dataset · Global
World Seismicity Database
This dataset contains parametric data (epicentre, magnitude, depth, etc) for over one million earthquakes worldwide. The dataset has been compiled gradually over a period of thirty years from original third-party catalogues, and parameters have not been revised by BGS, although erroneous entries have been flagged where found. The dataset is kept in two versions: the complete "master" version, in which all entries for any single earthquake from contributing catalogue are preserved, and the "prune
Visit source ↗Source details
Licence: ["The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in an
Evidence quality: 40.3
Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered docs-verified
- earthquake epicentre · earthquake magnitude · earthquake depth · other parametric earthquake attributes
- Coverage docs-verified
- Global (latitude 90 to -90, longitude -180 to 180)
- Update frequency docs-verified
- monthly
- Formats docs-verified
- HTML
- Access docs-verified
- Free to view via data.gov.uk, no authentication (auth null). Copyright vested in NERC; reproduction or transmission needs prior permission from the copyright holder. Licence field on the page reads 'Not set'.
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Historic seismicity context for a UK infrastructure risk or site desk study, using the global catalogue as a comparator · Earthquake epicentre and magnitude screening for an overseas project site · Background seismicity review for geotechnical or structural design basis documentation · Seismic hazard literature and benchmarking support for environmental or civils reports
- Audience llm-inferred
- geotechnical engineers · structural engineers · engineering geologists · environmental consultants · GIS analysts
Limitations
- Constraints docs-verified
- Parameters have not been revised by BGS; erroneous entries are flagged only where found · Compiled from third-party catalogues over about thirty years, so attributes vary by source · Master and pruned versions differ in duplicate handling; the pruned version is the starting point for hazard work · Updated monthly, not real time · Copyright restrictions on reproduction and no warranty of accuracy or suitability · Licence field is 'Not set' on the page, so the applicable licence needs confirming before reuse · No UK-specific depth or magnitude coverage guarantees; UK events depend on source catalogue completeness
Evidence
- https://quakes.bgs.ac.uk/index.html
- https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/82bd6b86-e3ee-4d33-9578-5de45bc3b0e8/world-seismicity-database
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.