Question map
Which one of the following is not a major tectonic plate?
Explanation
Based on the theory of plate tectonics, the Earth's lithosphere is divided into major and minor plates. Major plates include the Antarctica and the surrounding oceanic plate, the North American plate, the South American plate, the Pacific plate, the India-Australia-New Zealand plate (also known as the Indo-Australian plate), the African plate, and the Eurasian plate [1]. In contrast, the Arabian plate, which consists mostly of the Saudi Arabian landmass, is explicitly classified as a minor plate [2]. Other minor plates include the Cocos, Nazca, Philippine, and Caribbean plates. While the India-Australia-New Zealand plate is a single major tectonic unit [2], the Arabian plate is a smaller tectonic fragment bounded by the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Zagros mountains. Therefore, the Saudi Arabian plate is not a major tectonic plate.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 7: Tectonics > Major Tectonic Plates > p. 102
- [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 7: Tectonics > Minor Tectonic Plates > p. 105