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Earthquakes in New Caledonia

New Caledonia ranks 26th 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.

1,913
M4+ events (since 2005)
114
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.7
Strongest
~91
M4+ per year

The verdict

New Caledonia has logged 1,913 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 114 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

#26
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
1,913
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.7
strongest earthquake on record
114
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.7 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in New Caledonia by year

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

Value

What this shows New Caledonia's most active year for major earthquakes was 1981 (8 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 114 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for New Caledonia.

M7.0-7.9

9

7.9%

M6.0-6.9

105

92.1%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 114 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 23 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

111

97.4% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

3

2.6% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in New Caledonia

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

Mag Location Depth
7.7 249 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 20.2 km
7.6 274 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.5 166 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.3 201 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.2 207 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
7.1 238 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 21.4 km
7.1 202 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 22.0 km
7.0 85 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.0 118 km NNE of Tadine, New Caledonia 9.0 km
7.0 204 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 30.0 km

Significant earthquake record (114 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 277 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 11.0 km
6.1 290 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.9 284 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 164 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 20.0 km
6.0 176 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 16.0 km
6.3 196 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 20.0 km
6.6 199 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.5 166 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 160 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.5 171 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 17.0 km
6.3 171 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 12.0 km
6.3 240 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 12.0 km
7.1 238 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 21.4 km
6.0 96 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.0 85 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.6 74 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 13.0 km
6.3 82 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 14.0 km
6.6 101 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 22.0 km
6.1 110 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 11.0 km
6.7 132 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 24.0 km
6.6 262 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 14.0 km
6.8 124 km NE of Wé, New Caledonia 11.0 km
7.0 118 km NNE of Tadine, New Caledonia 9.0 km
6.0 249 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.7 298 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 27.0 km
6.1 140 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 37.0 km
6.5 161 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 158 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 12.0 km
6.1 153 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 9.0 km
6.2 134 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia 13.0 km
6.2 206 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.7 286 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 68.0 km
6.1 189 km ESE of Vao, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 183 km ESE of Vao, New Caledonia 9.0 km
6.3 252 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 14.0 km
6.1 232 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.1 202 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 22.0 km
6.1 185 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.0 211 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 195 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.7 202 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
7.3 201 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.1 164 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.8 168 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.0 190 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.5 183 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 235 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.7 245 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.4 187 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.0 211 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.1 201 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.0 207 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.1 266 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 73.1 km
6.0 235 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 11.6 km
6.3 258 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 18.6 km
6.5 271 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 19.7 km
7.7 249 km E of Vao, New Caledonia 20.2 km
6.1 285 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 16.4 km
6.0 235 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 32.4 km
6.2 238 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 42.3 km
6.1 282 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.8 km
6.1 138 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 23.8 km
6.1 278 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 14.6 km
6.1 245 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 51.6 km
6.2 291 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.2 180 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.0 278 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.6 291 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 30.0 km
6.2 178 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 31.0 km
6.2 181 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 39.5 km
6.0 163 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.7 156 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 29.9 km
6.0 207 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 86.0 km
6.4 164 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.5 271 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
7.2 207 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.7 226 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.7 241 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 33.0 km
6.1 275 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 85.0 km
6.0 214 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 26.2 km
6.4 246 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 30.0 km
6.0 218 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 25.0 km
6.1 144 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.4 210 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.6 179 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.6 180 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.4 133 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.1 102 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.4 159 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.3 252 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.5 291 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 30.0 km
6.7 273 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.5 239 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.3 166 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 20.0 km
6.2 160 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 20.0 km
6.3 237 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.6 200 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 25.0 km
6.9 298 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 15.0 km
6.3 201 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km
6.5 257 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 35.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 114 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to New Caledonia.

Guatemala

1,948 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

Colombia

1,718 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Turkey

2,247 M4+ events · strongest M7.1

M7.1

Tajikistan

1,578 M4+ events · strongest M7.2

M7.2

El Salvador

1,498 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Nicaragua

1,413 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

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 New Caledonia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 1,913 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in New Caledonia since 2005, an average of about 91 per year. Separately, 114 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in New Caledonia? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in New Caledonia measured magnitude 7.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is New Caledonia? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, New Caledonia ranks 26th of 215 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1981, with 8.
How deep are earthquakes in New Caledonia? ▼
Across the 114 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 23 km. 97% 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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