Central Asia is a disaster-prone area, exposed to various natural hazards such as floods, droughts, avalanches, rockslide and earthquakes. It is also vulnerable to man-made disasters related to industrial activity and the radioactive and chemical dumps inherited from the Soviet period. Several factors - population density in disaster-prone areas, high overall population growth, poverty, land and water use, failure to comply with building codes and global climate change – make the region particularly vulnerable to natural as well as man made disasters.

Year: 2006

From collection: Environment and Security: Central Asia- Ferghana/Osh/Khujand Area

Cartographer: Viktor Novikov, UNEP/GRID-Arendal