Melanesia
What tectonic plate is the Solomon Islands on?
The Solomon Islands spans 2 tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate (98%) and the Australian Plate (2.5%).
- Plates
- 2
- M6.5+ quakes since 1900
- 152
- Holocene volcanoes
- 7
- Land area
- 25,740 km²
Plates under the Solomon Islands
Share of the Solomon Islands's land area on each plate (PB2002 model, Natural Earth outlines).
Plate boundaries
11 plate boundaries run through or along the Solomon Islands: the Pacific-Australian boundary (convergent, about 5.2 cm/yr), the Woodlark-Australian boundary (divergent, about 2.2 cm/yr), the South Bismarck-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 11.3 cm/yr), the North Bismarck-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 8.2 cm/yr), the Pacific-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 9.1 cm/yr), the Pacific-Woodlark boundary (convergent, about 10.5 cm/yr), the Solomon Sea-Woodlark boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr), the New Hebrides-Australian boundary (convergent, about 11.4 cm/yr), the Pacific-North Bismarck boundary (convergent, about 0.9 cm/yr), the North Bismarck-South Bismarck boundary (transform, about 13.0 cm/yr) and the New Hebrides-Pacific boundary (divergent, about 1.1 cm/yr).
- Pacific and Australian: convergent, 5.2 cm/yr
- Woodlark and Australian: divergent, 2.2 cm/yr
- South Bismarck and Solomon Sea: convergent, 11.3 cm/yr
- North Bismarck and Solomon Sea: convergent, 8.2 cm/yr
- Pacific and Solomon Sea: convergent, 9.1 cm/yr
- Pacific and Woodlark: convergent, 10.5 cm/yr
- Solomon Sea and Woodlark: convergent, 1.3 cm/yr
- New Hebrides and Australian: convergent, 11.4 cm/yr
- Pacific and North Bismarck: convergent, 0.9 cm/yr
- North Bismarck and South Bismarck: transform, 13.0 cm/yr
- New Hebrides and Pacific: divergent, 1.1 cm/yr
The fastest of these is the North Bismarck-South Bismarck boundary, where the plates move about 13.0 cm/yr relative to each other. That is faster than fingernails grow.
Earthquakes in the Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 152 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the Solomon Islands since 1900, which ranks it 11 of 213 countries.
| Earthquake | Magnitude | Year | Depth | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Islands Earthquake | M8.1 | 2007 | 24 km | Pacific |
| Santa Cruz Islands Earthquaketsunami | M8.0 | 2013 | 24 km | Pacific |
| 199 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands | M7.9 | 1980 | 33 km | Pacific |
| 116 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | M7.8 | 1931 | 15 km | Pacific |
| 108 km SW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | M7.8 | 1931 | 15 km | Pacific |
| 23 km SSE of Malango, Solomon Islands | M7.8 | 1939 | 15 km | Pacific |
Volcanoes in the Solomon Islands
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 7 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in the Solomon Islands.
- Tinakula Stratovolcano · 796 m Last eruption 2024
- Kavachi Stratovolcano · -20 m Last eruption 2014
- Simbo Stratovolcano(es) · 335 m Last eruption 1910
- Savo Stratovolcano · 455 m Last eruption 1847
- Kana Keoki Stratovolcano · -700 m Last eruption Unknown
- Coleman Seamount Stratovolcano · -717 m Last eruption Unknown
- New Georgia at 8.9°S Stratovolcano · -240 m Last eruption Unknown
Frequently asked questions
What tectonic plate is the Solomon Islands on?
The Solomon Islands spans 2 tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate (98%) and the Australian Plate (2.5%).
Is the Solomon Islands on a plate boundary?
11 plate boundaries run through or along the Solomon Islands: the Pacific-Australian boundary (convergent, about 5.2 cm/yr), the Woodlark-Australian boundary (divergent, about 2.2 cm/yr), the South Bismarck-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 11.3 cm/yr), the North Bismarck-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 8.2 cm/yr), the Pacific-Solomon Sea boundary (convergent, about 9.1 cm/yr), the Pacific-Woodlark boundary (convergent, about 10.5 cm/yr), the Solomon Sea-Woodlark boundary (convergent, about 1.3 cm/yr), the New Hebrides-Australian boundary (convergent, about 11.4 cm/yr), the Pacific-North Bismarck boundary (convergent, about 0.9 cm/yr), the North Bismarck-South Bismarck boundary (transform, about 13.0 cm/yr) and the New Hebrides-Pacific boundary (divergent, about 1.1 cm/yr).
Does the Solomon Islands get earthquakes?
The Solomon Islands is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. The USGS catalog lists 152 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or more in or just off the Solomon Islands since 1900, which ranks it 11 of 213 countries. The largest was the M8.1 Solomon Islands Earthquake in 2007.
Are there volcanoes in the Solomon Islands?
The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program lists 7 volcanoes active in the last 12,000 years in the Solomon Islands.