Number of significant earthquakes in Chile
Chile: Number of significant earthquakes was 1 events in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1 events
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
6 events
in 1869
All-time low
1 events
in 1520
Years of data
124
1520–2024
Number of significant earthquakes in Chile, 1520–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
In 2024, number of significant earthquakes in Chile stood at 1 events. That is the lowest value across all 124 years on record.
That represents a change of down 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in Chile peaked at 6 events in 1869 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1520.
Chile ranks 21st of 97 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of significant earthquakes in Chile, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1520 | 1 events | — |
| 1543 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1562 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1570 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1575 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1604 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1615 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1633 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1639 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1647 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1657 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1681 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1687 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1705 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1737 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1742 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1751 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1765 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1822 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1829 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1831 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1849 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1851 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1855 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1858 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1869 | 6 events | +50.0% |
| 1870 | 1 events | -83.3% |
| 1871 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1873 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1877 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 1878 | 5 events | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 1881 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1882 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1892 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1906 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1911 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1920 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1922 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1923 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1926 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1929 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1930 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1934 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1936 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1940 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1946 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1950 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1953 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1956 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1957 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1958 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1961 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1962 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1966 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1967 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1970 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1971 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1972 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1974 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1976 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1978 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1986 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1987 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1988 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1995 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1996 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1997 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 2003 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 2004 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2005 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 2010 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 2011 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2012 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 2014 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 2015 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 2016 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2017 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2019 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 2020 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 2024 | 1 events | +0.0% |
Chile compared with similar countries
- Chile's 1 events is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Chile's 1 events is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of significant earthquakes in Chile changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 | +300.0% | 1 events | 4 events |
| 1871 | +300.0% | 1 events | 4 events |
| 1965 | +300.0% | 1 events | 4 events |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1520s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1540s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1560s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1570s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1600s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1610s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1630s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1640s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1650s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1680s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1700s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1730s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1740s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1750s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1760s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1790s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1810s | 2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 2 |
| 1820s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1830s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 6 |
| 1840s | 1.4 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 1850s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1860s | 5 events | 4 events | 6 events | 2 |
| 1870s | 3.4 events | 1 events | 5 events | 5 |
| 1880s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1890s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1900s | 1.67 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1910s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1920s | 1.38 events | 1 events | 2 events | 8 |
| 1930s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
| 1940s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 1950s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
| 1960s | 2 events | 1 events | 4 events | 6 |
| 1970s | 1.62 events | 1 events | 3 events | 8 |
| 1980s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1990s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 2000s | 2.2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 2010s | 2.38 events | 1 events | 4 events | 8 |
| 2020s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
Countries ranked near Chile
- 21 Albania 1 events compare
- 21 Algeria 1 events compare
- 21 Antarctica 1 events compare
- 21 Argentina 1 events compare
- 21 Armenia 1 events compare
- 21 Australia 1 events compare
- 21 Austria 1 events compare
- 21 Azerbaijan 1 events compare
- 21 Bangladesh 1 events compare
- 21 Bolivia 1 events compare
- 21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 events compare
- 21 Brazil 1 events compare
- 21 Bulgaria 1 events compare
- 21 Canada 1 events compare
- 21 China 1 events compare
- 21 Colombia 1 events compare
- 21 Congo 1 events compare
- 21 Costa Rica 1 events compare
- 21 Cuba 1 events compare
- 21 Ecuador 1 events compare
- 21 Egypt 1 events compare
- 21 El Salvador 1 events compare
- 21 Eritrea 1 events compare
- 21 Ethiopia 1 events compare
- 21 France 1 events compare
- 21 Georgia 1 events compare
- 21 Germany 1 events compare
- 21 Ghana 1 events compare
- 21 Guadeloupe 1 events compare
- 21 Guatemala 1 events compare
- 21 Haiti 1 events compare
- 21 Honduras 1 events compare
- 21 Iceland 1 events compare
- 21 Iraq 1 events compare
- 21 Israel 1 events compare
- 21 Jamaica 1 events compare
- 21 Kazakhstan 1 events compare
- 21 Kyrgyzstan 1 events compare
- 21 Lebanon 1 events compare
- 21 Martinique 1 events compare
- 21 Mongolia 1 events compare
- 21 Montenegro 1 events compare
- 21 Morocco 1 events compare
- 21 Myanmar 1 events compare
- 21 Nepal 1 events compare
- 21 North Korea 1 events compare
- 21 North Macedonia 1 events compare
- 21 Pakistan 1 events compare
- 21 Panama 1 events compare
- 21 Papua New Guinea 1 events compare
- 21 Poland 1 events compare
- 21 Portugal 1 events compare
- 21 Romania 1 events compare
- 21 Russia 1 events compare
- 21 Rwanda 1 events compare
- 21 Samoa 1 events compare
- 21 Serbia 1 events compare
- 21 Slovenia 1 events compare
- 21 Solomon Islands 1 events compare
- 21 South Africa 1 events compare
- 21 South Korea 1 events compare
- 21 Spain 1 events compare
- 21 Switzerland 1 events compare
- 21 Syria 1 events compare
- 21 Taiwan 1 events compare
- 21 Tajikistan 1 events compare
- 21 Tanzania 1 events compare
- 21 Tonga 1 events compare
- 21 Tunisia 1 events compare
- 21 Turkmenistan 1 events compare
- 21 United Kingdom 1 events compare
- 21 United States 1 events compare
- 21 Uzbekistan 1 events compare
- 21 Vanuatu 1 events compare
- 21 Vietnam 1 events compare
- 21 Yemen 1 events compare
More reference data data for Chile
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9268 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2204 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 5.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.46 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.2 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant earthquakes in Chile?
- Number of significant earthquakes in Chile was 1 events in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Chile?
- The highest recorded value was 6 events in 1869.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Chile?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1520.
- How does Chile rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- Chile ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of significant earthquakes rising or falling in Chile?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Chile data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 124 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.