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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Russia

Russia has catalogued 12,525 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 7th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M9.0.

Russia ranks 7th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 596 M4+ events a year alongside 806 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. 4 of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

12,525
M4+ events (since 2005)
806
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M9.0
Strongest
~596
M4+ per year

The verdict

Russia is one of the world's most seismically active places, with 12,525 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 806 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 9.0.

1952
busiest year (42 major events)
53 km
average recorded event depth
90%
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 Chile sits immediately above at 13,836 events and Tonga sits immediately below at 10,847.

Where Russia sits in the catalog

Rank 7th of 187 tracked countries (96th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Chile sits immediately above at 13,836 events and Tonga sits immediately below at 10,847.

  • Chile - next more active (13,836 M4+)
  • Tonga - next less active (10,847 M4+)

Russia's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

12,525 Top 4% higher than 96% 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. Russia 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 Russia compares to its nearest peers

Russia ranks in the 96th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 16 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Russia vs. its 16 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 17 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 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Russia vs. its 16 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 17 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia 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 (this page) 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
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0
Peru 4,598 M8.0
Fiji 4,498 M7.9
Argentina 4,379 M7.0

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Russia by year

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

Value

What this shows Russia's most active year for major earthquakes was 1952 (42 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%1%
Share of Russia's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

127 of 12,525 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 806 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Russia.

How the 806 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 89.7%

M8+

4

0.5%

M7.0-7.9

79

9.8%

M6.0-6.9

723

89.7%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 806 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 53 km.

Russia90.3%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Russia's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

728

90.3% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

45

5.6% of events

Deep (>300 km)

33

4.1% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Russia

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

Mag Location Depth
9.0 89 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 21.6 km
8.8 2025 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Earthquake 35.0 km
8.4 1923 Kamchatka, Russia Earthquake 15.0 km
8.3 48 km E of Shikotan, Russia 14.0 km
8.0 43 km E of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 20.0 km
7.9 128 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia 33.0 km
7.9 76 km ENE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 55.0 km
7.8 off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 15.0 km
7.8 266 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 30.0 km
7.8 140 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 27.0 km

Significant earthquake record (806 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.6 148 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 10.0 km
6.0 156 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 10.0 km
6.0 111 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 18.0 km
6.0 87 km ESE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 43.0 km
6.2 127 km S of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 47.0 km
6.2 135 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 29.0 km
6.0 149 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 28.0 km
6.1 142 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 29.0 km
6.1 121 km E of Ozernovskiy, Russia 56.5 km
6.1 177 km SE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 19.0 km
6.0 98 km ESE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 58.3 km
7.8 140 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 27.0 km
6.0 144 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 15.0 km
7.4 105 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 58.0 km
6.0 92 km E of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 40.0 km
6.0 265 km ESE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 11.0 km
6.2 202 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 16.0 km
6.8 123 km E of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 30.0 km
6.0 165 km SSE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 17.0 km
6.1 215 km ESE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 10.0 km
6.2 222 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 15.0 km
6.0 138 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 35.0 km
6.1 183 km SE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 10.4 km
6.2 126 km SE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 35.0 km
6.9 125 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 36.6 km
6.0 165 km SSE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 35.0 km
6.0 124 km ENE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 35.0 km
6.1 78 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 25.4 km
6.3 94 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 16.4 km
8.8 2025 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Earthquake 35.0 km
6.0 163 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 14.0 km
6.0 154 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 12.3 km
6.5 143 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 35.0 km
6.6 153 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 10.0 km
7.4 2025 Eastern Kamchatka, Russia Earthquake 34.0 km
6.6 134 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 23.0 km
6.2 146 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 40.0 km
6.0 117 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 26.0 km
7.0 102 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 29.0 km
6.5 151 km E of Dolinsk, Russia 402.2 km
6.5 115 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 31.0 km
6.1 13 km E of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 137.0 km
6.5 23 km SSE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 101.0 km
6.0 254 km ESE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
6.0 219 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 35.0 km
6.6 171 km SSE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 13.2 km
6.4 88 km SSE of Sovetskaya Gavan’, Russia 589.0 km
6.4 21 km WNW of Esso, Russia 344.0 km
7.5 221 km SSE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 57.8 km
7.0 95 km ENE of Kuril’sk, Russia 143.0 km
6.4 Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia 10.0 km
6.3 264 km NW of Ozernovskiy, Russia 496.0 km
6.3 100 km E of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
6.4 108 km E of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
6.2 266 km ESE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 9.0 km
6.1 161 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
7.3 187 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 16.6 km
6.1 71 km SSW of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 49.0 km
6.0 298 km E of Dolinsk, Russia 433.0 km
6.7 269 km WNW of Ozernovskiy, Russia 461.0 km
6.5 154 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 20.0 km
6.1 142 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 19.0 km
6.0 261 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 27.0 km
6.1 93 km E of Ozernovskiy, Russia 45.0 km
6.2 259 km ESE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 11.2 km
7.7 Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region 10.0 km
6.3 Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region 9.0 km
6.6 81 km NNE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 17.0 km
6.1 Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region 8.0 km
6.4 216 km S of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 30.0 km
7.2 80 km S of Mil’kovo, Russia 177.0 km
6.0 202 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 12.0 km
6.3 101 km E of Shikotan, Russia 49.0 km
6.2 96 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 61.0 km
6.0 134 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 28.0 km
6.0 247 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia 34.0 km
6.4 172 km S of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 43.0 km
6.1 128 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 30.0 km
6.0 129 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 30.0 km
6.1 123 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 18.0 km
6.1 96 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 18.0 km
6.1 134 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 15.0 km
7.2 252 km ENE of Kuril’sk, Russia 110.0 km
6.3 13 km NNW of Zarubino, Russia 563.3 km
6.5 87 km SE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 29.0 km
6.4 94 km SE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 33.0 km
6.9 81 km SE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 41.0 km
6.6 183 km SW of Belaya Gora, Russia 11.0 km
6.5 163 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 29.0 km
7.7 156 km ENE of Poronaysk, Russia 583.2 km
6.0 141 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 19.0 km
6.0 268 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia 20.0 km
6.0 159 km NNE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
6.7 38 km NE of Saryg-Sep, Russia 12.0 km
6.6 45 km NNE of Saryg-Sep, Russia 15.0 km
6.0 8 km ESE of Takhtamygda, Russia 12.0 km
6.1 227 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 36.0 km
6.1 41 km SSW of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 33.0 km
6.3 100 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 23.0 km
6.2 107 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 28.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 806 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Montserrat

4 M4+ events · strongest M4.1

M4.1

French Guiana

3 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Cuba

96 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Burundi

18 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Uganda

73 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

South Sudan

7 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Philippines

14,262 M4+ events

M7.8

Chile

13,836 M4+ events

M8.8

Iran

3,554 M4+ events

M7.7

China

4,952 M4+ events

M7.9

Myanmar

1,136 M4+ events

M7.7

Jamaica

39 M4+ events

M7.7

Understand the data

Chile

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Tonga

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Russia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 12,525 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Russia since 2005, an average of about 596 per year. Separately, 806 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Russia? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Russia measured magnitude 9.0. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Russia? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Russia ranks 7th of 187 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1952, with 42.
How deep are earthquakes in Russia? ▼
Across the 806 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 53 km. 90% 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 Russia's figures

12,525 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M9.0 · average M4.5 · 806 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 Russia's numbers mean

Russia ranks 7th of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 596 M4+ earthquakes strike Russia per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1952 was the busiest year on record with 42 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 90% of Russia'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 M9.0. 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.