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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Algeria

Algeria has catalogued 245 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 55th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.3.

Algeria ranks 55th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country, averaging about 12 M4+ events a year alongside 8 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. The record is episodic - 25% of those M6+ events fall in 1980 alone.

245
M4+ events (since 2005)
8
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.3
Strongest
~12
M4+ per year

The verdict

Algeria is moderately seismically active, above the global median, with 245 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 8 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.3.

1980
busiest year (2 major events)
11 km
average recorded event depth
100%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Djibouti sits immediately above at 260 events and Mayotte sits immediately below at 232.

Where Algeria sits in the catalog

Rank 55th of 187 tracked countries (71th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Djibouti sits immediately above at 260 events and Mayotte sits immediately below at 232.

  • Djibouti - next more active (260 M4+)
  • Mayotte - next less active (232 M4+)

Algeria's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

245 Top 29% higher than 71% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). This entry sits in this band. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). Above this entry. Algeria 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Algeria compares to its nearest peers

Algeria ranks in the 71th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Algeria vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 100200300400500600 M5M5.5M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Algeria vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Dominican Republic 489 M5.8
Svalbard and Jan Mayen 434 M6.8
Portugal 423 M6.3
Tanzania 368 M6.0
Yemen 338 M6.6
Somalia 332 M5.8
Australia 285 M6.6
Albania 273 M6.4
Honduras 269 M7.5
Djibouti 260 M5.5
Algeria (this page) 245 M6.0
Mayotte 232 M5.9
Haiti 217 M7.2
MX 202 M5.8
Mongolia 196 M6.7
South Africa 191 M5.4
Morocco 187 M6.8
Iraq 185 M7.3
Saint Helena 184 M6.0
Romania 183 M5.6
Kazakhstan 174 M6.1

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Algeria by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Algeria's most active year for major earthquakes was 1980 (2 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%0.4%
Share of Algeria's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

1 of 245 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 8 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Algeria.

How the 8 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 87.5%

M7.0-7.9

1

12.5%

M6.0-6.9

7

87.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 8 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 11 km.

Algeria100%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Algeria's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

8

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Algeria

The 8 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.3 3 km NNE of Chlef, Algeria 10.0 km
6.8 25 km WNW of Dellys, Algeria 12.0 km
6.5 1 km W of Sidi Aïssa, Algeria 15.0 km
6.2 5 km W of El Attaf, Algeria 10.0 km
6.2 5 km W of Sidi Akkacha, Algeria 15.0 km
6.0 12 km SE of Abou el Hassan, Algeria 10.0 km
6.0 21 km NNE of Bejaïa, Algeria 8.0 km
6.0 22 km N of Tipasa, Algeria 5.7 km

Significant earthquake record (8 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Algeria since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.0 21 km NNE of Bejaïa, Algeria 8.0 km
6.8 25 km WNW of Dellys, Algeria 12.0 km
6.0 22 km N of Tipasa, Algeria 5.7 km
6.2 5 km W of El Attaf, Algeria 10.0 km
7.3 3 km NNE of Chlef, Algeria 10.0 km
6.2 5 km W of Sidi Akkacha, Algeria 15.0 km
6.0 12 km SE of Abou el Hassan, Algeria 10.0 km
6.5 1 km W of Sidi Aïssa, Algeria 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Algeria-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

23 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

6 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Tajikistan

1,583 M4+ events · strongest M7.2

M7.2

Honduras

269 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Costa Rica

717 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

India

4,086 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Algeria-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Saint Helena

184 M4+ events

M6.0

Bosnia and Herzegovina

69 M4+ events

M5.7

Kazakhstan

174 M4+ events

M6.1

Laos

47 M4+ events

M6.3

Madagascar

38 M4+ events

M5.7

Dominican Republic

489 M4+ events

M5.8

Understand the data

Djibouti

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Mayotte

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Algeria? ▼
The USGS catalog records 245 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Algeria since 2005, an average of about 12 per year. Separately, 8 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Algeria? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Algeria measured magnitude 7.3. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Algeria? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Algeria ranks 55th of 187 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1980, with 2.
How deep are earthquakes in Algeria? ▼
Across the 8 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 11 km. 100% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Algeria's figures

245 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.3 · average M4.4 · 8 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jun 28, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Algeria's numbers mean

Algeria ranks 55th of 187 countries tracked - a moderately seismically active country.

  • About 12 M4+ earthquakes strike Algeria per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1980 was the busiest year on record with 2 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 100% of Algeria's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.3. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.