Which country has the most Earthquakes and where was the biggest quake ever recorded?

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Getty Images Damage to a highway in New Zealand following an earthquake earlier this week

Which country has the most earthquakes?

Japan has the most recorded earthquakes in the world as it sits on a very active seismic area, but research by the US Geological Survey suggests the answer is not quite as straightforward as it may seem.

Indonesia is thought to sit on an even more seismically active area, but due to its size Japan records more earthquakes.

Tonga, Figi and Indonesia probably all experience more earthquakes per square mile than Japan, but due to a lack of recording equipment in these areas some smaller quakes are not logged.

The countries that experience the most catastrophic earthquakes are China, Iran and Turkey.

Where was the biggest earthquake ever recorded?

The largest quake ever recorded was near Valdivia, in southern Chile on May 22, 1960.

It was measured at a magnitude of 9.5, lasted for 10 minutes and triggered a tsunami.

Estimates of the number killed by the natural disaster vary between 1,000 and 6,000.

The deadliest, and second largest, earthquake ever recorded struck Sumatra in 2004.

The magnitude 9.3 quake triggered a tsunami believed to have killed more than 280,000 people.

Are there ever earthquakes in the UK?

The UK is not associated with earthquakes but between 20 and 30 are felt each year and a few hundred recorded by sensitive instruments.

Most are very small and cause no damage.

The most damaging earthquake to shake the UK hit Colchester in 1884 and damaged about 1,200 buildings, according to the British Geological Society.

Scientists believe the largest possible earthquake in the UK would be about magnitude 6.5.

ebff4151f6d63112bdcc2cc9a847aaab Which country has the most Earthquakes and where was the biggest quake ever recorded?

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