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Caroline Plate

The Caroline Plate is an oceanic microplate located in the western Pacific, surrounded by a network of spreading ridges, transform faults, and subduction zones. Despite its relatively small size, it plays an important role in the complex plate mosaic of the western Pacific. The plate moves independently from its larger neighbors and is characterized by relatively low seismic activity compared to the surrounding convergent boundaries.

Caroline Plate map

Plate Information

Size: 1.7 million km²
Movement: Westward
Speed: 2 cm/year
Countries: 1

Countries & Territories

Federated States of Micronesia

Key Facts

  • Entirely oceanic
  • Bounded by spreading ridges and transform faults
  • Low seismic activity
  • Part of the complex western Pacific plate mosaic