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Birds Head Plate

The Birds Head Plate is named after the Bird's Head Peninsula in western New Guinea, a region shaped like a bird's head on maps. This small microplate is caught in the collision zone between the Pacific and Australian plates, experiencing complex rotational motion. The region showcases dramatic geological deformation, with rocks twisted and folded by the intense tectonic forces.

Birds Head Plate map

Plate Information

Size: 0.06 million km²
Movement: Complex
Speed: Variable
Countries: 1

Countries & Territories

Indonesia (partial)

Key Facts

  • Located at the Bird's Head Peninsula
  • Complex deformation zone
  • Part of the collision between Pacific and Australian plates
  • Active tectonics