Volcanoes are found along destructive (subducting) plate boundaries, constructive (divergent) plate boundaries and at hot spots in the earth’s surface.

They are found down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where the North American Plate and Eurasian plate form a constructive plate margin. They are also located along the west coast of North and South America.

Over 75% of the Earth’s volcanoes are located around the Pacific Ring of Fire.

A map to show the location of volcanoes and the Earth’s plates