Number of significant earthquakes in China
China: Number of significant earthquakes was 1 events in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1 events
Change on year
down 66.7%
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
15 events
in 2008
All-time low
1 events
in 1000
Years of data
288
1000–2024
Number of significant earthquakes in China, 1000–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
China recorded 1 events for number of significant earthquakes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 288 years on record.
The figure is down 66.7% on the previous year and down 88.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in China peaked at 15 events in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1000.
That places China 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1020s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1030s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1050s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1060s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1100s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1120s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1140s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1200s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1210s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1220s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1280s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1290s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1300s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1310s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1320s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1330s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1340s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1350s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1360s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1370s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1440s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1470s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1480s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1490s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1500s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 6 |
| 1510s | 1.2 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1520s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1530s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1540s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1550s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1560s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1570s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1580s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1590s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1600s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 5 |
| 1610s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1620s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 5 |
| 1630s | 2.33 events | 1 events | 3 events | 3 |
| 1640s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1650s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1660s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1670s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1680s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1690s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1710s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1720s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1730s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1740s | 4 events | 4 events | 4 events | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1760s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1770s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.67 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1790s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1800s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1810s | 1.14 events | 1 events | 2 events | 7 |
| 1820s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1830s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1840s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.4 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1860s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1870s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1880s | 1.38 events | 1 events | 3 events | 8 |
| 1890s | 2 events | 1 events | 4 events | 6 |
| 1900s | 1.67 events | 1 events | 4 events | 6 |
| 1910s | 1.86 events | 1 events | 4 events | 7 |
| 1920s | 1.56 events | 1 events | 4 events | 9 |
| 1930s | 2.5 events | 1 events | 6 events | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.67 events | 1 events | 4 events | 9 |
| 1950s | 2.8 events | 1 events | 6 events | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.89 events | 2 events | 12 events | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.86 events | 1 events | 4 events | 7 |
| 1980s | 2.86 events | 1 events | 5 events | 7 |
| 1990s | 3.2 events | 1 events | 6 events | 10 |
| 2000s | 7 events | 3 events | 15 events | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.8 events | 4 events | 10 events | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2 events | 1 events | 5 events | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 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 Chile 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 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 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 China
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.66 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.0991 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.15 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant earthquakes in China?
- Number of significant earthquakes in China 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 15 events in 2008.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1000.
- How does China rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- China ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of significant earthquakes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 288 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.