Within the structure of the earth's crust composed of tectonic plates, the Caribbean plate is one of the smallest with an area of 2485484.8 Mile² and dimensions approximately from East to West, 1864.1 Miles and from North to South, 1056.3 Miles. It has an approximately rectangular shape and extends from east to west from Central America to the Antilles and from north to south from Cuba to northern South America. The limits of the plates are characterized by a high incidence of earthquakes and processes of volcanism in the east and west extremes. The Tectonic Plate of the Caribbean is currently moving eastward with respect to the plates of North and South America.

General view of the underwater relief of the Caribbean Plate

The Caribbean plate is practically floating on the plates that surround it due to the subduction process that occurs in Central America and the Lesser Antilles with the surrounding plates that manifests itself in volcanism in these regions. To the south in front of the South American Plate the subduction process also manifests itself, however the manifestations are through earthquakes. To the north and in front of the North American plate, the contact between both plates is of the type.