a major tectonic division of the earth's crust, comprising the continents of Europe and Asia as well as several suboceanic basins (the West European, Norwegian, Lofoten, Aleutian, and South China Basins), separated from the North American Plate by the subsea Reykjanes Ridge, bounded on the south by the African and Indo-Australian Plates, and on the east by the Philippine and Pacific Plates.
