Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Ring of Fire
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Map of the Pacific Ring of Fire highlighting the tectonic plate boundaries around the Pacific Ocean. The map shows spreading and converging plate boundaries, volcanic arcs, and marks major active volcanoes with star symbols. A pink shaded area outlines the Ring of Fire, tracing the regions of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity along the edges of the Pacific Plate, including the west coasts of the Americas, eastern Asia, and the islands of the western Pacific. Mayon Volcano, Luzon, Philippines Thick dark smoke rises from erupting Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia, with a small boat floating on the calm water in the foreground. Thick smoke billows from the summit of Tungurahua volcano, rising above green slopes and farmland in Ecuador. World map displaying the locations of volcanoes and thermal fields that have been active in the past 10,000 years, marked with red dots. Dense clusters are visible along the Pacific Ring of Fire, including the west coasts of the Americas, eastern Asia, and island arcs in the Pacific, as well as scattered sites in the Mediterranean, East Africa, and the Atlantic.
Quizzes
Hawaiian volcanic crater, Hawaii
Volcanoes Quiz
Related Questions

Ring of Fire: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Added top questions. Aug 14, 2026
Article revised and updated. Jun 29, 2026
Modified link of Web site: CNN World - What is the Ring of Fire? May 22, 2026
Add new Web site: CUNY Pressbooks Network - Geology 101 for Lehman College (CUNY) - The Ring of Fire. May 09, 2024
Add new Web site: Geosciences LibreTexts Library - The Ring of Fire. Sep 05, 2022
Add new Web site: CNN World - What is the Ring of Fire? Apr 22, 2022
Article revised and updated. May 22, 2020
Added photographs of the Mayon, Anak Krakatau, and Tungurahua volcanoes. May 22, 2020
Corrected display issue. Oct 01, 2018
Add new Web site: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Ring of Fire. Mar 28, 2017
Add new Web site: Public Broadcasting Service - Savage Earth - The Ring of Fire. Aug 08, 2016
Add new Web site: National Geographic - Ring of Fire. Apr 29, 2014
Add new Web site: Enchanted Learning - The Ring of Fire. Nov 18, 2011
New article added. May 27, 2011
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By: