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Tectonic plate

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The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the .
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The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century.

A tectonic plate is a piece of the Earth's crust (or lithosphere). The surface of the Earth consists of seven major tectonic plates and many more minor ones.

Such plates move over time through a process known as continental drift, which is explained by the theory of plate tectonics.

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07-10-2008 09:35:13
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