Living with Tectonic Hazards 2
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 1.2.26
Why do People Live in Areas at Risk of Tectonic Hazards?
Lots of people live in areas that are close to volcanoes or vulnerable to earthquakes. They may do this for many reasons:
Family live in the area
- Some people may be born in these areas and may not be able to move away for family reasons.
Job
- If jobs are located near a place at risk of a tectonic hazard, then a person may not have a choice.
- E.g. San Francisco is close to an area at risk of earthquakes, but there is a large tech industry there.
Good government and institutions
- In the book 'Why Nations Fail', the author Daron Acemoglu argues that good governments and legal systems are a key reason that countries succeed and create wealth for their people.
- A country with good governance systems are likely to have good evacuation plans and good regulation to make a place safe if an earthquake happens (e.g. Christchurch, New Zealand).
Fertile land
- The ash that falls after a volcanic eruption makes farmland very fertile.
- So land around volcanoes can actually be very good for farming and can produce very high crop yields.
Test yourself on Living with Tectonic Hazards 2
Why do people live in areas at risk of tectonic hazards?