Volcanoes are primarily located along tectonic plate boundaries, where plates are either converging (subduction zones) or diverging (mid-ocean ridges). This is why the distribution of volcanoes on Earth closely matches the map of tectonic plates

. Key locations of volcanoes include:

• Subduction zones (destructive plate boundaries): Where one tectonic plate is forced under another, common around the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," which hosts over 75% of the world's active volcanoes

• Mid-ocean ridges (constructive plate boundaries): Where tectonic plates are moving apart, such as the mid-Atlantic Ridge

• Hotspots: Volcanoes can also form away from plate boundaries due to mantle plumes called hotspots. A famous example is the Hawaiian Islands, formed by a hotspot beneath the Pacific Plate

In summary, most volcanoes are found along the edges of tectonic plates, especially around the Pacific Ring of Fire, but some occur in the middle of plates at hotspots like Hawaii