MasteryExams
Geography • World GeographyMedium

Which major tectonic plate boundary type characterizes the northern margin of the Indian plate where it thrusts beneath the Tibetan block, creating high seismic risks in Himalayan regions like Sikkim?

A. Divergent oceanic spreading center
B. Continent-continent convergent boundary✓ Correct Answer
C. Transform fault sliding horizontally
D. Passive continental margin with no tectonic activity

💡 Solution & Explanation

The northern boundary of the Indian plate is a continent-continent convergent boundary where crustal shortening, folding, and faulting produce massive mountain chains and frequent earthquakes in Sikkim and neighboring regions. Divergent boundaries create mid-ocean ridges, transform faults generate strike-slip motion without crustal creation or destruction, and passive margins lack active tectonic subduction or collision. This ongoing tectonic convergence causes the Himalayas to continue rising slowly while accumulating immense seismic stress.

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