continental crust: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

Cross-sectional diagram of Earth's outer layers, showing oceanic and continental crust at the surface, the rigid lithosphere, the partially melted asthenosphere, and transitions from upper to lower mantle, with labeled depths and rock properties.

Figure 25: Cross section of a convergent plate boundary involving a collision between two continental plates near a Himalaya-type mountain chain.

cross section of a tectonic plate

How does plate tectonics change Earth's surface?

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

continental shield platform paraplatform craton North China Paraplatform Amazonia Craton Kalahari Craton Kaapvaal Craton Congo Craton West African Shield oceanic crust continental margin geosyncline tectogene mineral Australia Asia rock supercontinent North America