PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Tajikistan

Tajikistan has catalogued 1,583 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 27th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.5.

Tajikistan ranks 27th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country, averaging about 75 M4+ events a year alongside 34 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1907 to 2023, peaking in 1949.

1,583
M4+ events (since 2005)
34
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.5
Strongest
~75
M4+ per year

The verdict

Tajikistan is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 1,583 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 34 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.5.

1949
busiest year (5 major events)
49 km
average recorded event depth
76%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Colombia sits immediately above at 1,721 events and El Salvador sits immediately below at 1,501.

Where Tajikistan sits in the catalog

Rank 27th of 187 tracked countries (86th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Colombia sits immediately above at 1,721 events and El Salvador sits immediately below at 1,501.

Tajikistan's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

1,583 Top 14% higher than 86% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 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. Tajikistan 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 Tajikistan compares to its nearest peers

Tajikistan ranks in the 86th 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).

Tajikistan 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 01,0002,0003,0004,0005,000 M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Tajikistan vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
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 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 (this page) 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
Canada 1,026 M7.8
Iceland 982 M6.3
Bolivia 832 M6.8
Wallis and Futuna 807 M6.7
Costa Rica 717 M7.6

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Tajikistan by year

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

Value

What this shows Tajikistan's most active year for major earthquakes was 1949 (5 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%0.4%
Share of Tajikistan's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

7 of 1,583 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 34 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Tajikistan.

How the 34 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 88.2%

M7.0-7.9

4

11.8%

M6.0-6.9

30

88.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 34 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 49 km.

Tajikistan76.5%23.5%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Tajikistan's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

26

76.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

8

23.5% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Tajikistan

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

Mag Location Depth
7.5 43 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan 20.0 km
7.4 45 km SE of Panjakent, Tajikistan 20.0 km
7.2 120 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan 15.0 km
7.2 104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan 22.0 km
6.9 65 km WSW of Murghob, Tajikistan 9.0 km
6.9 127 km E of Khorugh, Tajikistan 220.0 km
6.8 40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.6 107 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.6 122 km N of Murghob, Tajikistan 17.0 km
6.6 43 km NE of Khorugh, Tajikistan 105.0 km

Significant earthquake record (34 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.9 65 km WSW of Murghob, Tajikistan 9.0 km
6.2 36 km NW of Ishqoshim, Tajikistan 116.0 km
6.0 29 km NNW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 11.0 km
6.6 122 km N of Murghob, Tajikistan 17.0 km
7.2 104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan 22.0 km
6.0 106 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan 110.0 km
6.0 23 km WSW of Vorukh, Tajikistan 16.0 km
6.1 19 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 33.0 km
6.2 73 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan 113.5 km
6.1 42 km SSE of Khorugh, Tajikistan 115.1 km
6.0 1 km SE of Ishqoshim, Tajikistan 273.2 km
6.1 98 km SW of Murghob, Tajikistan 21.1 km
6.5 82 km NW of Murghob, Tajikistan 35.0 km
6.3 104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan 124.9 km
6.1 17 km SSE of Karakenja, Tajikistan 15.0 km
6.0 40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.8 40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.6 28 km SW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.1 46 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 20.0 km
7.5 43 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.5 67 km NNE of Murghob, Tajikistan 15.0 km
6.5 18 km NNE of Rasht, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.3 38 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.5 47 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 15.0 km
6.2 25 km E of Rasht, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.5 29 km S of Istaravshan, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.4 64 km NNW of Khorugh, Tajikistan 10.0 km
6.6 107 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan 20.0 km
7.2 120 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan 15.0 km
6.9 127 km E of Khorugh, Tajikistan 220.0 km
6.6 43 km NE of Khorugh, Tajikistan 105.0 km
6.5 47 km NW of Khodzha-Maston, Tajikistan 15.0 km
7.4 45 km SE of Panjakent, Tajikistan 20.0 km
6.3 11 km NE of Karakenja, Tajikistan 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

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

Grenada

19 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Saudi Arabia

114 M4+ events · strongest M5.7

M5.7

Philippines

14,262 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Central African Republic

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

Guatemala

1,951 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

North Korea

12 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

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

Taiwan

2,531 M4+ events

M7.4

Costa Rica

717 M4+ events

M7.6

Brazil

101 M4+ events

M6.8

Democratic Republic of the Congo

161 M4+ events

M6.8

Colombia

1,721 M4+ events

M7.3

Bolivia

832 M4+ events

M6.8

Understand the data

Colombia

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

El Salvador

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Tajikistan? ▼
The USGS catalog records 1,583 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Tajikistan since 2005, an average of about 75 per year. Separately, 34 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Tajikistan? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Tajikistan measured magnitude 7.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Tajikistan? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Tajikistan ranks 27th of 187 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1949, with 5.
How deep are earthquakes in Tajikistan? ▼
Across the 34 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 49 km. 76% 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 Tajikistan's figures

1,583 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.5 · average M4.4 · 34 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 Tajikistan's numbers mean

Tajikistan ranks 27th of 187 countries tracked - a highly seismically active country.

  • About 75 M4+ earthquakes strike Tajikistan per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1949 was the busiest year on record with 5 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 76% of Tajikistan'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 M7.5. 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.