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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Svalbard and Jan Mayen ranks 48th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

431
M4+ events (since 2005)
21
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M6.8
Strongest
~21
M4+ per year

The verdict

Svalbard and Jan Mayen has logged 431 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 21 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.8.

#48
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
431
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M6.8
strongest earthquake on record
21
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Svalbard and Jan Mayen by year

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

Value

What this shows Svalbard and Jan Mayen's most active year for major earthquakes was 1906 (1 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 21 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

M6.0-6.9

21

100.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 21 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 12 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

21

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Svalbard and Jan Mayen

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

Mag Location Depth
6.8 89 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 14.0 km
6.7 120 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.7 230 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.6 66 km NNW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.5 186 km SW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.5 34 km NE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.5 90 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 13.0 km
6.4 16 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.4 33 km N of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.3 76 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km

Significant earthquake record (21 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.5 34 km NE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.7 120 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.8 89 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 14.0 km
6.2 75 km E of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.1 145 km SSE of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 12.0 km
6.1 218 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.0 38 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 12.2 km
6.0 34 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.7 230 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.0 45 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.5 90 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 13.0 km
6.3 76 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.1 58 km E of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.2 km
6.4 33 km N of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.0 89 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.0 233 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.6 66 km NNW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.4 16 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km
6.1 150 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.5 186 km SW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10.0 km
6.3 127 km NE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen 15.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

Portugal

414 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

Dominican Republic

488 M4+ events · strongest M5.8

M5.8

Tanzania

368 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Venezuela

526 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Yemen

335 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Somalia

331 M4+ events · strongest M5.8

M5.8

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 Svalbard and Jan Mayen? ▼
The USGS catalog records 431 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Svalbard and Jan Mayen since 2005, an average of about 21 per year. Separately, 21 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Svalbard and Jan Mayen? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Svalbard and Jan Mayen measured magnitude 6.8. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Svalbard and Jan Mayen? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Svalbard and Jan Mayen ranks 48th of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1906, with 1.
How deep are earthquakes in Svalbard and Jan Mayen? ▼
Across the 21 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 12 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 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.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.