Editing List of tectonic plates (section)

==Ancient tectonic plates==
In the history of Earth, many tectonic plates have come into existence and have over the intervening years either accreted onto other plates to form larger plates, rifted into smaller plates, or have been crushed by or subducted under other plates.

The following is a list of ancient [[craton]]s, [[#Microplates|microplates]], [[Plate tectonics|plates]], and [[terrane]]s which no longer exist as separate plates. ''Cratons'' are the oldest and most stable parts of the continental lithosphere, and ''shields'' are exposed parts of them. ''Terranes'' are fragments of crustal material formed on one tectonic plate and accreted to crust lying on another plate, which may or may not have originated as independent microplates: a terrane may not contain the full thickness of the lithosphere.

=== African plate ===
* {{annotated link|Atlantica}}
* {{annotated link|Bangweulu Block}} ([[Zambia]])
* {{annotated link|Congo Craton}} ([[Angola]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Gabon]], [[Sudan]], and [[Zambia]])
* {{annotated link|Kaapvaal Craton}} ([[South Africa]])
* {{annotated link|Kalahari Craton}} (South Africa)
* {{annotated link|Saharan Metacraton}} ([[Algeria]])
* {{annotated link|Sebakwe proto-Craton}} (Zimbabwe)
* {{annotated link|Tanzania Craton}} ([[Tanzania]])
* {{annotated link|West African Craton}} ([[Algeria]], [[Benin]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Gambia]], [[Ghana]], [[Guinea]], [[Guinea Bissau]], [[Liberia]], [[Mali]], [[Mauritania]], [[Morocco]], [[Nigeria]], [[Senegal]], [[Sierra Leone]], and [[Togo]])
* Zaire Craton (Congo)
* {{annotated link|Zimbabwe Craton}} (Zimbabwe)

=== Antarctic plate ===
* {{annotated link|Bellingshausen plate}}
* {{annotated link|Charcot plate}}
* {{annotated link|East Antarctic Shield|aka=East Antarctic Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Phoenix plate}}

=== Eurasian plate ===
* {{annotated link|Armorican terrane|Armorica}} (France, Germany, Spain and Portugal)
* {{annotated link|Avalonia}} ([[Canada]], [[Great Britain]], and United States)
* {{annotated link|Baltic plate}}
* Belomorian Craton
* Central Iberian plate
* {{annotated link|Cimmeria (continent)|Cimmerian plate}} ([[Anatolia]], [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Tibet]], [[Indochina]] and [[Malay Peninsula|Malaya]])
* [[East China Craton]]{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}
* {{annotated link|East European Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Baltic Shield|aka=Fennoscandian Shield}}
* {{annotated link|Dzungaria|Junggar plate}} and Eastern Kazakhstan
* {{annotated link|Hunic terranes|Hunic plate}}
* {{annotated link|Karelian Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Kazakhstania}} and the Junngar Basin in China 
* {{annotated link|Kola Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Lhasa terrane}}
* {{annotated link|Massif Central}}
* {{annotated link|Moldanubian Zone|Moldanubian plate}}
* Moravo Silesian plate
* {{annotated link|Midlands Microcraton}}
* {{annotated link|North Atlantic Craton}}
* {{annotated link|North China Craton}}
* Ossa-Morena plate
* {{annotated link|Piemont-Liguria Ocean|Piemont-Liguria plate}}
* Proto-Alps terrane
* {{annotated link|Rhenohercynian Zone|Rhenohercynian plate}}
* {{annotated link|Sarmatian Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Saxothuringian Zone|Saxothuringian plate}}
* {{annotated link|Siberia (continent)|Siberian Craton}}
* South Portuguese plate
* Tarim craton
* Teplá-Barrandian terrane
* {{annotated link|Ukrainian Shield}}
* {{annotated link|Valais Ocean|Valais plate}}
* Volgo-Uralian craton
* Yakutai craton
* {{annotated link|South China (continent)|Yangtze Craton}}

=== Indo-Australian plate ===
[[File:Ausgeolbasic.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Basic geological regions of Australia, by age]]
[[File:India Geology Zones.jpg|thumb|Map of chronostratigraphic divisions of India]]

* Altjawarra Craton ([[Australia (continent)|Australia]])
* Aravalli Craton (India)
* Bastar Craton (India)
* Bhandara Craton ([[Indian subcontinent|India]])
* Bundelkhand Craton (India)
* {{annotated link|Dharwar Craton}}
* Central Craton (Australia)
* Curnamona Craton (Australia)
* {{annotated link|Gawler Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Indian Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Narooma terrane}}
* {{annotated link|Pilbara Craton}}
* Singhbhum Craton (India)
* {{annotated link|Yilgarn Craton}}
* {{annotated link|Australian Shield|aka=Western Australian Shield}}
* {{annotated link|Zealandia}}. See [[Moa plate]] and [[Lord Howe Rise]]

=== North American plate ===
[[File:North america basement rocks.png|thumb|[[North America]]n cratons and basement rocks]]

* {{annotated link|Avalonia}} (Canada, Great Britain, and United States)
* {{annotated link|Carolina terrane|Carolina plate}}
* {{annotated link|Churchill Craton}} (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Farallon plate}} (split into the Cocos, Explorer, Juan de Fuca, Gorda plates, Nazca plate, and Rivera plates)
* {{annotated link|Geology of Florida|Florida plate}} (United States)
* {{annotated link|Hearne Craton}} (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Laurentia|Laurentian Craton|aka=North American Craton}} (Canada and United States)
* {{annotated link|Insular plate}}
* {{annotated link|Intermontane plate}}
* {{annotated link|Izanagi plate}}
* Mexican plate
* {{annotated link|Nain Province}} (Canada)
* Newfoundland plate 
* {{annotated link|North Atlantic Craton}}
* Nova Scotia plate
* {{annotated link|Rae Craton}} (Canada)
* Sask Craton (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Sclavia Craton}} (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Slave Craton}} (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Superior Craton}} (Canada)
* {{annotated link|Wyoming Craton}} (United States)

=== South American plate ===
* {{annotated link|Amazonian Craton}} ([[Brazil]])
* {{annotated link|Guiana Shield}} (Brazil, [[Colombia]], [[French Guiana]], [[Guyana]], [[Suriname]] and [[Venezuela]])
* {{annotated link|Río de la Plata Craton}} ([[Argentina]] and [[Uruguay]])
* {{annotated link|São Francisco Craton}} (Brazil)
* {{annotated link|Arequipa-Antofalla|Arequipa–Antofalla Craton}} (Argentina, [[Bolivia]], [[Chile]] and [[Peru]])