Earthquakes are most common along tectonic plate boundaries, especially around the edges of the Pacific Ocean known as the "Ring of Fire," where about 80% of large earthquakes occur. Other major earthquake-prone areas include countries located on or near active plate boundaries or fault lines such as Japan, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Iran, Turkey, Peru, the United States (especially the western part), Italy, and Mexico. Additionally, the Alpide Belt, stretching from Indonesia through the Himalayas to the Mediterranean, also experiences a significant number of earthquakes, accounting for about 17% of the world's earthquakes. Most earthquakes happen at or near plate boundaries because that is where the Earth's tectonic plates move against each other, creating stress that leads to seismic activity. Away from plate boundaries, earthquakes are less frequent and generally less powerful. Some regions, even distant from major plate boundaries like the UK, still experience earthquakes due to internal crustal stresses but at a much lower intensity and frequency compared to the major fault zones. These zones include:

• The Pacific Ring of Fire (around the Pacific Ocean rim)
• The Alpide Belt (from Southeast Asia through the Himalayas to the Mediterranean)
• Specific fault zones like the San Andreas Fault in the US and the North Anatolian Fault in Turkey

In summary, earthquakes are common where tectonic plates meet and interact, with notable high-risk countries located along these active geological zones.