South American plate

The South American plate is a major tectonic plate that includes the continent of South America and a large part of the Atlantic Ocean seabed. It stretches eastward to meet the African plate, forming the southern part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Its edges touch several other plates. To the east, it meets the African plate at a place where new land is forming. To the south, it connects with the Antarctic plate, the Scotia plate, and the Sandwich Plate. On the west side, it pushes against the Nazca plate, causing it to sink beneath the South American plate. The north edge touches the Caribbean plate and the North American plate.

The South American plate is slowly moving to the west. This movement, along with the sinking of the Nazca plate, has created the tall Andes Mountains and many volcanoes along the western side of South America. These forces shape the land and make the region an important place for studying Earth's structure.