PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Chile

Chile has catalogued 13,836 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 6th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.8.

Chile ranks 6th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 659 M4+ events a year alongside 509 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. 11 of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

13,836
M4+ events (since 2005)
509
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.8
Strongest
~659
M4+ per year

The verdict

Chile is one of the world's most seismically active places, with 13,836 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 509 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.8.

1960
busiest year (30 major events)
37 km
average recorded event depth
90%
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 Philippines sits immediately above at 14,262 events and Russia sits immediately below at 12,525.

Where Chile sits in the catalog

Rank 6th of 187 tracked countries (97th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Philippines sits immediately above at 14,262 events and Russia sits immediately below at 12,525.

Chile's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

13,836 Top 3% higher than 97% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Chile 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 Chile compares to its nearest peers

Chile ranks in the 97th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 15 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Chile vs. its 15 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 16 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 010,00020,00030,00040,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Chile vs. its 15 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 16 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia 37,560 M8.6
Japan 27,851 M9.1
United States 17,280 M8.2
Papua New Guinea 15,655 M7.9
Philippines 14,262 M7.8
Chile (this page) 13,836 M8.8
Russia 12,525 M8.8
Tonga 10,847 M7.6
Mexico 8,356 M8.2
Vanuatu 7,572 M7.8
New Zealand 7,523 M8.1
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0
Peru 4,598 M8.0
Fiji 4,498 M7.9

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Chile by year

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

Value

What this shows Chile's most active year for major earthquakes was 1960 (30 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%1.2%
Share of Chile's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

161 of 13,836 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 509 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Chile.

How the 509 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 87.0%

M8+

11

2.2%

M7.0-7.9

55

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

443

87.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 509 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 37 km.

Chile89.6%10.4%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Chile's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

456

89.6% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

53

10.4% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Chile

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
8.8 2010 Maule, Chile Earthquake 22.9 km
8.5 94 km ENE of Vallenar, Chile 70.0 km
8.3 48 km W of Illapel, Chile 22.4 km
8.2 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
8.2 121 km SSE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 113.9 km
8.2 The 1906 Valparaiso, Chile Earthquake 35.0 km
8.1 4 km ESE of Cañete, Chile 25.0 km
8.1 45 km NNW of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
8.0 60 km W of Diego de Almagro, Chile 40.0 km
8.0 36 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile 45.6 km

Significant earthquake record (509 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 33 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile 25.0 km
6.9 34 km ENE of Calama, Chile 109.0 km
6.2 71 km W of Vallenar, Chile 24.0 km
6.1 28 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.4 45 km SW of Diego de Almagro, Chile 75.0 km
6.0 98 km S of Calama, Chile 96.0 km
6.1 84 km NNW of Calama, Chile 99.0 km
6.4 56 km ESE of Molina, Chile 109.0 km
6.3 239 km WNW of Cochrane, Chile 10.0 km
7.4 41 km ESE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 127.3 km
6.6 80 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile 34.0 km
6.3 38 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 36.0 km
6.3 105 km WSW of Constitución, Chile 26.0 km
6.2 Near the coast of Bio-Bio, Chile 18.0 km
6.1 156 km WNW of Ancud, Chile 20.0 km
6.1 22 km NW of Tocopilla, Chile 54.0 km
6.2 Antofagasta, Chile 112.0 km
6.4 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 24.5 km
6.1 295 km WSW of Hanga Roa, Chile 10.0 km
6.4 73 km W of Talcahuano, Chile 18.8 km
6.0 72 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile 22.0 km
6.7 146 km WNW of Corral, Chile 10.0 km
6.0 75 km NNE of Calama, Chile 114.0 km
6.1 115 km E of Iquique, Chile 105.0 km
6.1 100 km NW of Constitución, Chile 22.0 km
6.0 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.2 82 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile 51.0 km
6.3 40 km NW of Ovalle, Chile 30.0 km
6.5 94 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 16.0 km
6.3 78 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 16.2 km
6.8 86 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 21.0 km
6.8 48 km SW of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 112.0 km
6.0 29 km W of Arica, Chile 38.0 km
6.1 29 km SW of Illapel, Chile 53.0 km
6.7 70 km WSW of Constitución, Chile 11.0 km
6.8 96 km SW of San Antonio, Chile 25.0 km
6.4 72 km W of Coquimbo, Chile 11.0 km
6.7 10 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 63.0 km
6.2 115 km NE of Iquique, Chile 102.0 km
6.2 56 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 66.0 km
6.3 100 km ESE of Arica, Chile 116.0 km
6.3 58 km E of Arica, Chile 85.0 km
6.9 40 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 28.0 km
6.0 37 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 21.0 km
6.3 62 km SE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 155.0 km
7.6 41 km SW of Quellón, Chile 38.0 km
6.0 42 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile 20.0 km
6.3 21 km SE of Curicó, Chile 90.0 km
6.0 88 km WSW of San Antonio, Chile 12.6 km
6.1 54 km WNW of Diego de Almagro, Chile 72.0 km
6.0 105 km WSW of Coquimbo, Chile 12.0 km
6.3 37 km W of Ovalle, Chile 29.0 km
6.2 65 km N of Taltal, Chile 34.0 km
6.9 85 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile 10.0 km
6.9 81 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile 12.0 km
6.8 39 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.2 107 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile 13.0 km
6.3 26 km SSW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.0 22 km NNW of Illapel, Chile 58.0 km
6.6 22 km WSW of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
6.1 54 km W of Illapel, Chile 30.0 km
6.2 79 km W of La Ligua, Chile 18.0 km
6.1 79 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile 6.0 km
6.2 92 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile 8.0 km
6.7 61 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 23.0 km
6.5 54 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 27.0 km
6.4 70 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 42.3 km
7.0 25 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 28.4 km
6.1 71 km W of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
6.1 55 km WSW of Illapel, Chile 19.1 km
6.4 54 km W of Illapel, Chile 26.7 km
8.3 48 km W of Illapel, Chile 22.4 km
6.4 74 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile 11.0 km
6.0 50 km E of Calama, Chile 124.0 km
6.2 75 km NW of Tomé, Chile 13.0 km
6.4 23 km WNW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile 32.0 km
6.2 71 km SW of Iquique, Chile 13.8 km
6.3 70 km SW of Iquique, Chile 13.7 km
6.4 79 km SW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
7.7 53 km SW of Iquique, Chile 22.4 km
6.5 45 km WSW of Iquique, Chile 24.1 km
6.9 90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 28.4 km
8.2 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
6.3 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 21.0 km
6.2 90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 20.0 km
6.4 79 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 21.0 km
6.7 63 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 20.0 km
6.6 41 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 27.0 km
6.2 89 km W of Constitución, Chile 41.5 km
6.4 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.8 54 km N of Vallenar, Chile 45.0 km
6.1 73 km SW of Vallenar, Chile 63.0 km
6.1 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 9.0 km
6.0 86 km ESE of Colbún, Chile 8.0 km
6.3 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.7 22 km NW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile 29.0 km
7.1 23 km NE of Constitución, Chile 40.7 km
6.1 24 km NNW of Tomé, Chile 20.0 km
6.1 76 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile 20.0 km
6.0 32 km SW of San Antonio, Chile 20.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 509 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Montserrat

4 M4+ events · strongest M4.1

M4.1

Panama

704 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Kenya

14 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Tuvalu

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Antarctica

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.5

M4.5

Mayotte

232 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Nepal

694 M4+ events

M7.8

Vanuatu

7,572 M4+ events

M7.8

Turkey

2,249 M4+ events

M7.8

Fiji

4,498 M4+ events

M7.9

Cayman Islands

107 M4+ events

M7.6

United States

17,280 M4+ events

M8.2

Understand the data

Philippines

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Russia

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Chile? ▼
The USGS catalog records 13,836 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Chile since 2005, an average of about 659 per year. Separately, 509 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Chile? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Chile measured magnitude 8.8. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Chile? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Chile ranks 6th of 187 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1960, with 30.
How deep are earthquakes in Chile? ▼
Across the 509 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 37 km. 90% 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 Chile's figures

13,836 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M8.8 · average M4.5 · 509 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 17, 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 Chile's numbers mean

Chile ranks 6th of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 659 M4+ earthquakes strike Chile per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1960 was the busiest year on record with 30 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 90% of Chile'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 M8.8. 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.