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Earthquakes in French Southern Territories

French Southern Territories has catalogued 14 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 128th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M5.3.

French Southern Territories ranks 128th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 1 M4+ events a year alongside 0 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900.

14
M4+ events (since 2005)
0
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M5.3
Strongest
~1
M4+ per year

The verdict

French Southern Territories is below the global median in catalogued seismic activity, with 14 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 0 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 5.3.

N/A
no yearly breakdown available
N/A
average recorded event depth
0%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.7 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder South Korea sits immediately above at 15 events and Botswana sits immediately below at 13.

Where French Southern Territories sits in the catalog

Rank 128th of 187 tracked countries (30th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder South Korea sits immediately above at 15 events and Botswana sits immediately below at 13.

Same M4+ count, broken by peak magnitude

3 tracked countries share French Southern Territories's exact count of 14 M4+ events since 2005. Among that cohort, French Southern Territories ranks 1st of 3 by strongest recorded magnitude (M5.3).

Country M4+ count Strongest
French Southern Territories (this page) 14 M5.3
Kenya 14 M5.2
Saint Lucia 14 M5.2
0%100%0%
Share of French Southern Territories's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

0 of 14 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second French Southern Territories-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in French Southern Territories?
The USGS catalog records 14 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in French Southern Territories since 2005, an average of about 1 per year. Separately, 0 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in French Southern Territories?
The strongest catalogued earthquake in French Southern Territories measured magnitude 5.3. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is French Southern Territories?
By catalogued M4+ activity, French Southern Territories ranks 128th of 187 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.
How deep are earthquakes in French Southern Territories?
Across the 0 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is N/A km. 0% 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 French Southern Territories's figures

14 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M5.3 · average M4.7 · 0 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Oct 26, 2024. 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 French Southern Territories's numbers mean

French Southern Territories ranks 128th of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.

  • About 1 M4+ earthquakes strike French Southern Territories per year on average. See the full country ranking
  • 0% of French Southern Territories'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 M5.3. 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.