Natural Disasters by Country 2024

Natural Disasters as identified by the WorldRiskIndex is based on 100 indicators evaluating each country’s risk and frequency of natural disasters. Natural disasters in this survey include typical natural disasters including droughts, earthquakes, coastal flooding, cycloses, internal or riverine floods, tsunamis and a consistent rise in sea level. To create a consistent comparison between countries, both the number of individuals and their share of the population they make up are included to ensure accurate results.

The Locations With The Highest Risk of Natural Disaster

In general, according to the findings posted by the World Population Review, the two areas the most prone to natural disasters are the Pacific and Asia. The Philippines have the highest risk of natural disaster rating of 46.82. Natural hazards including the infamous typhoon belt, typically involve five to six cyclonic storms yearly. In addition, there are active volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis and destructive earthquakes that impact this area. Indonesia is not far behind in terms of their risk index with a rating of 41.46. This risk of natural disaster includes occasional flooding, volcanoes, earthquakes, and severe droughts. In fact, Indonesia has the most volcanoes of all countries in the world.

The Impact of Natural Disasters

According to the United Nations, a natural disaster includes not only the event itself but the after effects of the event and is specifically explained as “the consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the social and economic development of a region.” Natural disasters tend to exacerbate existing issues that are plaguing countries such as economic strain and vulnerabilities of their citizens. In addition to the overall cost of rebuilding, a country that is already weak politically in their government makeup can cause further political instability after a natural disaster.

Increase in Natural Disasters

Overall, the sudden-onset and the frequency of natural disasters are reportedly increasing. Presently, there are 400 natural disasters each year, which impacts 200 million people. To put this number in perspective, this is nearly double the number of natural disasters that took place a mere 20 years ago. In particular, the events that are increasing the most involve hydrometeorological events, meaning droughts, tornados, mudslides, hurricanes, and floods. The cause of the uptick in these particular varieties of natural disasters is blamed on climate change, but regardless of the cause, the risk of these disasters has most certainly increased.

Country	World Risk Index 2022	Natural Hazards	Volcanism
Philippines	46.82	Astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis.	Significant Volcanic activity; Taal (311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see
India	42.31	Droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes.	Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years
Indonesia	41.46	Occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires.	Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world - some 76 are historically active; Significant Volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; on 22 December 2018, a large explosion and flank collapse destroyed most of the 338 m high island of Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) and generated a deadly tsunami inundating portions of western Java and southern Sumatra leaving more than 400 dead; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, Sinabung, and Tambora; see
Colombia	38.37	Highlands subject to Volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts.	Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace
Mexico	37.55	Tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts.	Volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see
Myanmar	35.49	Destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during the rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts.
Mozambique	34.37	Severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces.
China	28.70	Frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence.	China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries
Bangladesh	27.90	Droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season.
Pakistan	26.75	Frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in the north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August).
Russia	26.54	Permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; Volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia.	Significant Volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky
Vietnam	25.85	Occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta.
Peru	25.41	Earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild Volcanic activity.	Volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see
Somalia	25.07	Recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during the rainy season.
Yemen	24.26	Sandstorms and dust storms in summer.	Limited Volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century
Papua New Guinea	24.10	Active volcanism; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mudslides; tsunamis.	severe Volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see
Madagascar	23.48	Periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation.	Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times
United States	22.73	Tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around the Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mudslides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development.	Volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a Significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in Hawaii: Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood;
Venezuela	22.45	Subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts.
Ecuador	22.42	Frequent earthquakes; landslides; Volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts.	Volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago
Nicaragua	22.35	Destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes.	Significant Volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause Significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica
Australia	21.36	Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires.	Volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands
Thailand	20.91	Land subsidence in the Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts.
Egypt	20.65	Periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorms called khamsin occur in spring; dust storms; sandstorms.
Canada	18.99	Continuous permafrost in the north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains.	The vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant
Iran	18.48	Periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes.
Panama	18.38	Occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area.
Japan	17.03	Many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons.	Both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see
Tanzania	16.38	Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought.	Limited Volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru
Turkey	16.23	Severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding.	Limited Volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier
Honduras	16.00	Frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast.
Argentina	15.61	San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas.	Volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma
Solomon Islands	14.62	Tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and Volcanic activity; tsunamis.	Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal
El Salvador	14.37	Known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and Volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes.	Significant Volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
Malaysia	14.36	Flooding; landslides; forest fires.
Libya	14.31	Hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms.
Costa Rica	14.20	Occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at the onset of the rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes.	Arenal (1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba
Kenya	13.92	Recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons.	Limited Volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano
Chile	13.84	Severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis.	Significant Volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica;
Dominican Republic	13.23	Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts.
New Zealand	13.05	Earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; Volcanic activity.	Significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see
Syria	12.16	Dust storms, sandstorms.	Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries
Brazil	12.15	Recurring droughts in the northeast; floods and occasional frost in the south.
North Korea	11.82	Late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall.	P'aektu-san (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or Changbaishan), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active
Guatemala	11.18	Numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms.	Significant Volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana;
Cameroon	11.17	Volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes.	Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku Volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986
Angola	11.02	Locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau.
Djibouti	10.66	Earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods.	experiences limited Volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active
Vanuatu	10.64	Tropical cyclones (January to April); Volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis.	Significant Volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head
South Korea	10.51	Occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity is common in the southwest.	Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries
Morocco	10.29	In the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; windstorms; flash floods; landslides; in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of the time, often severely restricting visibility.
Sudan	10.12	Dust storms and periodic persistent droughts.
Haiti	9.99	Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts.
Tunisia	9.87	Flooding; earthquakes; droughts.
Spain	9.68	Periodic droughts, occasional flooding.
DR Congo	9.65	Periodic droughts in the south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley.	Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano
Saudi Arabia	9.64	Frequent sand and dust storms.	despite many Volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar
Algeria	9.58	Mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in the rainy season; droughts.
South Africa	9.42	Prolonged droughts.	The volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano
Italy	9.37	Regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice.	Significant Volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate Volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini
Mauritania	9.34	Hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts.
Nigeria	9.12	Periodic droughts; flooding.
Iraq	8.65	Dust storms; sandstorms; floods.
Greece	8.55	Severe earthquakes.	Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active
Cambodia	8.42	Monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts.
Cuba	7.97	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.
Eritrea	7.70	Frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms.	Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011
Belize	7.65	Frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in the south).
Oman	7.27	Summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in the interior; periodic droughts.
Guinea	6.84	Very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous.
France	6.67	Metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in the south near the Mediterranean. Overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding.	Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Guyana	6.64	Flash flood threat during rainy seasons.
Fiji	6.54	Cyclonic storms can occur from November to January.
United Arab Emirates	6.52	Frequent sand and dust storms.
Sri Lanka	5.93	Occasional cyclones and tornadoes.
Namibia	5.93	Prolonged periods of drought.
United Kingdom	5.78	Winter windstorms; floods.
Senegal	5.42	Lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts.
Portugal	5.08	Azores subject to severe earthquakes.	Limited Volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira
Sierra Leone	5.00	Dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms.
Albania	4.98	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Uruguay	4.92	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.
Suriname	4.87	Flooding.
Croatia	4.86	Destructive earthquakes.
Ethiopia	4.80	Geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts.	Volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir
Gabon	4.72	None.
Israel	4.65	Sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes.
Jamaica	4.65	Hurricanes (especially July to November).
Poland	4.63	Flooding.
Gambia	4.45	Droughts.
Micronesia	4.36	Typhoons (June to December).
South Sudan	4.21
Belgium	4.16	Flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes.
Guinea Bissau	4.14	Hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during the dry season; brush fires.
Liberia	4.11	Dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March).
Afghanistan	4.05	Damaging earthquakes occur in the Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts.
Netherlands	4.04	Flooding.	Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada
Tonga	3.94	Cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and Volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou.	Moderate Volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua
Germany	3.92	Flooding.
Ukraine	3.89	Occasional floods; occasional droughts.
Antigua and Barbuda	3.84	Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts.
Georgia	3.79	Earthquakes.
Bahamas	3.75	Hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage.
Lebanon	3.52	Earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms.
Mauritius	3.50	Cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards.
Jordan	3.48	Droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods.
Equatorial Guinea	3.36	Violent windstorms; flash floods.	Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea
Central African Republic	3.34	Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common.
Malawi	3.30	Flooding; droughts; earthquakes.
Montenegro	3.30	Destructive earthquakes.
Dominica	3.27	Flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months.	Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known Volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations
Romania	3.19	Earthquakes, most severe in the south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides.
Norway	3.16	Rockslides, avalanches.	Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano
Samoa	3.15	Occasional cyclones; active volcanism.	Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active
Ireland	3.10	Rare extreme weather events.
Bolivia	3.07	Flooding in the northeast (March to April).	Volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma Volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)
Ghana	3.05	Dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts.
Burundi	3.03	Flooding; landslides; drought.
Zambia	2.94	Periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April).
Trinidad and Tobago	2.93	Outside the usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms.
Chad	2.92	Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in the north; periodic droughts; locust plagues.
Laos	2.91	Floods, droughts.
Uganda	2.81	Droughts; floods; earthquakes; landslides; hailstorms.
Cyprus	2.78	Moderate earthquake activity; droughts.
Armenia	2.72	Occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts.
Rwanda	2.70	Periodic droughts; the Volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.	Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano
Saint Lucia	2.69	Hurricanes.	Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Kiribati	2.64	Typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level.
Nepal	2.62	Severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons.
Kuwait	2.56	Sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August.
Comoros	2.56	Cyclones possible during the rainy season (December to April); Volcanic activity on Grand Comore.	Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
Seychelles	2.54	Lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; occasional short droughts.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	2.51	Destructive earthquakes.
Zimbabwe	2.44	Recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare.
Tajikistan	2.38	Earthquakes; floods.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2.30	Hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat.	La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Marshall Islands	2.29	Infrequent typhoons.
Mali	2.25	Tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise.
Lithuania	2.24	Occasional floods, droughts.
Azerbaijan	2.20	Droughts.
Kyrgyzstan	2.20	Major flooding during snowmelt; prone to earthquakes.
Kazakhstan	2.18	Earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty.
Niger	2.17	Recurring droughts.
Bulgaria	2.15	Earthquakes; landslides.
Latvia	2.14	Large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage.
Ivory Coast	2.08	Coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible.
Mongolia	2.08	Dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	2.07	Hurricanes (July to October).	Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts, and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis, are both volcanoes that are part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Burkina Faso	2.06	Recurring droughts.
Sweden	2.06	Ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic.
Barbados	2.06	Infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides.
Grenada	1.85	Lies on the edge of the hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November.	Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north
Serbia	1.84	Destructive earthquakes.
Estonia	1.82	Sometimes flooding occurs in the spring.
Eswatini	1.82	Drought.
Uzbekistan	1.74	Earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts.
Paraguay	1.74	Local flooding in the southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June).
Iceland	1.65	Earthquakes and Volcanic activity.	Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe Volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar
Benin	1.61	Hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect the north from December to March.
Tuvalu	1.46	Severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level.
Botswana	1.44	Periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility.
Slovenia	1.44	Flooding; earthquakes.
Brunei	1.34	Typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare.
Togo	1.32	Hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in the north during winter; periodic droughts.
Lesotho	1.32	Periodic droughts.
Finland	1.30	Severe winters in the north.
Moldova	1.30	Landslides.
Turkmenistan	1.29	Earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods.
Cape Verde	1.27	Prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active.	Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano
North Macedonia	1.26	High seismic risks.
Palau	1.25	Typhoons (June to December).
Qatar	1.17	Haze, dust storms, sandstorms common.
Austria	1.14	Landslides; avalanches; earthquakes.
Bhutan	1.09	Violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's Bhutanese name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season.
Switzerland	1.03	Avalanches, landslides; flash floods.
Denmark	1.03	Flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes.
Maldives	1.02	Tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise.
Slovakia	1.00	Flooding.
Nauru	1.00	Periodic droughts.
Hungary	0.97
Bahrain	0.95	Periodic droughts; dust storms.
Malta	0.94	Occasional droughts.
Belarus	0.83	Large tracts of marshy land.
Singapore	0.81	Flash floods.
Liechtenstein	0.79	Avalanches, landslides.
Luxembourg	0.52	Occasional flooding.
Sao Tome and Principe	0.48	Flooding.
San Marino	0.38	Occasional earthquakes.
Andorra	0.26	Avalanches.
Monaco	0.26	None.
Taiwan		Earthquakes; typhoons.	Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries
Hong Kong		Occasional typhoons.
Puerto Rico		Periodic droughts; hurricanes.
Timor Leste		Floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones.
Macau		Typhoons.
French Polynesia		Occasional cyclonic storms in January.
Curacao		Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened.
Jersey		Very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation.
Cayman Islands		Hurricanes (July to November).
Bermuda		Hurricanes (June to November).
Guernsey		Very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous.
Greenland		Continuous permafrost over the northern two-thirds of the island.
Faroe Islands		Strong winds and heavy rains can occur throughout the year.
Northern Mariana Islands		Active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November).
Turks and Caicos Islands		Frequent hurricanes.
Sint Maarten		Subject to hurricanes from July to November.
British Virgin Islands		Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October).
Cook Islands		Tropical cyclones (November to March).
Falkland Islands		Strong winds persist throughout the year.
Niue		Tropical cyclones.
Vatican City		Occasional earthquakes.

Country

World Risk Index 2022

Natural Hazards

Volcanism

Philippines

46.82

Astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis.

Significant Volcanic activity; Taal (311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see

India

42.31

Droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes.

Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years

Indonesia

41.46

Occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires.

Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world - some 76 are historically active; Significant Volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; on 22 December 2018, a large explosion and flank collapse destroyed most of the 338 m high island of Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) and generated a deadly tsunami inundating portions of western Java and southern Sumatra leaving more than 400 dead; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, Sinabung, and Tambora; see

Colombia

38.37

Highlands subject to Volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts.

Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace

Mexico

37.55

Tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts.

Volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see

Myanmar

35.49

Destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during the rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts.

Mozambique

34.37

Severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces.

China

28.70

Frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence.

China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries

Bangladesh

27.90

Droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season.

Pakistan

26.75

Frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in the north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August).

Russia

26.54

Permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; Volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia.

Significant Volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky

Vietnam

25.85

Occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta.

Peru

25.41

Earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild Volcanic activity.

Volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see

Somalia

25.07

Recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during the rainy season.

Yemen

24.26

Sandstorms and dust storms in summer.

Limited Volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century

Papua New Guinea

24.10

Active volcanism; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mudslides; tsunamis.

severe Volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see

Madagascar

23.48

Periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation.

Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times

United States

22.73

Tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around the Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mudslides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development.

Volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a Significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in Hawaii: Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood;

Venezuela

22.45

Subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts.

Ecuador

22.42

Frequent earthquakes; landslides; Volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts.

Volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago

Nicaragua

22.35

Destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes.

Significant Volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause Significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica

Australia

21.36

Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires.

Volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands

Thailand

20.91

Land subsidence in the Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts.

Egypt

20.65

Periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorms called khamsin occur in spring; dust storms; sandstorms.

Canada

18.99

Continuous permafrost in the north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains.

The vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant

Iran

18.48

Periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes.

Panama

18.38

Occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area.

Japan

17.03

Many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons.

Both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see

Tanzania

16.38

Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought.

Limited Volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru

Turkey

16.23

Severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding.

Limited Volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

Honduras

16.00

Frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast.

Argentina

15.61

San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas.

Volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma

Solomon Islands

14.62

Tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and Volcanic activity; tsunamis.

Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal

El Salvador

14.37

Known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and Volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes.

Significant Volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana

Malaysia

14.36

Flooding; landslides; forest fires.

Libya

14.31

Hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms.

Costa Rica

14.20

Occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at the onset of the rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes.

Arenal (1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba

Kenya

13.92

Recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons.

Limited Volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano

Chile

13.84

Severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis.

Significant Volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica;

Dominican Republic

13.23

Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts.

New Zealand

13.05

Earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; Volcanic activity.

Significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see

Syria

12.16

Dust storms, sandstorms.

Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries

Brazil

12.15

Recurring droughts in the northeast; floods and occasional frost in the south.

North Korea

11.82

Late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall.

P'aektu-san (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or Changbaishan), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active

Guatemala

11.18

Numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms.

Significant Volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana;

Cameroon

11.17

Volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes.

Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku Volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986

Angola

11.02

Locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau.

Djibouti

10.66

Earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods.

experiences limited Volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active

Vanuatu

10.64

Tropical cyclones (January to April); Volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis.

Significant Volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head

South Korea

10.51

Occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity is common in the southwest.

Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

Morocco

10.29

In the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; windstorms; flash floods; landslides; in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of the time, often severely restricting visibility.

Sudan

10.12

Dust storms and periodic persistent droughts.

Haiti

9.99

Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts.

Tunisia

9.87

Flooding; earthquakes; droughts.

Spain

9.68

Periodic droughts, occasional flooding.

DR Congo

9.65

Periodic droughts in the south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley.

Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

Saudi Arabia

9.64

Frequent sand and dust storms.

despite many Volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar

Algeria

9.58

Mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in the rainy season; droughts.

South Africa

9.42

Prolonged droughts.

The volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano

Italy

9.37

Regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice.

Significant Volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate Volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini

Mauritania

9.34

Hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts.

Nigeria

9.12

Periodic droughts; flooding.

Iraq

8.65

Dust storms; sandstorms; floods.

Greece

8.55

Severe earthquakes.

Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active

Cambodia

8.42

Monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts.

Cuba

7.97

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.

Eritrea

7.70

Frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms.

Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011

Belize

7.65

Frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in the south).

Oman

7.27

Summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in the interior; periodic droughts.

Guinea

6.84

Very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous.

France

6.67

Metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in the south near the Mediterranean. Overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding.

Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977; these volcanoes are part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Guyana

6.64

Flash flood threat during rainy seasons.

Fiji

6.54

Cyclonic storms can occur from November to January.

United Arab Emirates

6.52

Frequent sand and dust storms.

Sri Lanka

5.93

Occasional cyclones and tornadoes.

Namibia

5.93

Prolonged periods of drought.

United Kingdom

5.78

Winter windstorms; floods.

Senegal

5.42

Lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts.

Portugal

5.08

Azores subject to severe earthquakes.

Limited Volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira

Sierra Leone

5.00

Dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms.

Albania

4.98

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Uruguay

4.92

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.

Suriname

4.87

Flooding.

Croatia

4.86

Destructive earthquakes.

Ethiopia

4.80

Geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts.

Volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

Gabon

4.72

None.

Israel

4.65

Sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes.

Jamaica

4.65

Hurricanes (especially July to November).

Poland

4.63

Flooding.

Gambia

4.45

Droughts.

Micronesia

4.36

Typhoons (June to December).

South Sudan

4.21

Belgium

4.16

Flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes.

Guinea Bissau

4.14

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during the dry season; brush fires.

Liberia

4.11

Dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March).

Afghanistan

4.05

Damaging earthquakes occur in the Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts.

Netherlands

4.04

Flooding.

Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada

Tonga

3.94

Cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and Volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou.

Moderate Volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Germany

3.92

Flooding.

Ukraine

3.89

Occasional floods; occasional droughts.

Antigua and Barbuda

3.84

Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts.

Georgia

3.79

Earthquakes.

Bahamas

3.75

Hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage.

Lebanon

3.52

Earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms.

Mauritius

3.50

Cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards.

Jordan

3.48

Droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods.

Equatorial Guinea

3.36

Violent windstorms; flash floods.

Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Central African Republic

3.34

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common.

Malawi

3.30

Flooding; droughts; earthquakes.

Montenegro

3.30

Destructive earthquakes.

Dominica

3.27

Flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months.

Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known Volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations

Romania

3.19

Earthquakes, most severe in the south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides.

Norway

3.16

Rockslides, avalanches.

Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Samoa

3.15

Occasional cyclones; active volcanism.

Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active

Ireland

3.10

Rare extreme weather events.

Bolivia

3.07

Flooding in the northeast (March to April).

Volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma Volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)

Ghana

3.05

Dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts.

Burundi

3.03

Flooding; landslides; drought.

Zambia

2.94

Periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April).

Trinidad and Tobago

2.93

Outside the usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms.

Chad

2.92

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in the north; periodic droughts; locust plagues.

Laos

2.91

Floods, droughts.

Uganda

2.81

Droughts; floods; earthquakes; landslides; hailstorms.

Cyprus

2.78

Moderate earthquake activity; droughts.

Armenia

2.72

Occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts.

Rwanda

2.70

Periodic droughts; the Volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano

Saint Lucia

2.69

Hurricanes.

Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Kiribati

2.64

Typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level.

Nepal

2.62

Severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons.

Kuwait

2.56

Sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August.

Comoros

2.56

Cyclones possible during the rainy season (December to April); Volcanic activity on Grand Comore.

Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud

Seychelles

2.54

Lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; occasional short droughts.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

2.51

Destructive earthquakes.

Zimbabwe

2.44

Recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare.

Tajikistan

2.38

Earthquakes; floods.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

2.30

Hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat.

La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Marshall Islands

2.29

Infrequent typhoons.

Mali

2.25

Tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise.

Lithuania

2.24

Occasional floods, droughts.

Azerbaijan

2.20

Droughts.

Kyrgyzstan

2.20

Major flooding during snowmelt; prone to earthquakes.

Kazakhstan

2.18

Earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty.

Niger

2.17

Recurring droughts.

Bulgaria

2.15

Earthquakes; landslides.

Latvia

2.14

Large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage.

Ivory Coast

2.08

Coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible.

Mongolia

2.08

Dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

2.07

Hurricanes (July to October).

Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts, and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis, are both volcanoes that are part of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Burkina Faso

2.06

Recurring droughts.

Sweden

2.06

Ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic.

Barbados

2.06

Infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides.

Grenada

1.85

Lies on the edge of the hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November.

Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the Volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north

Serbia

1.84

Destructive earthquakes.

Estonia

1.82

Sometimes flooding occurs in the spring.

Eswatini

1.82

Drought.

Uzbekistan

1.74

Earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts.

Paraguay

1.74

Local flooding in the southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June).

Iceland

1.65

Earthquakes and Volcanic activity.

Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe Volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar

Benin

1.61

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect the north from December to March.

Tuvalu

1.46

Severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level.

Botswana

1.44

Periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility.

Slovenia

1.44

Flooding; earthquakes.

Brunei

1.34

Typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare.

Togo

1.32

Hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in the north during winter; periodic droughts.

Lesotho

1.32

Periodic droughts.

Finland

1.30

Severe winters in the north.

Moldova

1.30

Landslides.

Turkmenistan

1.29

Earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods.

Cape Verde

1.27

Prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active.

Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano

North Macedonia

1.26

High seismic risks.

Palau

1.25

Typhoons (June to December).

Qatar

1.17

Haze, dust storms, sandstorms common.

Austria

1.14

Landslides; avalanches; earthquakes.

Bhutan

1.09

Violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's Bhutanese name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season.

Switzerland

1.03

Avalanches, landslides; flash floods.

Denmark

1.03

Flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes.

Maldives

1.02

Tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise.

Slovakia

1.00

Flooding.

Nauru

1.00

Periodic droughts.

Hungary

0.97

Bahrain