Why People Live in Areas at Risk
- It is estimated that by 2025, 600 million people will live in tectonically active areas
- There are also many economic advantages to living in tectonically active areas, particularly where there are volcanoes including:
- Fertile soils: The ash and cooled lava contain many minerals which lead to high yields of crops
- Tourism: Many people want to visit areas where there are active volcanoes, this increases the number of jobs available
- Minerals and precious stones: These can be mined and sold providing work for local people
- Geothermal energy: As the magma is closer to the surface the heat can be used to generate geothermal energy
- Creating new land area: Once the lava and ash have cooled, new land areas are formed
- There are also social reasons for living in these areas, including:
- People don't want to leave family and friends
- They have always lived there and don't want to leave
- As technologies and prediction improve people are also more confident that they are prepared for the hazard
Worked example
Explain how living in areas that are at risk from a tectonic hazard(s) may have both advantages and disadvantages.
[6 marks]
- The command word in this question is 'Explain'
- You need to give advantages and disadvantages and then explain them
- It is not enough to say 'tourism', you need to explain why this is an advantage
- This is a levelled answer, so marks are awarded for the answer overall rather than for individual points
- In a level 2 and 3 answer, you are expected to use geographical terms and include examples of both advantages and disadvantages
- You can include knowledge of specific volcanic areas and earthquake zones, but this is not essential in achieving level 3
- An example of an answer for each level can be seen below
- These are just examples and there are many others which can be found in the mark scheme- see topic question 5
Answer:
| Level | Marks | Exemplar Answer |
|
1 (Basic) |
1-2 | Tourists are attracted to volcanic areas. However, volcanic eruptions can kill and injure people. |
|
2 (Clear) |
3-4 | Tourists are attracted to volcanic areas by eruptions, hot springs and geysers. This creates employment and may lead to the multiplier effect. Ash and pyroclastic flows may lead to deaths and injuries of people in the local area, they may also destroy crops. |
|
3 (Detailed) |
5-6 | Tourists are attracted to volcanic areas by eruptions, hot springs and geysers such as in Iceland or Mount Vesuvius in Italy. This creates employment and may lead to the multiplier effect which brings money into the local economy. Ash and pyroclastic flows may lead to the deaths and injuries of people in the local area. They can also destroy crops which may then lead to food shortages and food price increases. |
