PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Taiwan

Taiwan has catalogued 2,531 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 22nd of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.2.

Taiwan ranks 22nd of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country, averaging about 121 M4+ events a year alongside 227 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. One of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

2,531
M4+ events (since 2005)
227
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.2
Strongest
~121
M4+ per year

The verdict

Taiwan is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 2,531 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 227 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.2.

1951
busiest year (23 major events)
24 km
average recorded event depth
99%
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 Timor Leste sits immediately above at 3,416 events and Turkey sits immediately below at 2,249.

Where Taiwan sits in the catalog

Rank 22nd of 187 tracked countries (88th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Timor Leste sits immediately above at 3,416 events and Turkey sits immediately below at 2,249.

Taiwan's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

2,531 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 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. Taiwan 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 Taiwan compares to its nearest peers

Taiwan ranks in the 88th 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).

Taiwan 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 02,0004,0006,0008,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Taiwan vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
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
India 4,086 M7.5
Iran 3,554 M7.7
Afghanistan 3,478 M7.5
Timor Leste 3,416 M7.3
Taiwan (this page) 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 1,416 M6.6
Pakistan 1,262 M7.7
Myanmar 1,136 M7.7
Ecuador 1,130 M7.8

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Taiwan by year

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

Value

What this shows Taiwan's most active year for major earthquakes was 1951 (23 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%1.3%
Share of Taiwan's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

32 of 2,531 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 227 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Taiwan.

How the 227 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 88.5%

M8+

1

0.4%

M7.0-7.9

25

11.0%

M6.0-6.9

201

88.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 227 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 24 km.

Taiwan98.7%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Taiwan's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

224

98.7% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

3

1.3% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Taiwan

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

Mag Location Depth
8.2 1920 Hualien, Taiwan Earthquake 20.0 km
7.7 21 km S of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
7.7 50 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan 20.0 km
7.5 58 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 25.0 km
7.4 15 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 40.0 km
7.4 8 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.8 km
7.4 85 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 17.0 km
7.4 122 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 20.0 km
7.3 81 km E of Yujing, Taiwan 25.0 km
7.3 167 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 27.1 km

Significant earthquake record (227 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.6 29 km ESE of Yilan, Taiwan 63.0 km
6.0 2025 Taitung, Taiwan Earthquake 8.0 km
6.0 10 km NE of Yujing, Taiwan 16.0 km
6.1 30 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 14.0 km
6.1 13 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.1 29 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 9.0 km
6.4 15 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan 13.9 km
7.4 15 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 40.0 km
6.9 90 km E of Yujing, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.5 96 km SE of Lugu, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.7 65 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 24.0 km
6.2 66 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 19.0 km
6.2 28 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan 69.0 km
6.1 27 km E of Yilan, Taiwan 71.0 km
6.1 8 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan 20.0 km
6.4 18 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan 17.0 km
6.1 22 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan 12.0 km
6.4 25 km SE of Yujing, Taiwan 23.0 km
6.1 77 km NE of Jiufen, Taiwan 256.0 km
6.3 46 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.2 26 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 17.0 km
6.3 41 km SE of Yujing, Taiwan 21.0 km
6.4 20 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 43.0 km
6.1 41 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 28.0 km
6.3 61 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 17.0 km
6.0 121 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.2 66 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan 53.0 km
6.0 136 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 36.2 km
6.9 26 km W of Hengchun, Taiwan 10.0 km
7.1 30 km SW of Hengchun, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.3 167 km SSW of Hengchun, Taiwan 14.0 km
6.1 88 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan 9.0 km
6.2 107 km NE of Hengchun, Taiwan 20.0 km
6.8 92 km E of Yujing, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.0 50 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 44.5 km
6.1 67 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.2 21 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan 10.0 km
7.1 67 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan 32.8 km
6.4 29 km ESE of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.3 66 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.5 31 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 17.0 km
6.4 33 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 26.0 km
6.4 44 km SSE of Lugu, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.2 36 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.1 33 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.3 54 km SW of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.1 31 km SE of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
7.7 21 km S of Puli, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.8 78 km E of Hengchun, Taiwan 20.0 km
6.3 63 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan 29.5 km
6.0 18 km SSW of Yilan, Taiwan 52.4 km
6.2 17 km N of Hualien City, Taiwan 40.9 km
6.8 145 km SW of Magong, Taiwan 13.1 km
6.4 31 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan 11.4 km
6.2 12 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 15.5 km
6.3 113 km ESE of Hengchun, Taiwan 17.7 km
6.7 28 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.3 7 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 12.1 km
6.6 109 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 10.7 km
6.0 100 km E of Hengchun, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.3 16 km SE of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.0 km
7.4 8 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.8 km
6.2 16 km N of Hualien City, Taiwan 19.3 km
6.0 26 km E of Yilan, Taiwan 12.6 km
6.3 56 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan 28.2 km
7.0 94 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 33.0 km
6.1 27 km SSE of Jiufen, Taiwan 109.0 km
7.4 85 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 17.0 km
6.6 184 km SE of Hualien City, Taiwan 21.0 km
6.1 10 km SW of Hualien City, Taiwan 24.1 km
6.3 59 km NE of Hengchun, Taiwan 17.2 km
7.0 44 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 23.0 km
6.0 126 km SSW of Hengchun, Taiwan 30.6 km
7.1 110 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 26.9 km
7.3 167 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan 27.1 km
6.4 119 km SSW of Hengchun, Taiwan 13.1 km
6.9 146 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 34.2 km
6.0 94 km E of Yujing, Taiwan 41.5 km
6.0 31 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 30.8 km
6.2 99 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan 25.0 km
6.1 72 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan 31.2 km
6.2 66 km ESE of Jiufen, Taiwan 17.3 km
6.0 45 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan 23.0 km
6.7 95 km ENE of Donggang, Taiwan 25.4 km
6.0 81 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 26.6 km
6.1 61 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 41.1 km
6.8 56 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan 63.0 km
6.7 70 km NE of Hengchun, Taiwan 64.1 km
6.1 103 km S of Hengchun, Taiwan 41.2 km
6.3 28 km SSE of Jiufen, Taiwan 9.9 km
6.5 6 km ENE of Yujing, Taiwan 23.1 km
6.1 41 km E of Yilan, Taiwan 15.0 km
6.3 33 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan 20.0 km
7.2 51 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan 30.0 km
6.5 42 km NE of Hualien City, Taiwan 35.0 km
6.1 68 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 34.1 km
6.9 54 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan 35.0 km
7.2 38 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan 25.0 km
6.1 106 km SSE of Hengchun, Taiwan 15.0 km
6.2 117 km S of Hengchun, Taiwan 15.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 227 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Ukraine

17 M4+ events · strongest M4.9

M4.9

Cameroon

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.6

M4.6

MX

202 M4+ events · strongest M5.8

M5.8

Wallis and Futuna

807 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Brazil

101 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Algeria

245 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Colombia

1,721 M4+ events

M7.3

Jamaica

39 M4+ events

M7.7

Martinique

83 M4+ events

M7.4

Venezuela

531 M4+ events

M7.5

Haiti

217 M4+ events

M7.2

Pakistan

1,262 M4+ events

M7.7

Understand the data

Timor Leste

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Turkey

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Taiwan? ▼
The USGS catalog records 2,531 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Taiwan since 2005, an average of about 121 per year. Separately, 227 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Taiwan measured magnitude 8.2. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Taiwan? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Taiwan ranks 22nd of 187 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1951, with 23.
How deep are earthquakes in Taiwan? ▼
Across the 227 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 24 km. 99% 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 Taiwan's figures

2,531 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M8.2 · average M4.5 · 227 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 5, 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 Taiwan's numbers mean

Taiwan ranks 22nd of 187 countries tracked - a highly seismically active country.

  • About 121 M4+ earthquakes strike Taiwan per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1951 was the busiest year on record with 23 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 99% of Taiwan'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 M8.2. 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.