Country with the most earthquakes (relative to area; current)

Based on the latest annual data, the most earthquake-prone country based on size is Tonga (area: 747 square kilometres; 288 square miles), which in 2023 experienced 344 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above, or 0.46 quakes per square kilometre (1.19 quakes per square mile). Between 2014 and 2023, Tonga recorded 3,090 quakes, equating to an average of 4.1 earthquakes per square kilometre (10.7 earthquakes per square mile).

The relatively high number of quakes in this island nation is explained by Tonga’s close proximity to the “Ring of Fire”, Earth’s most seismically active region, a 40,000-km-long (24,850-mile) belt surrounding most of the Pacific Ocean. Around 90% of all earthquakes take place in this zone and some 75% of all volcanic eruptions; indeed, most of Earth’s active volcanoes are located within the region. On 15 January 2022, the submarine Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the Tongan archipelago erupted with unprecedented violence, generating the fastest undersea volcanic flow ever and the highest volcanic plume on Earth.

Along much of the “Ring of Fire”, Earth’s tectonic plates meet. When they slide past each other, the action increases and releases tension in the Earth’s crust, giving rise to earthquakes of varying strengths. Most of the world’s volcanoes are also located within the “Ring of Fire”. When tectonic plates overlap at boundaries known as “subduction zones”, one plate is pushed down by the other and its rock melts to form magma, creating conditions that generate volcanic activity and earthquakes. Seismic activity on this tectonic belt affects a number of countries, including many in South America, along with the USA and Canada, Japan, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.

By comparison, the nation to experience the most 4+-magnitude earthquakes overall in 2023 was Indonesia, with 2,212 logged that year. Although more than six times more prolific than Tonga’s quake count, based on area, this equated to 0.001 quakes per km2 (0.002 quakes per sq mile) in 2023, given Indonesia is significantly larger by area.