The following statistics on the frequency and magnitude of New Zealand region1 earthquakes are based on observations since 1960. Statistical analysis was restricted to earthquakes with a magnitude greater than or equal to 4.0, as the geometry of the recording networks in the earlier years was not capable of detecting every earthquake lower than this magnitude. For statistics on earthquakes over the last week, month, and year see GeoNet's Quake Statistics.
1 Between latitudes 50°S and 30°S and longitudes 160°E and 175°W
| Number of Earthquakes in the New Zealand Region (1960 to 2014) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Magnitude | Total | ||||
4.0 - 4.9 | 5.0 - 5.9 | 6.0 - 6.9 | 7.0 - 7.9 | 8.0 or over | ||
1960 | 233 | 62 | 3 | - | - | 298 |
1961 | 268 | 60 | 3 | 1 | - | 332 |
1962 | 209 | 31 | - | - | - | 240 |
1963 | 184 | 24 | 1 | - | - | 209 |
1964 | 223 | 22 | 2 | - | - | 247 |
1965 | 308 | 52 | 5 | - | - | 365 |
1966 | 230 | 29 | 1 | - | - | 260 |
1967 | 237 | 37 | - | - | - | 274 |
1968 | 499 | 58 | 2 | 1 | - | 560 |
1969 | 375 | 48 | 4 | - | - | 427 |
1970 | 363 | 59 | 3 | - | - | 425 |
1971 | 278 | 41 | 2 | - | - | 321 |
1972 | 292 | 48 | - | - | - | 340 |
1973 | 339 | 52 | 2 | - | - | 393 |
1974 | 432 | 60 | 1 | - | - | 493 |
1975 | 351 | 63 | 2 | - | - | 416 |
1976 | 444 | 66 | 4 | - | - | 514 |
1977 | 359 | 48 | 4 | - | - | 411 |
1978 | 314 | 34 | - | - | - | 348 |
1979 | 434 | 73 | 3 | 1 | - | 511 |
1980 | 399 | 58 | 1 | - | - | 458 |
1981 | 517 | 64 | 4 | - | - | 585 |
1982 | 362 | 35 | - | - | - | 397 |
1983 | 359 | 36 | - | 1 | - | 396 |
1984 | 623 | 70 | 4 | - | - | 585 |
1985 | 734 | 78 | 5 | - | - | 817 |
1986 | 308 | 38 | 1 | - | - | 347 |
1987 | 368 | 44 | 2 | - | - | 414 |
1988 | 361 | 52 | 3 | - | - | 416 |
1989 | 337 | 22 | 3 | - | - | 362 |
1990 | 389 | 29 | 4 | 1 | - | 423 |
1991 | 389 | 27 | 4 | - | - | 420 |
1992 | 474 | 31 | 2 | 1 | - | 508 |
1993 | 611 | 45 | 4 | - | - | 660 |
1994 | 624 | 54 | 3 | - | - | 681 |
1995 | 1,343 | 127 | 5 | 1 | - | 1,476 |
1996 | 393 | 31 | 4 | 1 | - | 429 |
1997 | 592 | 52 | 1 | 2 | - | 647 |
1998 | 473 | 38 | 2 | 1 | - | 514 |
1999 | 420 | 37 | 1 | 1 | - | 459 |
2000 | 410 | 28 | 1 | 2 | - | 441 |
2001 | 928 | 45 | 1 | 1 | - | 975 |
2002 | 417 | 27 | - | - | - | 444 |
2003 | 617 | 46 | 3 | 1 | - | 667 |
2004 | 299 | 19 | - | 1 | - | 319 |
2005 | 429 | 62 | 2 | - | - | 493 |
2006 | 383 | 43 | - | 1 | - | 427 |
2007 | 461 | 67 | 6 | 1 | - | 535 |
2008 | 412 | 62 | 2 | 1 | - | 477 |
2009 | 747 | 81 | 8 | 1 | - | 837 |
2010 | 586 | 63 | 2 | 1 | - | 652 |
2011 | 645 | 81 | 6 | - | - | 732 |
| 2012* | 456 | 54 | 2 | - | - | 512 |
| 2013* | 415 | 56 | 7 | - | - | 478 |
| 2014 | 547 | 81 | 9 | - | - | 637 |
Total | 24,200 | 2,750 | 144 | 22 | 0 | 27,116 |
* These years in 'The Gap' are still being reviewed. | ||||||
| Frequency of New Zealand Earthquakes (1960 to 2014) | ||||
| Magnitude | Annual Average | Minimum | Maximum | "Rule of Thumb" |
| 4.0 - 4.9 | 440 | 184 | 1,343 | 1 per day |
| 5.0 - 5.9 | 50 | 19 | 127 | 4 per month |
| 6.0 - 6.9 | 2.6 | 0 | 9 | 2 per year |
| 7.0 - 7.9 | 0.4 | 0 | 2 | 1 per 2.5 years |
| 8.0 or over | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 per century* |
| * Based on geological investigations and historical record of earthquakes. | ||||
| The US Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program displays Worldwide Earthquake Facts and Statistics, located by the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC). This includes a table illustrating the relationship between changing magnitude, and ground motion and energy. | ||||
|
|
Number of earthquakes in the New Zealand region, by magnitude range, from 1960-2014.
|