Caribbean
What tectonic plate is Jamaica on?
Jamaica sits entirely on the Caribbean Plate.
- Plates
- 1
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 2
- Holocene volcanoes
- 0
- Land area
- 10,932 km²
Plates under Jamaica
Share of Jamaica's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
A plate boundary runs through or along Jamaica: the Caribbean-North American boundary (transform, about 1.7 cm/yr).
- Caribbean and North American: transform, 1.7 cm/yr
Earthquakes in Jamaica
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Jamaica. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 2 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 km NNW of Lucea, Jamaicatsunami | M7.7 | 2020 | 15 km | Caribbean |
| 82 km SW of Black River, Jamaica | M6.8 | 1941 | 15 km | Caribbean |
Volcanoes in Jamaica
Jamaica has no volcanoes that have erupted in the last 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is Jamaica on?
Jamaica sits entirely on the Caribbean Plate.
Is Jamaica on a plate boundary?
A plate boundary runs through or along Jamaica: the Caribbean-North American boundary (transform, about 1.7 cm/yr).
Does Jamaica get earthquakes?
Large earthquakes are uncommon in Jamaica. Since 1900 the USGS has recorded 2 of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the country. The largest was the M7.7 123 km NNW of Lucea, Jamaica in 2020.
Are there volcanoes in Jamaica?
Jamaica has no volcanoes that have erupted in the last 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.