Middle America Trench
The Cocos Plate is subducting beneath the North American and Caribbean plates at the Middle America Trench. A chain of volcanoes has arisen along Central America’s western coast, with volcanism most active in the southern part of the subduction zone behind the trench. Earthquakes in the area are triggered by plate movement.
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- Length 1,700 miles (2,750 km)
- Maximum Depth 21,858 ft (6,662 m)
- Rate of Closure 3.5 in (9 cm) per year