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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Indonesia

Indonesia ranks 1st of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

37,498
M4+ events (since 2005)
1,276
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.6
Strongest
~1,786
M4+ per year

The verdict

Indonesia has logged 37,498 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 1,276 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.6.

#1
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
37,498
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M8.6
strongest earthquake on record
1,276
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Indonesia by year

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

Value

What this shows Indonesia's most active year for major earthquakes was 2007 (33 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 1,276 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Indonesia.

M8+

2

0.2%

M7.0-7.9

138

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

1,136

89.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 1,276 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 59 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

1,117

87.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

106

8.3% of events

Deep (>300 km)

53

4.2% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Indonesia

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

Mag Location Depth
8.6 78 km WSW of Singkil, Indonesia 30.0 km
8.4 122 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 34.0 km
7.9 87 km SW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia 35.0 km
7.9 103 km S of Bengkulu, Indonesia 33.0 km
7.9 169 km NNE of Maumere, Indonesia 587.3 km
7.9 181 km N of Palu, Indonesia 24.0 km
7.9 55 km S of Biak, Indonesia 5.0 km
7.8 230 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 35.0 km
7.8 southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia 24.0 km
7.8 215 km SW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia 20.1 km

Significant earthquake record (1,276 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.2 58 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia 120.9 km
6.7 43 km ESE of Palu, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.2 268 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia 137.0 km
6.3 109 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia 28.0 km
7.4 129 km ESE of Bitung, Indonesia 35.0 km
6.2 62 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.4 54 km WNW of Sinabang, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.4 192 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.0 31 km ESE of Kalianget, Indonesia 19.5 km
6.0 26 km S of Nabire, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.3 195 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia 14.0 km
6.4 264 km WNW of Sabang, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.3 109 km W of Gorontalo, Indonesia 142.0 km
6.7 180 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia 70.7 km
6.1 45 km E of Modisi, Indonesia 21.7 km
6.1 260 km ESE of Baubau, Indonesia 576.0 km
6.0 67 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia 143.0 km
6.1 154 km WSW of Fakfak, Indonesia 16.0 km
6.1 91 km S of Banjar, Indonesia 59.7 km
6.4 150 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 22.0 km
6.4 110 km N of Paciran, Indonesia 9.5 km
6.3 146 km WSW of Abepura, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.0 91 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia 102.0 km
6.1 20 km NE of Kupang, Indonesia 51.0 km
6.0 38 km NNE of Ternate, Indonesia 151.0 km
6.0 101 km N of Palu, Indonesia 13.0 km
7.1 180 km NNE of Gili Air, Indonesia 500.0 km
7.1 171 km SSE of Teluk Dalam, Indonesia 34.0 km
7.0 Java, Indonesia 597.0 km
6.1 77 km SW of Padangsidempuan, Indonesia 84.0 km
6.3 172 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia 92.0 km
6.1 130 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia 39.7 km
7.0 156 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 29.7 km
6.0 62 km SSE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 154.0 km
6.1 40 km SE of Singkil, Indonesia 37.0 km
7.6 Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia 105.0 km
6.9 204 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 25.0 km
6.2 37 km SSW of Meulaboh, Indonesia 42.2 km
6.0 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.2 260 km ESE of Biak, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.2 Papua, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.2 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.2 119 km S of Pagar Alam, Indonesia 45.3 km
6.7 166 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.1 65 km NNW of Bukittinggi, Indonesia 4.0 km
6.6 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.0 284 km E of Katabu, Indonesia 544.0 km
6.0 261 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia 149.0 km
6.0 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.0 150 km ESE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 34.0 km
6.0 253 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 8.0 km
6.0 182 km NE of Tual, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.3 99 km WNW of Luwuk, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.1 215 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 44.3 km
6.2 132 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.7 260 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.1 254 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 9.0 km
6.0 45 km S of Sumberpucung, Indonesia 67.0 km
6.3 219 km SSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.2 32 km S of Mamuju, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.1 53 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia 148.0 km
6.0 222 km SSW of Padang, Indonesia 19.0 km
6.9 222 km SSE of Katabu, Indonesia 624.0 km
6.9 122 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.8 138 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 22.0 km
6.0 97 km SE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 109.0 km
6.4 133 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia 112.9 km
6.0 124 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia 42.0 km
6.2 249 km S of Nusa Dua, Indonesia 20.7 km
6.0 273 km SW of Tual, Indonesia 54.0 km
6.2 113 km NNE of Bangkalan, Indonesia 592.4 km
6.1 108 km SE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 121.7 km
6.0 146 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 44.0 km
6.3 14 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.0 135 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 23.0 km
7.1 141 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.5 33 km NE of Ambon, Indonesia 12.3 km
6.1 81 km NNE of Lasem, Indonesia 610.0 km
6.9 152 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia 49.0 km
7.2 155 km SSE of Sofifi, Indonesia 19.0 km
6.9 136 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia 35.0 km
6.1 230 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.3 244 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.8 Sulawesi, Indonesia 15.5 km
6.1 146 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 45.0 km
6.0 170 km WSW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.3 160 km WSW of Waingapu, Indonesia 24.0 km
6.0 142 km WSW of Waingapu, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.1 153 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia 62.0 km
6.0 49 km NE of Panji, Indonesia 9.0 km
6.0 99 km S of Waingapu, Indonesia 29.0 km
7.5 72 km N of Palu, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.1 57 km NNW of Palu, Indonesia 5.0 km
6.2 92 km SE of Kupang, Indonesia 14.0 km
6.9 20 km NNW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.3 19 km NNW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 16.0 km
6.5 124 km N of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia 529.0 km
6.9 36 km NW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 34.0 km
6.4 33 km NNW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 14.0 km
6.0 177 km NNE of Maumere, Indonesia 578.2 km

Showing the first 100 of 1,276 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Indonesia.

Japan

21,476 M4+ events · strongest M9.1

M9.1

United States

17,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Papua New Guinea

15,636 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Philippines

14,179 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Chile

13,817 M4+ events · strongest M8.3

M8.3

Russia

12,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

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 Indonesia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 37,498 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Indonesia since 2005, an average of about 1,786 per year. Separately, 1,276 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Indonesia? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Indonesia measured magnitude 8.6. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Indonesia? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Indonesia ranks 1st of 215 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2007, with 33.
How deep are earthquakes in Indonesia? ▼
Across the 1,276 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 59 km. 88% 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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