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The major types of plate tectonic boundaries are:

Divergent Plate Boundary: The area where two plates are moving in relatively opposite directions and new crustal material is being created. Examples would be the mid-ocean ridges, and the East African Rift.

Convergent Plate Boundary: The area where two tectonic plates are moving toward each other and one of two things happens; either the more dense plate subjects under the lighter plate and heads toward the mantle, or, if the plates are of similar density, they cause uplift and mountain forming events. Examples would be the oceanic to continental crustal collision creating the Andes Mountains, and the continental to continental crustal collision creating the Himalayan Mountains.

Transform Plate Boundary: The area where two plates are grinding past each other, snapping into place from elastic rebound as they go, causing numerous earthquakes. The San Andreas Fault is an example of a transform plate boundary between the North American and Pacific plates.

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