Planet Earth, despite its incredible diversity and beauty, has many places that are dangerous due to natural hazards or human activities. In this article, we invite you to take a virtual tour of Earth's most vulnerable areas.

   1. The Pacific Ring of Fire

  The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area of exceptional seismic risk. The area includes countries such as Japan, Indonesia and Chile and is home to 90% of the world's earthquakes. The unique risks of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are part of everyday life here.

   2. Bangladesh

  Bangladesh is one of the most flood-prone countries in the world. The great Ganges Delta is naturally prone to flooding, but this risk is increased by climate change and rising sea levels. Living under constant threat of flooding is the norm here.

   3. The Sahel in Africa

  The Sahel, an area located between the Sahara in the north and the savannah in the south, is one of the most drought-prone regions in the world. Climate change and population pressures are making droughts more frequent and intense, leading to famine and conflict.

   4. Caribbean

  The Caribbean is one of the most hurricane-prone regions in the world. Every year, during hurricane season, Caribbean islands face the possibility of devastating storms that can render people homeless and destitute.

   5. Polar areas

  Polar areas, both in the north and south of the planet, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Melting glaciers and sea ice are leading to rising sea levels, threatening the lives of wildlife and people around the world.

  Each of these places has its own unique mix of natural hazards and risks from human activities. What they all have in common, however, is that residents must deal with these risks on a daily basis and find ways to survive and adapt to these challenging conditions. Learning about these areas and understanding the challenges they face is key to global disaster risk management.