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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Indonesia

Indonesia has catalogued 37,560 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 1st of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.6.

Indonesia ranks 1st of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 1,789 M4+ events a year alongside 1,278 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. 4 of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

37,560
M4+ events (since 2005)
1,278
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.6
Strongest
~1,789
M4+ per year

The verdict

Indonesia is among the most seismically active places on Earth, with 37,560 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 1,278 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.6.

2007
busiest year (33 major events)
59 km
average recorded event depth
88%
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. Indonesia tops the tracked set; the next step down is Japan at 27,851 M4+ events.

Where Indonesia sits in the catalog

Rank 1st of 187 tracked countries (99th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). Indonesia tops the tracked set; the next step down is Japan at 27,851 M4+ events.

  • Japan - next less active (27,851 M4+)

Indonesia's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

37,560 Top 1% higher than 99% 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. Indonesia 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 Indonesia compares to its nearest peers

Indonesia ranks in the 99th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 10 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Indonesia vs. its 10 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 11 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 M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude IndonesiaJapanUnited StatesPapua New GuineaPhilippinesChileRussiaTongaMexicoVanuatuNew Zealand
Indonesia vs. its 10 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 11 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia (this page) 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 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

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 2005–present
0%100%0.9%
Share of Indonesia's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

323 of 37,560 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 1,278 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Indonesia.

How the 1,278 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 88.9%

M8+

4

0.3%

M7.0-7.9

138

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

1,136

88.9%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 1,278 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 59 km.

Indonesia87.6%8.3%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Indonesia's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

1,119

87.6% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

106

8.3% of events

Deep (>300 km)

53

4.1% 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
8.3 1977 Sumba, Indonesia Earthquake 15.9 km
8.1 1996 Biak, Indonesia Earthquake 33.0 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

Significant earthquake record (1,278 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 42 km SE of Palu, Indonesia 11.0 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 1,278 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Saint Helena

184 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Grenada

19 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Serbia

18 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Congo-Uganda

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

Syria

39 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Saint Eustatius and Saba

19 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Papua New Guinea

15,655 M4+ events

M7.9

Philippines

14,262 M4+ events

M7.8

Iran

3,554 M4+ events

M7.7

Nepal

694 M4+ events

M7.8

Fiji

4,498 M4+ events

M7.9

Vanuatu

7,572 M4+ events

M7.8

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Japan

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Indonesia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 37,560 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Indonesia since 2005, an average of about 1,789 per year. Separately, 1,278 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 187 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 1,278 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 Indonesia's figures

37,560 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M8.6 · average M4.5 · 1,278 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 19, 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 Indonesia's numbers mean

Indonesia ranks 1st of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 1,789 M4+ earthquakes strike Indonesia per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 2007 was the busiest year on record with 33 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 88% of Indonesia'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 M8.6. 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.