CHARACTERISTICS-

• Path along Pacific Ocean characterised by active volcanoes and frequent earthquake
• Majority of Earth's volcanic eruptions (75%)/earthquakes (90%) occur here
• The next most seismically active region (5-6% of earthquakes) is the Alpide belt (Mediterranean region - eastward through Turkey, Iran, and northern India)

CAUSE OF FORMATION

Plate Tectonics-Pacific Plate interacts with other less-dense plates

IMPORTANT COUNTRIES IN RING OF FIRE

Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, US, Canada, Russia, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Antarctica

GEOGRAPHICAL STRETCH

40.000 KMS, Western coast of S & N America to Eastern coast of Asia past New Zealand to Northern Coast of Antarctica

IMPORTANT ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN RING OF FIRE

Mount Tambora (Indonesia)- largest volcanic eruption (1815)

Mauna Loa (Hawai)- world's largest active volcano

Krakatoa (Indonesia)