Iran vs Japan: Number of significant earthquakes
Iran
3 events
in 2024
Japan
3 events
in 2024
Iran rank
4th
Japan rank
4th
Number of significant earthquakes over time
- Iran
- Japan
How they compare
Iran currently reports 3 events against 3 events in Japan, a difference of 0 events.
The two have swapped places 38 times across 95 shared years of data; in 1360 it was Japan ahead.
Iran ranks 4th and Japan ranks 4th of 97 countries.
Across the 30 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 15 and Japan in 8.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1360s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1610s | 1 events | 2 events | 1 events | Japan |
| 1630s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1640s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1660s | 2 events | 1 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1670s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 0.5 events | Iran |
| 1700s | 2 events | 1 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1760s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1790s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1800s | 2 events | 1 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1830s | 2 events | 1 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1840s | 2 events | 1 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1850s | 1.33 events | 2 events | 0.6667 events | Japan |
| 1860s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 0.5 events | Iran |
| 1870s | 3 events | 2 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1880s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 0.5 events | Iran |
| 1890s | 1.67 events | 2.17 events | 0.5 events | Japan |
| 1900s | 1 events | 3.5 events | 2.5 events | Japan |
| 1910s | 1 events | 1 events | 0 events | — |
| 1920s | 2.75 events | 1.5 events | 1.25 events | Iran |
| 1930s | 1.5 events | 2.25 events | 0.75 events | Japan |
| 1940s | 1.4 events | 1.2 events | 0.2 events | Iran |
| 1950s | 2 events | 1.25 events | 0.75 events | Iran |
| 1960s | 2.43 events | 4.14 events | 1.71 events | Japan |
| 1970s | 2.75 events | 1.75 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 1980s | 2.6 events | 3.2 events | 0.6 events | Japan |
| 1990s | 3.33 events | 2.33 events | 1 events | Iran |
| 2000s | 4.22 events | 4.33 events | 0.1111 events | Japan |
| 2010s | 4.75 events | 3.12 events | 1.62 events | Iran |
| 2020s | 2.5 events | 2.5 events | 0 events | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of significant earthquakes, Iran or Japan?
- Iran, at 3 events against 3 events in Japan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in number of significant earthquakes between Iran and Japan?
- 0 events, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Japan?
- 95 years are reported by both, from 1360 to 2024.
- How do Iran and Japan rank globally for number of significant earthquakes?
- Iran ranks 4th and Japan ranks 4th of 97 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – 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.