Natural hazards (2003) | Natural hazards (2008) | ||
Argentina | San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding | San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding | |
Bassas da India | maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones | - | |
Belgium | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | |
Bhutan | violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season | violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season | |
Cuba | the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common | the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common | |
East Timor | floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones | - | |
El Salvador | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes | |
Europa Island | NA | - | |
European Union | - | flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic | |
France | flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean | metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) |
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French Guiana | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding | - | |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs | |
Glorioso Islands | periodic cyclones | - | |
Guadeloupe | hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano | - | |
Iran | periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast | periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes | |
Jan Mayen | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985 | |
Juan de Nova Island | periodic cyclones | - | |
Macedonia | - | high seismic risks | |
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | high seismic risks | - | |
Madagascar | periodic cyclones | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation | |
Martinique | hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) | - | |
Mongolia | dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions | dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions | |
Montenegro | - | destructive earthquakes | |
Montserrat | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) | |
Mozambique | severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces | severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces | |
Navassa Island | NA | hurricanes | |
Reunion | periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano | - | |
Saint Helena | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 | |
Serbia | - | destructive earthquakes | |
Serbia and Montenegro | destructive earthquakes | - | |
Solomon Islands | typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity | typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis | |
Southern Ocean | huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue | huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue | |
Spratly Islands | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals | typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard | |
Timor-Leste | - | floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones | |
Tromelin Island | NA | - | |
Turkey | very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van | severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van | |
Tuvalu | severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level | severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level | |
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges | - | Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of less than 1 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA |
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Uruguay | seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts | seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts | |
Vanuatu | tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis | tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis |