One large are known as the Ring of Fire. It includes the western coasts of North America and South America, and the eastern coasts of Asia. This area forms a ring around the Pacific Ocean. Many earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire because, the plate movements cause strain to build up in rocks. Eventually, the rocks fracture and shift, and an earthquake occurs.
Mid-Atlantic Ridge.Earthquakes occur along this ridge because the oceanic crust is pulling away from the sides of the ridge. This spreading motion creates strain in the rocks along the ridge.
Eurasian-Melanisian mountain belt. The mountains along this belt were formed by the collision of the Eurasian plate with the African and the Indian plates. These plates are still colliding, and the same forces that are pushing up the mountains also produce numerous earthquakes.
