Seismic zone

It may also be a region on a map for which a common areal rate of seismicity is assumed for the purpose of calculating probabilistic ground motions.

An obsolete definition is a region on a map in which a common level of seismic design is required.

The Circum-Pacific seismic belt has earned its own nickname and is often referred to as the Ring of Fire, a ring-like formation that encompasses a majority of the Pacific Ocean.

The notorious San Andreas Fault,[4] responsible for many major quakes in the West Coast of the United States, lies within the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt or Ring of Fire.

[5] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey.