PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has catalogued 625 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 41st of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.0.

Kyrgyzstan ranks 41st of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country, averaging about 30 M4+ events a year alongside 28 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. One of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

625
M4+ events (since 2005)
28
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.0
Strongest
~30
M4+ per year

The verdict

Kyrgyzstan is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 625 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 28 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.0.

1992
busiest year (5 major events)
23 km
average recorded event depth
100%
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 Micronesia sits immediately above at 672 events and Italy sits immediately below at 609.

Where Kyrgyzstan sits in the catalog

Rank 41st of 187 tracked countries (78th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Micronesia sits immediately above at 672 events and Italy sits immediately below at 609.

  • Micronesia - next more active (672 M4+)
  • Italy - next less active (609 M4+)

Kyrgyzstan's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

625 Top 22% higher than 78% of 187 countries

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

Kyrgyzstan ranks in the 78th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Kyrgyzstan vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 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 2004006008001,0001,200 M5.5M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Kyrgyzstan vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Myanmar 1,136 M7.7
Ecuador 1,130 M7.8
Canada 1,026 M7.8
Iceland 982 M6.3
Bolivia 832 M6.8
Wallis and Futuna 807 M6.7
Costa Rica 717 M7.6
Panama 704 M6.7
Nepal 694 M7.8
Micronesia 672 M6.6
Kyrgyzstan (this page) 625 M6.7
Italy 609 M6.6
Ethiopia 574 M5.9
Venezuela 531 M7.5
Dominican Republic 489 M5.8
Svalbard and Jan Mayen 434 M6.8
Portugal 423 M6.3
Tanzania 368 M6.0
Yemen 338 M6.6
Somalia 332 M5.8
Australia 285 M6.6

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan by year

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

Value

What this shows Kyrgyzstan's most active year for major earthquakes was 1992 (5 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%0.5%
Share of Kyrgyzstan's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

3 of 625 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 28 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Kyrgyzstan.

How the 28 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 78.6%

M8+

1

3.6%

M7.0-7.9

5

17.9%

M6.0-6.9

22

78.6%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 28 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 23 km.

Kyrgyzstan100%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Kyrgyzstan's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

28

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan

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

Mag Location Depth
8.0 The 1911 Kemin Earthquake, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
7.5 34 km N of Kerben, Kyrgyzstan 25.0 km
7.3 60 km ENE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 27.4 km
7.3 134 km E of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 9.0 km
7.1 23 km ENE of Tyup, Kyrgyzstan 33.0 km
7.0 22 km ESE of Kemin, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km
6.8 38 km SE of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 40.0 km
6.7 131 km SE of Nookat, Kyrgyzstan 27.4 km
6.7 19 km SE of Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan 25.0 km
6.6 35 km NE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 18.5 km

Significant earthquake record (28 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.4 92 km E of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 13.0 km
6.1 16 km NNE of Aydarken, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
6.7 131 km SE of Nookat, Kyrgyzstan 27.4 km
6.6 35 km NE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 18.5 km
6.3 37 km NE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 21.1 km
6.1 55 km ENE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 33.0 km
7.3 60 km ENE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan 27.4 km
6.2 4 km WSW of Kochkor-Ata, Kyrgyzstan 49.5 km
6.4 35 km NW of Tyup, Kyrgyzstan 19.1 km
6.8 38 km SE of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 40.0 km
7.1 23 km ENE of Tyup, Kyrgyzstan 33.0 km
6.1 3 km SE of Batken, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
6.1 53 km SE of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 50.0 km
6.1 117 km E of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 9.0 km
7.3 134 km E of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 9.0 km
6.3 13 km E of Ak-Suu, Kyrgyzstan 19.8 km
6.5 144 km SSE of Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km
7.5 34 km N of Kerben, Kyrgyzstan 25.0 km
6.0 55 km ESE of Nookat, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km
6.1 18 km SW of Daroot-Korgon, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
6.5 72 km E of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 30.0 km
7.0 22 km ESE of Kemin, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km
6.1 18 km SE of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km
6.7 19 km SE of Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan 25.0 km
6.5 53 km S of Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan 25.0 km
6.5 102 km SSE of Ak-Suu, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
8.0 The 1911 Kemin Earthquake, Kyrgyzstan 20.0 km
6.0 95 km SE of Kadzhi-Say, Kyrgyzstan 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Israel

11 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

Afghanistan

3,478 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Egypt

45 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Malta

34 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Saint Kitts and Nevis

23 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Myanmar

1,136 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Brazil

101 M4+ events

M6.8

Wallis and Futuna

807 M4+ events

M6.7

Argentina

4,379 M4+ events

M7.0

Italy

609 M4+ events

M6.6

Nicaragua

1,416 M4+ events

M6.6

Guadeloupe

152 M4+ events

M6.5

Understand the data

Micronesia

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Italy

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Kyrgyzstan? ▼
The USGS catalog records 625 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Kyrgyzstan since 2005, an average of about 30 per year. Separately, 28 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Kyrgyzstan? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Kyrgyzstan measured magnitude 8.0. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Kyrgyzstan? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Kyrgyzstan ranks 41st of 187 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1992, with 5.
How deep are earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan? ▼
Across the 28 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 23 km. 100% 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 Kyrgyzstan's figures

625 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M8.0 · average M4.5 · 28 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 13, 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 Kyrgyzstan's numbers mean

Kyrgyzstan ranks 41st of 187 countries tracked - a moderately seismically active country.

  • About 30 M4+ earthquakes strike Kyrgyzstan per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1992 was the busiest year on record with 5 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 100% of Kyrgyzstan'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 M8.0. 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.