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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Greece

Greece ranks 15th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

4,600
M4+ events (since 2005)
132
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.7
Strongest
~219
M4+ per year

The verdict

Greece has logged 4,600 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 132 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

#15
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
4,600
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.7
strongest earthquake on record
132
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Greece by year

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

Value

What this shows Greece's most active year for major earthquakes was 1915 (6 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 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 132 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Greece.

M7.0-7.9

6

4.5%

M6.0-6.9

126

95.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 132 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 23 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

124

93.9% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

8

6.1% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Greece

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

Mag Location Depth
7.7 19 km SSE of Amorgós, Greece 20.0 km
7.3 15 km NNW of Karpathos, Greece 15.0 km
7.3 4 km WNW of Koróni, Greece 15.0 km
7.2 61 km W of Eresós, Greece 10.0 km
7.0 13 km NNE of Néon Karlovásion, Greece 21.0 km
7.0 26 km SW of Lixoúri, Greece 14.3 km
7.0 5 km NNW of Kéfalos, Greece 15.0 km
7.0 55 km S of Mýrina, Greece 10.7 km
6.9 21 km SSW of Kamariótissa, Greece 6.4 km
6.9 35 km S of Methóni, Greece 29.0 km

Significant earthquake record (132 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.2 66 km SE of Emporeío, Greece 64.0 km
6.0 20 km SSE of Fry, Greece 76.2 km
6.4 4 km SW of Palekastro, Greece 20.0 km
6.0 6 km N of Thrapsanón, Greece 6.0 km
6.3 9 km W of Týrnavos, Greece 8.0 km
7.0 13 km NNE of Néon Karlovásion, Greece 21.0 km
6.5 91 km S of Néa Anatolí, Greece 10.0 km
6.0 45 km WNW of Kíssamos, Greece 69.0 km
6.8 32 km SW of Lithakiá, Greece 14.0 km
6.6 11 km ENE of Kos, Greece 7.0 km
6.3 5 km S of Plomári, Greece 12.0 km
6.5 19 km SSW of Lefkáda, Greece 11.0 km
6.0 26 km SSW of Fry, Greece 20.0 km
6.9 21 km SSW of Kamariótissa, Greece 6.4 km
6.0 8 km NNW of Lixoúri, Greece 5.0 km
6.1 1 km ENE of Lixoúri, Greece 8.0 km
6.6 36 km W of Kíssamos, Greece 40.0 km
6.0 73 km S of Pýrgos, Greece 19.0 km
6.2 68 km S of Pýrgos, Greece 10.0 km
6.0 42 km NW of Fry, Greece 59.9 km
6.4 95 km S of Néa Anatolí, Greece 19.0 km
6.4 35 km SSW of Lárdos, Greece 52.0 km
6.4 15 km ESE of Várda, Greece 16.0 km
6.2 58 km SSW of Koróni, Greece 9.9 km
6.5 50 km S of Koróni, Greece 28.0 km
6.9 35 km S of Methóni, Greece 29.0 km
6.2 15 km WNW of Leonídio, Greece 75.0 km
6.7 26 km NE of Kýthira, Greece 66.0 km
6.1 74 km WSW of Kastrí, Greece 24.5 km
6.3 8 km S of Kanaláki, Greece 10.0 km
6.2 49 km NW of Fry, Greece 88.0 km
6.5 32 km WNW of Skýros, Greece 10.0 km
6.0 5 km WNW of Fylí, Greece 10.0 km
6.6 22 km SW of Lithakiá, Greece 33.0 km
6.0 36 km SSW of Eresós, Greece 17.9 km
6.4 47 km SSE of Koróni, Greece 24.0 km
6.2 Dodecanese Islands, Greece 33.0 km
6.5 8 km WNW of Galaxídhion, Greece 14.2 km
6.6 10 km W of Aianí, Greece 14.0 km
6.1 15 km NNE of Pánormos, Greece 76.0 km
6.1 14 km WNW of Gouménissa, Greece 13.3 km
6.0 1 km ENE of Paralía Vérgas, Greece 11.2 km
6.2 40 km WSW of Kíssamos, Greece 39.1 km
6.1 37 km NNE of Psará, Greece 22.5 km
6.8 39 km NW of Mýrina, Greece 2.4 km
6.4 18 km NW of Lixoúri, Greece 19.1 km
7.0 26 km SW of Lixoúri, Greece 14.3 km
6.8 28 km SSE of Karyes, Greece 10.0 km
6.5 29 km E of Skýros, Greece 13.3 km
7.2 61 km W of Eresós, Greece 10.0 km
6.4 3 km WSW of Erythrés, Greece 28.5 km
6.4 13 km SSW of Kaparéllion, Greece 33.0 km
6.7 5 km SW of Domvraína, Greece 33.0 km
6.3 14 km SE of Vamvakoú, Greece 20.0 km
6.4 6 km S of Áno Lekhónia, Greece 14.0 km
6.4 8 km ESE of Kolchikón, Greece 3.0 km
6.0 62 km WSW of Palaióchora, Greece 33.0 km
6.4 45 km WSW of Lithakiá, Greece 33.0 km
6.2 16 km NW of Lixoúri, Greece 16.5 km
6.1 16 km SW of Xylókastro, Greece 81.5 km
6.2 16 km WSW of Palaióchora, Greece 36.2 km
6.3 4 km SSE of Antikyra, Greece 13.0 km
6.1 19 km WSW of Mandráki, Greece 18.5 km
7.0 55 km S of Mýrina, Greece 10.7 km
6.6 22 km NNE of Skýros, Greece 10.0 km
6.2 14 km NE of Kerasochóri, Greece 10.0 km
6.1 8 km SSW of Aráchova, Greece 24.1 km
6.0 22 km SE of Chóra Sfakíon, Greece 53.3 km
6.1 19 km SW of Dimitsána, Greece 16.4 km
6.8 6 km SW of Galaxídhion, Greece 60.7 km
6.0 6 km NNW of Patitírion, Greece 20.0 km
6.2 2 km WSW of Fylí, Greece 152.7 km
6.1 5 km WNW of Agía Galíni, Greece 35.0 km
6.3 29 km SSW of Lithakiá, Greece 15.0 km
6.4 15 km ESE of Fársala, Greece 10.0 km
6.0 76 km S of Methóni, Greece 15.0 km
6.1 63 km N of Sitia, Greece 15.0 km
7.7 19 km SSE of Amorgós, Greece 20.0 km
6.2 4 km NNE of Káto Lekhónia, Greece 15.0 km
6.0 32 km SE of Karyes, Greece 15.0 km
6.7 7 km NE of Anávra, Greece 10.0 km
6.2 8 km SSE of Valsamáta, Greece 15.0 km
6.2 10 km NE of Katastárion, Greece 15.0 km
6.8 15 km ENE of Póros, Greece 10.0 km
6.5 13 km ESE of Itháki, Greece 10.0 km
6.3 8 km NE of Póros, Greece 15.0 km
6.5 46 km SSE of Kastrí, Greece 25.0 km
6.4 39 km SSW of Tympáki, Greece 15.0 km
6.4 19 km WNW of Préveza, Greece 15.0 km
6.6 35 km NW of Itháki, Greece 15.0 km
7.3 15 km NNW of Karpathos, Greece 15.0 km
7.3 4 km WNW of Koróni, Greece 15.0 km
6.3 29 km SW of Kíssamos, Greece 15.0 km
6.2 14 km W of Rizómylos, Greece 15.0 km
6.2 16 km S of Néa Anatolí, Greece 15.0 km
6.0 14 km WSW of Xylókastro, Greece 10.0 km
6.1 8 km NW of Fylí, Greece 15.0 km
6.2 66 km SSW of Folégandros, Greece 70.0 km
6.3 9 km SE of Néa Apollonía, Greece 10.0 km
6.4 14 km E of Kardámaina, Greece 15.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 132 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Greece.

Peru

4,591 M4+ events · strongest M8.0

M8.0

Fiji

4,493 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Argentina

4,371 M4+ events · strongest M7.0

M7.0

China

4,920 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Iran

3,544 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

Afghanistan

3,472 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Greece? ▼
The USGS catalog records 4,600 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Greece since 2005, an average of about 219 per year. Separately, 132 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Greece? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Greece measured magnitude 7.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Greece? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Greece ranks 15th of 215 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1915, with 6.
How deep are earthquakes in Greece? ▼
Across the 132 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 23 km. 94% 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 this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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