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Earthquakes in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan ranks 82nd of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

101
M4+ events (since 2005)
13
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.1
Strongest
~5
M4+ per year

The verdict

Uzbekistan has logged 101 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 13 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.1.

#82
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
101
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.1
strongest earthquake on record
13
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 Uzbekistan by year

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

Value

What this shows Uzbekistan's most active year for major earthquakes was 1976 (3 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 13 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Uzbekistan.

M7.0-7.9

4

30.8%

M6.0-6.9

9

69.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 13 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 22 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

13

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Uzbekistan

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

Mag Location Depth
7.1 24 km SSW of Tirmiz, Uzbekistan 35.0 km
7.0 22 km NNW of Gazli, Uzbekistan 14.5 km
7.0 27 km N of Gazli, Uzbekistan 10.0 km
7.0 33 km NE of Gazli, Uzbekistan 33.0 km
6.3 12 km NNE of Sho‘rchi, Uzbekistan 35.0 km
6.3 14 km ENE of Haqqulobod, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.2 18 km SE of Boysun, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.2 29 km E of Gazli, Uzbekistan 33.0 km
6.2 1 km ENE of To‘rqao‘rg‘on, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.1 115 km NNE of Nurota, Uzbekistan 15.0 km

Significant earthquake record (13 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
7.0 22 km NNW of Gazli, Uzbekistan 14.5 km
6.0 30 km NNE of Gazli, Uzbekistan 33.0 km
7.0 27 km N of Gazli, Uzbekistan 10.0 km
6.2 29 km E of Gazli, Uzbekistan 33.0 km
7.0 33 km NE of Gazli, Uzbekistan 33.0 km
6.0 13 km NNE of G‘azalkent, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.3 14 km ENE of Haqqulobod, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.3 12 km NNE of Sho‘rchi, Uzbekistan 35.0 km
6.1 11 km ESE of Chust, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.2 18 km SE of Boysun, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.1 115 km NNE of Nurota, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
6.2 1 km ENE of To‘rqao‘rg‘on, Uzbekistan 15.0 km
7.1 24 km SSW of Tirmiz, Uzbekistan 35.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Uzbekistan.

Brazil

101 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Cyprus

97 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Cayman Islands

106 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Cuba

96 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Eritrea

93 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

New Zealand region

93 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 Uzbekistan? ▼
The USGS catalog records 101 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Uzbekistan since 2005, an average of about 5 per year. Separately, 13 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Uzbekistan? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Uzbekistan measured magnitude 7.1. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Uzbekistan? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Uzbekistan ranks 82nd of 215 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1976, with 3.
How deep are earthquakes in Uzbekistan? ▼
Across the 13 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 22 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.

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