What the record shows for Iraq
The strongest earthquake on record near Iraq is a magnitude 7.3 in 2017, centred 29 km S of ?alabja, Iraq - 9 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 325 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Iraq - roughly 16 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 Iraq 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.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Eastern Iraq, along the Zagros mountains, lies on the active Arabia–Eurasia collision boundary.
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 Iraq.
Earthquake risk in Iraq - FAQ
Is Iraq at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 16 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 2017.
What was the biggest earthquake in Iraq?
The strongest earthquake on record near Iraq is M7.3, in 2017 (29 km S of ?alabja, Iraq), from USGS.
Does Iraq get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Iraq in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Iraq?
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.