<P> The presence of a belt of volcanic activity surrounding the Pacific Ocean was observed in the 19th century . "They (the Japanese Islands) are in the line of that immense circle of volcanic development which surrounds the shores of the Pacific from Tierra del Fuego around to the Moluccas ." (Matthew Perry, Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, 1852 - 54, Introduction, Section I, "Name, Extent, and Geography") </P> <P> About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire . The next most seismically active region (5--6% of earthquakes and 17% of the world's largest earthquakes) is the Alpide belt, which extends from Java to the northern Atlantic Ocean via the Himalayas and southern Europe . </P> <P> All but three of the world's 25 largest volcanic eruptions of the last 11,700 years occurred at volcanoes in the Ring of Fire . </P> <P> The famous and very active San Andreas Fault zone of California is a transform fault which offsets a portion of the East Pacific Rise under southwestern United States and Mexico; the motion of the fault generates numerous small earthquakes, at multiple times a day, most of which are too small to be felt . </P>

What are the countries in pacific ring of fire