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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda has catalogued 129 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 73rd of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.5.

Antigua and Barbuda ranks 73rd of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 6 M4+ events a year alongside 7 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. The M6+ record here is thin - 7 events in all, so a single quake moves every figure on this page.

129
M4+ events (since 2005)
7
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.5
Strongest
~6
M4+ per year

The verdict

Antigua and Barbuda is moderately seismically active, above the global median, with 129 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 7 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.5.

1925
busiest year (2 major events)
25 km
average recorded event depth
100%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Poland sits immediately above at 130 events and Samoa sits immediately below at 116.

Where Antigua and Barbuda sits in the catalog

Rank 73rd of 187 tracked countries (61th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Poland sits immediately above at 130 events and Samoa sits immediately below at 116.

  • Poland - next more active (130 M4+)
  • Samoa - next less active (116 M4+)

Antigua and Barbuda's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

129 Top 39% higher than 61% 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. Antigua and Barbuda 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 Antigua and Barbuda compares to its nearest peers

Antigua and Barbuda ranks in the 61th 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).

Antigua and Barbuda 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 50100150200 M4M5M6M7M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Antigua and Barbuda vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Saint Helena 184 M6.0
Romania 183 M5.6
Kazakhstan 174 M6.1
Azerbaijan 169 M5.6
Democratic Republic of the Congo 161 M6.8
Guadeloupe 152 M6.5
Turkmenistan 143 M5.4
Mauritius 135 M6.0
Zimbabwe 135 M7.0
Poland 130 M5.0
Antigua and Barbuda (this page) 129 M6.6
Samoa 116 M6.2
Saudi Arabia 114 M5.7
Anguilla 113 M5.6
Cayman Islands 107 M7.6
Brazil 101 M6.8
Uzbekistan 101 M5.7
Cyprus 97 M6.6
Cuba 96 M6.8
Eritrea 93 M5.6
Spain 88 M6.3

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Antigua and Barbuda by year

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

Value

What this shows Antigua and Barbuda's most active year for major earthquakes was 1925 (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%2.3%
Share of Antigua and Barbuda's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

3 of 129 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 7 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Antigua and Barbuda.

How the 7 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 85.7%

M7.0-7.9

1

14.3%

M6.0-6.9

6

85.7%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 7 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 25 km.

Antigua and Barbuda100%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Antigua and Barbuda's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

7

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Antigua and Barbuda

The 7 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.5 25 km NW of Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda 47.0 km
6.6 278 km NNE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 14.0 km
6.4 64 km ENE of Parham, Antigua and Barbuda 12.2 km
6.1 105 km ENE of Parham, Antigua and Barbuda 15.0 km
6.0 165 km NNE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 15.0 km
6.0 61 km ESE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 47.0 km
6.0 126 km ENE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 26.0 km

Significant earthquake record (7 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 61 km ESE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 47.0 km
6.6 278 km NNE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 14.0 km
6.0 126 km ENE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 26.0 km
7.5 25 km NW of Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda 47.0 km
6.4 64 km ENE of Parham, Antigua and Barbuda 12.2 km
6.1 105 km ENE of Parham, Antigua and Barbuda 15.0 km
6.0 165 km NNE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Papua New Guinea

15,655 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Equatorial Guinea

3 M4+ events · strongest M4.6

M4.6

Tanzania

368 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

China

4,952 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Kenya

14 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Israel

11 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Antigua and Barbuda-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

161 M4+ events

M6.8

Kyrgyzstan

625 M4+ events

M6.7

Botswana

13 M4+ events

M6.5

Wallis and Futuna

807 M4+ events

M6.7

Iceland

982 M4+ events

M6.3

Cyprus

97 M4+ events

M6.6

Understand the data

Poland

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Samoa

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Antigua and Barbuda? ▼
The USGS catalog records 129 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Antigua and Barbuda since 2005, an average of about 6 per year. Separately, 7 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Antigua and Barbuda? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Antigua and Barbuda measured magnitude 7.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Antigua and Barbuda? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Antigua and Barbuda ranks 73rd of 187 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1925, with 2.
How deep are earthquakes in Antigua and Barbuda? ▼
Across the 7 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 25 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 Antigua and Barbuda's figures

129 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.5 · average M4.5 · 7 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp May 16, 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 Antigua and Barbuda's numbers mean

Antigua and Barbuda ranks 73rd of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.

  • About 6 M4+ earthquakes strike Antigua and Barbuda per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1925 was the busiest year on record with 2 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 100% of Antigua and Barbuda'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 M7.5. 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.