REGIONAL SLIDES

Asia and the Pacific

• Beijing, China
• Delhi, India
• Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Karachi, Pakistan
• Sydney, Australia
• Tehran, Iran
• Dust Storms over China
• Bam Earthquake, Iran
• Indian Ocean Tsunami, Indian Sub-continent
• Drought in Australia, Australia
• Gangotri Glacier, India
• Landslide in Tibet, Tibet
 Asia and the Pacific
• Asia now holds 61 per cent of the global population and its
share of the global urban population has risen from 9% in 1920
to 48% in 2000 and is expected to rise to 53% by 2030
• By 2015 Asian developing countries will hold three of the world’s
five largest urban agglomerations: Mumbai, Dhaka and Delhi
• Of all the world regions, developed and developing, Asia
ranks lowest in almost all types of crime

• Of the 10 countries most hit by natural disasters in 2005, 7

are in the Asian continent
• Australia is the driest continent, and has one of the most
variable rainfall climates in the world
UNESCO 2006; UNISDR 2005
Explosive growth in Beijing, China

Beijing, the capital city of

China, is experiencing
explosive growth since
economic reforms in 1979

• 1978: Beijing in 1978

• 2000: Extent of urban

expansion is clearly visible
Tremendous growth in Delhi and its suburbs
India

1977-1999: The
population of Delhi was
at 4.4 million in 1975
that grew to 12.4 million
in 2000
Phenomenal growth in Dhaka
Bangladesh

1977-2000: the capital of

Bangladesh, has grown
from a city of 2.5 million to
more than 10 million
Rapid urban growth in Karachi
Pakistan

• 1975: Karachi
before the urban
sprawl

• 2001: Note the

change in aerial
extent
A vibrant city yet vulnerable to bush
fires – Sydney, Australia

1975-2002: Over the last

several decades, Sydney
has been expanding
westward toward the Blue
Mountain
Rapidly expanding Tehran, Iran

• 1975: The population of

Tehran has grown three-
folds since 1970

• 2000: Rapid expansion

has had adverse impacts
on the environment
Dust Storm over China

• 23 March 2002: a
relatively clear day

• 8 April 2002: extremely

dusty skies; dust
obscures most of the
surface
 Earthquakes and Tsunamis

• According to long-term records (since about 1900), we can expect

about 18 major earthquakes (7.0 - 7.9 on the Richter scale) and
one great earthquake (8.0 or above) in any given year (NEIC 2003)

• The number of earthquakes and tsunamis resulting in fatalities

has increased approximately in proportion to global populations

• The growth of giant urban cities near regions of known seismic

hazard is a new experiment for life on the Earth

• Tsunamis are a threat to life and property for all coastal residents
A city destroyed by earthquake
Bam, Iran

A 6.6 magnitude
earthquake struck
southeastern Iran
on 26 December
2003, killing over
40 000 people,
injuring 16 000,
leaving 70 000
homeless and
destroying much of
the city of Bam, the
earthquake’s
epicenter
Indian Ocean Tsunami and its aftermath

Dec 2004:
Tsunami
devastated
the region of
Banda Aceh
Drought in Australia

• 2002: Increasing price of

grain due to the relative
shortage of pasture land
made the farmers sell their
livestock and convert their
lands to cropland in 2003

• 2003: Image
showing the
expanded crop
area
Receding Gangotri Glacier

• Receding
glacier
tracked since
1780

• In last 25
years, Gangotri
Glacier has
retreated more
than 850 m (2
788 ft)
Landslide in Tibet creates lake

• Area before landslide

creates a natural dam
blocking the Pareechu
River

• 2004: Water begins to

accumulate behind the
dam creating an artificial
lake

By 13 August 2004, the

lake spreads over 188
hectares reaching a
depth of 35 meters