Number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland
Switzerland: Number of significant earthquakes was 1 events in 2006. ▼ Falling
Latest (2006)
1 events
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
3 events
in 1584
All-time low
1 events
in 1021
Years of data
26
1021–2006
Number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland, 1021–2006
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
In 2006, number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland stood at 1 events. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland peaked at 3 events in 1584 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1021.
Switzerland ranks 21st of 97 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1021 | 1 events | — |
| 1295 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1346 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1356 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1375 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1391 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1454 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1504 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1512 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1574 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1584 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1601 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1610 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1616 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1618 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1622 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1720 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1755 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1769 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1774 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1 events | +0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 1 events is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 1 events is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1020s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1290s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1340s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1350s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1370s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1390s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1450s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1500s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1510s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1570s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1580s | 3 events | 3 events | 3 events | 1 |
| 1600s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1610s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1620s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1720s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1750s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1760s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1770s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1800s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1830s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1850s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 2000s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 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 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
- 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 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 Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland?
- Number of significant earthquakes in Switzerland was 1 events in 2006, 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 3 events in 1584.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1021.
- How does Switzerland rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- Switzerland ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2006.
- Where does this Switzerland 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 — 26 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.