<Tr> <Th> Type </Th> <Td> Major </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Approximate area </Th> <Td> 61,300,000 km (23,700,000 sq mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Features </Th> <Td> Africa, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea </Td> </Tr> <P> The African Plate is a major tectonic plate straddling the equator as well as the prime meridian . It includes much of the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges . Between 60 million years ago and 10 million years ago, the Somali Plate began rifting from the African Plate along the East African Rift . Since the continent of Africa consists of crust from both the African and the Somali plates, some literature refers to the African Plate as the Nubian Plate to distinguish it from the continent as a whole . </P>

What is the name of the tectonic plate running through north africa