Vulnerability to Natural Hazards (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Vulnerability of Countries

Spec point — 4GE1-S3.044

• Some countries/areas/people are more vulnerable to natural hazards than others

• A range of factors affect vulnerability, these can be economic, social, physical or a combination of these

• The calculation of vulnerability is based on:

  • exposure to natural hazards
  • susceptibility
  • capacity to cope
  • capacity to adapt

• Poverty is one of the main factors which affects the level of vulnerability as it affects many of the other economic and social factors

Economic factors

• Wealth and level of development

  • The quality of buildings, healthcare and infrastructure all depend on the wealth of a country/area

• Insurance

  • People living in poverty cannot afford insurance and insurance companies will only insure well-built homes/structures

• Buildings

  • Planning controls, poverty, building styles and the quality of materials all affect the safety of buildings

• Technology

  • Wealthier countries will have more access to monitoring equipment so may get more warnings of events

Social factors

• Population density

  • The more people there are in an area the higher the numbers of deaths and injuries are likely to be
  • High population density also means buildings are likely to be more densely packed

• Education

  • People with a higher level of education are likely to be wealthier and be able to afford better-quality housing
  • Levels of education also affect how informed people are about the risks

Physical factors

• Global location

  • Some areas experience more hazards because they are near plate boundaries or in tropical regions

• Physical environment

  • Steep slopes can increase the chances of landslides, and coastal areas are more vulnerable to storm surges and tsunami

Exam Hint You will notice that although there are many reasons that countries or areas are more vulnerable to natural hazards, the link between many of them is poverty.