Number of significant earthquakes by country

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.

Countries reporting
95
Highest
5 events
Indonesia
Lowest
1 events
Egypt
Median
1 events
Years covered
1025
1000–2024
Data points
4,005

What the numbers show

Number of significant earthquakes is currently reported for 95 countries. The highest value is 5 events in Indonesia; the lowest is 1 events in Egypt.

The median across all reporting countries is 1 events, and the mean is 1.36 events.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 5.

Over the past decade 11 countries rose and 11 fell. The largest increase was in Afghanistan (up 300.0%), and the largest decrease in China (down 88.9%).

Number of significant earthquakes: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Indonesia 5 events 2024 up 150.0% volatile
2 Afghanistan 4 events 2023 up 300.0% volatile
2 Ukraine 4 events 1927 volatile
4 Philippines 3 events 2023 up 50.0% volatile
4 Mexico 3 events 2022 up 200.0% volatile
4 Iran 3 events 2024 unchanged volatile
4 Japan 3 events 2024 unchanged volatile
4 Peru 3 events 2024 up 200.0% volatile
4 Turkey 3 events 2024 up 50.0% volatile
4 Greece 3 events 2021 up 200.0% volatile
11 Croatia 2 events 2020 rising
11 Dominican Republic 2 events 2003 rising
11 India 2 events 2024 unchanged volatile
11 Trinidad and Tobago 2 events 2006 up 100.0% rising
11 Italy 2 events 2018 unchanged volatile
11 Venezuela 2 events 2018 up 100.0% rising
11 New Zealand 2 events 2023 down 33.3% volatile
11 Nicaragua 2 events 2016 up 100.0% rising
11 New Caledonia 2 events 2023 up 100.0% volatile
11 Fiji 2 events 2018 rising
21 Poland 1 events 2024 unchanged volatile
21 North Korea 1 events 1727 flat
21 Rwanda 1 events 2021 unchanged flat
21 Portugal 1 events 1998 unchanged rising
21 Papua New Guinea 1 events 2024 down 50.0% volatile
21 Panama 1 events 2015 unchanged rising
21 Pakistan 1 events 2021 unchanged rising
21 Nepal 1 events 2024 down 50.0% rising
21 Mongolia 1 events 1974 unchanged falling
21 Montenegro 1 events 2018 falling
21 Tanzania 1 events 2019 flat
21 Antarctica 1 events 2021 unchanged flat
21 Taiwan 1 events 2024 down 50.0% volatile
21 South Africa 1 events 2018 unchanged flat
21 Yemen 1 events 1991 unchanged flat
21 Samoa 1 events 2009 unchanged flat
21 Vanuatu 1 events 2024 unchanged volatile
21 Vietnam 1 events 2020 unchanged flat
21 Uzbekistan 1 events 2011 rising
21 United States 1 events 2024 down 83.3% volatile
21 Romania 1 events 2004 down 66.7% rising
21 Tunisia 1 events 1962 unchanged flat
21 Tonga 1 events 2023 unchanged rising
21 Turkmenistan 1 events 2000 unchanged flat
21 Tajikistan 1 events 2023 unchanged rising
21 Syria 1 events 2024 flat
21 Slovenia 1 events 2004 flat
21 Serbia 1 events 2015 unchanged flat
21 El Salvador 1 events 2024 unchanged rising
21 Solomon Islands 1 events 2022 down 50.0% rising
21 Kyrgyzstan 1 events 2015 unchanged rising
21 Russia 1 events 2024 down 75.0% volatile
21 Brazil 1 events 2012 unchanged rising
21 Algeria 1 events 2021 unchanged rising
21 Germany 1 events 2014 unchanged flat
21 Cuba 1 events 2024 flat
21 Costa Rica 1 events 2017 unchanged rising
21 Colombia 1 events 2024 unchanged rising
21 Congo 1 events 2021 unchanged flat
21 China 1 events 2024 down 88.9% volatile
21 Chile 1 events 2024 down 75.0% volatile
21 Switzerland 1 events 2006 falling
21 Canada 1 events 2017 unchanged rising
21 Ecuador 1 events 2023 unchanged rising
21 Bolivia 1 events 1998 rising
21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 events 2022 unchanged rising
21 Bulgaria 1 events 2012 unchanged rising
21 Bangladesh 1 events 2010 unchanged flat
21 Azerbaijan 1 events 2019 unchanged flat
21 Austria 1 events 2024 flat
21 Australia 1 events 2021 unchanged flat
21 Armenia 1 events 1998 unchanged rising
21 Argentina 1 events 2021 unchanged flat
21 Albania 1 events 2024 unchanged volatile
21 Honduras 1 events 2018 unchanged rising
21 North Macedonia 1 events 2016 unchanged flat
21 Morocco 1 events 2023 unchanged flat
21 Lebanon 1 events 2008 flat
21 South Korea 1 events 2024 unchanged flat
21 Kazakhstan 1 events 2009 volatile
21 Jamaica 1 events 1988 falling
21 Israel 1 events 1927 flat
21 Iceland 1 events 2008 down 50.0% rising
21 Iraq 1 events 1991 falling
21 Haiti 1 events 2023 unchanged falling
21 Myanmar 1 events 2023 unchanged volatile
21 Guatemala 1 events 2022 unchanged rising
21 Ghana 1 events 1939 flat
21 Georgia 1 events 2009 unchanged rising
21 United Kingdom 1 events 2008 unchanged flat
21 France 1 events 2023 rising
21 Ethiopia 1 events 2010 unchanged flat
21 Spain 1 events 2011 unchanged rising
21 Eritrea 1 events 1921 unchanged flat
21 Egypt 1 events 2002 unchanged flat

About this data

Indicator
Number of significant earthquakes
Unit
events
Source
National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
97 places, 4,005 data points, 1000–2024
Last refreshed

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.