Australia vs China: Number of significant earthquakes
Australia
1 events
in 2021
China
1 events
in 2024
Australia rank
21st
China rank
21st
Number of significant earthquakes over time
- Australia
- China
How they compare
Australia currently reports 1 events against 1 events in China, a difference of 0 events.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 19 shared years of data; in 1906 it was China ahead.
Australia ranks 21st and China ranks 21st of 97 countries.
Across the 11 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 1 and China in 10.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1 events | 4 events | 3 events | China |
| 1920s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 0.5 events | Australia |
| 1940s | 1 events | 2 events | 1 events | China |
| 1950s | 1 events | 4 events | 3 events | China |
| 1960s | 1 events | 5 events | 4 events | China |
| 1970s | 1 events | 1.67 events | 0.6667 events | China |
| 1980s | 1.67 events | 4 events | 2.33 events | China |
| 1990s | 1 events | 2 events | 1 events | China |
| 2000s | 1 events | 4.67 events | 3.67 events | China |
| 2010s | 1 events | 7 events | 6 events | China |
| 2020s | 1 events | 4 events | 3 events | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of significant earthquakes, Australia or China?
- Australia, at 1 events against 1 events in China as of 2021.
- What is the difference in number of significant earthquakes between Australia and China?
- 0 events, with Australia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and China?
- 19 years are reported by both, from 1906 to 2021.
- How do Australia and China rank globally for number of significant earthquakes?
- Australia ranks 21st and China ranks 21st of 97 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Number of significant earthquakes. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
A significant earthquake meets at least one of the following: caused deaths, moderate damage ($1 million or more), a magnitude 7.5 or greater, Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) X or greater, or generated a tsunami. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.