through or along Honduras: the Caribbean-North American boundary (transform, about 1.7 cm/yr) and the Caribbean-Cocos boundary (convergent, about 7.6 cm/yr).
- Caribbean and North American: transform, 1.7 cm/yr
- Caribbean and Cocos: convergent, 7.6 cm/yr
The fastest of these is the Caribbean-Cocos boundary, where the plates move about 7.6 cm/yr relative to each other. That is faster than fingernails grow.
Earthquakes in Honduras
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Honduras. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 3 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 203 km NNE of Barra Patuca, Hondurastsunami | M7.5 | 2018 | 19 km | Caribbean |
| 46 km NW of Guanaja, Honduras | M7.3 | 2009 | 19 km | North American |
| 140 km N of Barra Patuca, Honduras | M6.8 | 1910 | 15 km | Caribbean |
Volcanoes in Honduras
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 3 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Honduras.
- Yojoa, Lago Volcanic field · 1,060 m Last eruption 7638 BCE
- Tigre, Isla del Stratovolcano · 774 m Last eruption Unknown
- Zacate Grande, Isla Stratovolcano · 640 m Last eruption Unknown
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Honduras on?
Honduras sits entirely on the Caribbean Plate.
Is Honduras on a plate boundary?
2 plate boundaries run through or along Honduras: the Caribbean-North American boundary (transform, about 1.7 cm/yr) and the Caribbean-Cocos boundary (convergent, about 7.6 cm/yr).
Does Honduras get earthquakes?
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Honduras. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 3 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country. The largest was the M7.5 203 km NNE of Barra Patuca, Honduras in 2018.
Are there volcanoes in Honduras?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 3 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in Honduras.