What the record shows for Armenia
The strongest earthquake on record near Armenia is a magnitude 7.3 in 1976, centred 47 km S of Do?ubayaz?t, Turkey - 50 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 606 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Armenia - roughly 30 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Armenia in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
16 volcanoes are catalogued near Armenia, including Ghegham Volcanic Ridge, Porak, Vaiyots-Sar, Aragats, Ararat, Tskhouk-Karckar and 10 more. Volcanic systems generate their own earthquake swarms, which is why activity here can look different from a purely tectonic region.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Armenia lies on active faults in the Lesser Caucasus; the 1988 Spitak earthquake was devastating.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Armenia.
Earthquake risk in Armenia - FAQ
Is Armenia at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 30 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.3 in 1976.
What was the biggest earthquake in Armenia?
The strongest earthquake on record near Armenia is M7.3, in 1976 (47 km S of Do?ubayaz?t, Turkey), from USGS.
Does Armenia get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Armenia in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Armenia?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.