How long is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an immense submarine mountain chain that extends for approximately 10,000 miles (16,000 km) along the north-south axis of the Atlantic Ocean.1

This vast feature follows a curving path from the Arctic Ocean to near the southern tip of Africa, reaching a breadth of roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km). As a site of seafloor spreading, the ridge is a critical component of plate tectonics, where molten magma rises to form new crust, causing the Atlantic basin to widen over time. In certain locations, the ridge rises above sea level to form islands, such as the Azores and Tristan da Cunha.213