Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Tajikistan

Tajikistan ranks 28th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team

1,578
M4+ events (since 2005): 34
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.5
Strongest: ~75
M4+ per year

The verdict

Tajikistan has logged 1,578 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 34 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.5.

#28
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 1,578
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M7.5
strongest earthquake on record: 34
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

1965

1
1967

1
1969

1
1972

1
1984

1
2007

1
2011

1
2015

1
2016

1
2017

1
2018

1
2023

1

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.

Magnitude distribution of major events

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

M7.0-7.9

11.8%

M6.0-6.9

88.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

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

Shallow (<70 km)

76.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

23.5% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Tajikistan

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
7.5	43 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
7.4	45 km SE of Panjakent, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Oct 21, 1907
7.2	120 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Feb 18, 1911
7.2	104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan	22.0 km	Dec 7, 2015
6.9	65 km WSW of Murghob, Tajikistan	9.0 km	Feb 23, 2023
6.9	127 km E of Khorugh, Tajikistan	220.0 km	Oct 23, 1908
6.8	40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
6.6	107 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Dec 1, 1918
6.6	122 km N of Murghob, Tajikistan	17.0 km	Nov 25, 2016
6.6	43 km NE of Khorugh, Tajikistan	105.0 km	Dec 25, 1907

Significant earthquake record (34 events)

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.9	65 km WSW of Murghob, Tajikistan	9.0 km	Feb 23, 2023
6.2	36 km NW of Ishqoshim, Tajikistan	116.0 km	May 9, 2018
6.0	29 km NNW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	11.0 km	May 3, 2017
6.6	122 km N of Murghob, Tajikistan	17.0 km	Nov 25, 2016
7.2	104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan	22.0 km	Dec 7, 2015
6.0	106 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan	110.0 km	Jan 24, 2011
6.0	23 km WSW of Vorukh, Tajikistan	16.0 km	Jan 8, 2007
6.1	19 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	33.0 km	Oct 26, 1984
6.2	73 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan	113.5 km	Nov 12, 1972
6.1	42 km SSE of Khorugh, Tajikistan	115.1 km	Nov 24, 1969
6.0	1 km SE of Ishqoshim, Tajikistan	273.2 km	Jan 25, 1967
6.1	98 km SW of Murghob, Tajikistan	21.1 km	Feb 2, 1965
6.5	82 km NW of Murghob, Tajikistan	35.0 km	Oct 16, 1963
6.3	104 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan	124.9 km	Mar 6, 1955
6.1	17 km SSE of Karakenja, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Apr 14, 1951
6.0	40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 19, 1949
6.8	40 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
6.6	28 km SW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
6.1	46 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
7.5	43 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Jul 10, 1949
6.5	67 km NNE of Murghob, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Sep 27, 1944
6.5	18 km NNE of Rasht, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Apr 20, 1941
6.3	38 km ENE of Rasht, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Oct 8, 1935
6.5	47 km WSW of Karakenja, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Aug 31, 1934
6.2	25 km E of Rasht, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Sep 16, 1924
6.5	29 km S of Istaravshan, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Dec 28, 1923
6.4	64 km NNW of Khorugh, Tajikistan	10.0 km	Dec 17, 1922
6.6	107 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Dec 1, 1918
7.2	120 km W of Murghob, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Feb 18, 1911
6.9	127 km E of Khorugh, Tajikistan	220.0 km	Oct 23, 1908
6.6	43 km NE of Khorugh, Tajikistan	105.0 km	Dec 25, 1907
6.5	47 km NW of Khodzha-Maston, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Oct 27, 1907
7.4	45 km SE of Panjakent, Tajikistan	20.0 km	Oct 21, 1907
6.3	11 km NE of Karakenja, Tajikistan	15.0 km	Sep 15, 1907

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Tajikistan.

El Salvador

1,498 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Colombia

1,718 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Nicaragua

1,413 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Pakistan

1,261 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

New Caledonia

1,913 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Guatemala

1,948 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

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 Tajikistan? ▼

The USGS catalog records 1,578 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 28th of 215 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 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.

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