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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Nicaragua

Nicaragua has catalogued 1,416 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 29th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.7.

Nicaragua ranks 29th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country, averaging about 67 M4+ events a year alongside 62 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1906 to 2022, peaking in 1996.

1,416
M4+ events (since 2005)
62
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.7
Strongest
~67
M4+ per year

The verdict

Nicaragua is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 1,416 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 62 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

1996
busiest year (4 major events)
41 km
average recorded event depth
87%
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 El Salvador sits immediately above at 1,501 events and Pakistan sits immediately below at 1,262.

Where Nicaragua sits in the catalog

Rank 29th of 187 tracked countries (84th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder El Salvador sits immediately above at 1,501 events and Pakistan sits immediately below at 1,262.

Nicaragua's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

1,416 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 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. Nicaragua 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 Nicaragua compares to its nearest peers

Nicaragua ranks in the 84th 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).

Nicaragua 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 01,0002,0003,0004,000 M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Nicaragua vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Iran 3,554 M7.7
Afghanistan 3,478 M7.5
Timor Leste 3,416 M7.3
Taiwan 2,531 M7.4
Turkey 2,249 M7.8
Guatemala 1,951 M7.4
New Caledonia 1,917 M7.5
Colombia 1,721 M7.3
Tajikistan 1,583 M7.2
El Salvador 1,501 M7.3
Nicaragua (this page) 1,416 M6.6
Pakistan 1,262 M7.7
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

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Nicaragua by year

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

Value

What this shows Nicaragua's most active year for major earthquakes was 1996 (4 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%0.7%
Share of Nicaragua's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

10 of 1,416 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 62 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Nicaragua.

How the 62 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 88.7%

M7.0-7.9

7

11.3%

M6.0-6.9

55

88.7%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 62 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 41 km.

Nicaragua87.1%12.9%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Nicaragua's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

54

87.1% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

8

12.9% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Nicaragua

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

Mag Location Depth
7.7 83 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua 44.8 km
7.3 92 km SW of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 35.0 km
7.2 7 km SW of El Viejo, Nicaragua 65.0 km
7.2 116 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua 15.0 km
7.1 12 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
7.1 9 km E of Granada, Nicaragua 160.4 km
7.0 43 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
7.0 15 km NNE of Telica, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.8 47 km S of Masachapa, Nicaragua 30.0 km
6.8 36 km SSW of La Conquista, Nicaragua 52.5 km

Significant earthquake record (62 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.6 55 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 27.0 km
6.3 62 km S of Masachapa, Nicaragua 20.0 km
6.5 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 21.0 km
6.6 15 km N of Belén, Nicaragua 135.0 km
6.1 16 km SW of Valle San Francisco, Nicaragua 13.0 km
6.2 33 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 60.0 km
6.5 44 km W of Masachapa, Nicaragua 30.0 km
6.0 7 km NNE of Belén, Nicaragua 177.0 km
6.3 6 km NNW of Cárdenas, Nicaragua 14.0 km
6.6 32 km W of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 27.0 km
7.0 43 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.3 129 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 9.0 km
6.2 33 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 28.0 km
6.0 51 km S of El Rosario, Nicaragua 68.7 km
6.7 130 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua 54.6 km
6.0 27 km SW of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 33.0 km
6.0 113 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua 33.0 km
6.7 30 km WSW of Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua 33.0 km
6.6 39 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 33.0 km
6.6 120 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 25.0 km
6.4 181 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua 14.5 km
6.0 55 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua 10.0 km
6.0 58 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 10.0 km
7.7 83 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua 44.8 km
6.8 36 km SSW of La Conquista, Nicaragua 52.5 km
6.6 2 km WSW of Belén, Nicaragua 86.7 km
6.5 4 km S of Chichigalpa, Nicaragua 76.2 km
6.4 11 km SSW of El Rosario, Nicaragua 55.8 km
6.3 23 km E of Nandaime, Nicaragua 22.1 km
6.1 16 km WNW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 71.8 km
6.0 32 km W of Tola, Nicaragua 62.9 km
6.2 18 km S of Masachapa, Nicaragua 57.3 km
6.3 10 km N of Managua, Nicaragua 10.0 km
6.5 23 km WNW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 55.0 km
6.6 34 km SSW of La Conquista, Nicaragua 40.0 km
7.1 9 km E of Granada, Nicaragua 160.4 km
6.2 6 km SW of El Viejo, Nicaragua 102.4 km
7.1 12 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.0 10 km NNE of Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.2 24 km N of Telica, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.8 33 km W of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.8 60 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.3 78 km SSW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.1 36 km WSW of Tola, Nicaragua 46.9 km
6.2 42 km WNW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 45.0 km
6.3 53 km W of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.1 14 km SSW of El Rosario, Nicaragua 70.0 km
6.1 22 km NE of La Paz Centro, Nicaragua 35.0 km
6.1 38 km SW of La Paz Centro, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.7 60 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 25.0 km
6.8 47 km S of Masachapa, Nicaragua 30.0 km
6.1 19 km S of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.2 20 km S of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.6 57 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 30.0 km
7.0 15 km NNE of Telica, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.4 19 km SW of Tola, Nicaragua 25.0 km
7.2 7 km SW of El Viejo, Nicaragua 65.0 km
6.1 110 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.4 144 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 15.0 km
7.3 92 km SW of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua 35.0 km
7.2 116 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua 15.0 km
6.2 73 km WSW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 35.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Spain

88 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

Solomon Islands

6,129 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Dominica

55 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Martinique

83 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

Benin

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.4

M4.4

Lesotho

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.5

M4.5

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Micronesia

672 M4+ events

M6.6

Morocco

187 M4+ events

M6.8

Bolivia

832 M4+ events

M6.8

Albania

273 M4+ events

M6.4

Wallis and Futuna

807 M4+ events

M6.7

Brazil

101 M4+ events

M6.8

Understand the data

El Salvador

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Pakistan

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Nicaragua? ▼
The USGS catalog records 1,416 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Nicaragua since 2005, an average of about 67 per year. Separately, 62 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Nicaragua? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Nicaragua measured magnitude 7.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Nicaragua? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Nicaragua ranks 29th of 187 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1996, with 4.
How deep are earthquakes in Nicaragua? ▼
Across the 62 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 41 km. 87% 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 Nicaragua's figures

1,416 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.7 · average M4.5 · 62 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 18, 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 Nicaragua's numbers mean

Nicaragua ranks 29th of 187 countries tracked - a highly seismically active country.

  • About 67 M4+ earthquakes strike Nicaragua per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1996 was the busiest year on record with 4 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 87% of Nicaragua'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 M7.7. 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.