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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Tanzania

Tanzania ranks 50th 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.

368
M4+ events (since 2005)
10
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.0
Strongest
~18
M4+ per year

The verdict

Tanzania has logged 368 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 10 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.0.

#50
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
368
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.0
strongest earthquake on record
10
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 Tanzania by year

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

Value

What this shows Tanzania's most active year for major earthquakes was 1985 (2 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 10 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Tanzania.

M6.0-6.9

10

100.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 10 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 18 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

10

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Tanzania

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

Mag Location Depth
7.0 17 km SSW of Sumbawanga, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.9 39 km WSW of Karema, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.5 15 km W of Nkove, Tanzania 34.0 km
6.5 28 km W of Dongobesh, Tanzania 30.9 km
6.5 149 km W of Kigoma, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.4 120 km E of Madimba, Tanzania 10.0 km
6.4 38 km S of Mbamba Bay, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.0 13 km W of Sumbawanga, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.0 66 km NNE of Kilindoni, Tanzania 17.6 km
6.0 121 km E of Madimba, Tanzania 10.0 km

Significant earthquake record (10 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 66 km NNE of Kilindoni, Tanzania 17.6 km
6.5 15 km W of Nkove, Tanzania 34.0 km
6.4 120 km E of Madimba, Tanzania 10.0 km
6.0 121 km E of Madimba, Tanzania 10.0 km
6.5 28 km W of Dongobesh, Tanzania 30.9 km
6.0 13 km W of Sumbawanga, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.4 38 km S of Mbamba Bay, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.5 149 km W of Kigoma, Tanzania 15.0 km
7.0 17 km SSW of Sumbawanga, Tanzania 15.0 km
6.9 39 km WSW of Karema, Tanzania 15.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Tanzania.

Yemen

335 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Somalia

331 M4+ events · strongest M5.8

M5.8

Portugal

414 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

Svalbard and Jan Mayen

431 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Australia

279 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Albania

273 M4+ events · strongest M6.4

M6.4

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 Tanzania? ▼
The USGS catalog records 368 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Tanzania since 2005, an average of about 18 per year. Separately, 10 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Tanzania? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Tanzania measured magnitude 7.0. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Tanzania? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Tanzania ranks 50th of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1985, with 2.
How deep are earthquakes in Tanzania? ▼
Across the 10 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 18 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.