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Wed, 24 Apr 2024 Country Natural hazards Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts United Arab Emirates frequent sand and dust storms Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season Azerbaijan droughts Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Andorra avalanches Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau American Samoa typhoons common from December to March Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Akrotiri Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Belgium flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Belarus Solomon Islands typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Navassa Island Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Bassas da India maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Bouvet Island Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Jarvis Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Dhekelia Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts European Union flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Ireland Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Europa Island Czech Republic flooding French Guiana high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding Finland Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Faroe Islands French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January Baker Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard France flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gabon Georgia earthquakes Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guernsey Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Germany flooding Glorioso Islands periodic cyclones Guadeloupe hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) Greece severe earthquakes Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Gaza Strip droughts Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Hong Kong occasional typhoons Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Howland Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Croatia destructive earthquakes Hungary Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Man, Isle of India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes British Indian Ocean Territory Clipperton Island Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes Johnston Atoll Juan de Nova Island periodic cyclones Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons Kyrgyzstan Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Kingman Reef wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Laos floods, droughts Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Latvia Lithuania Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Slovakia Palmyra Atoll Liechtenstein Lesotho periodic droughts Luxembourg Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Madagascar periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation Martinique hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) Macau typhoons Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mongolia dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) Malawi Macedonia high seismic risks Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Monaco Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Midway Islands Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Malta Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Malaysia flooding, landslides, forest fires Mozambique severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Niger recurring droughts Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Nigeria periodic droughts; flooding Netherlands flooding Norway rockslides, avalanches Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Nauru periodic droughts Suriname Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Paracel Islands typhoons Spratly Islands typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Poland flooding Panama occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Palau typhoons (June to December) Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Reunion periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano Marshall Islands infrequent typhoons Romania earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible South Africa prolonged droughts Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms San Marino Singapore Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Spain periodic droughts Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Sudan dust storms and periodic persistent droughts Svalbard ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Syria dust storms, sandstorms Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Tromelin Island Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Tajikistan earthquakes and floods Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Sao Tome and Principe Tunisia East Timor floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Turkey very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Turkmenistan Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Uganda United Kingdom winter windstorms; floods Ukraine United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Burkina Faso recurring droughts Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Uzbekistan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Holy See (Vatican City) Namibia prolonged periods of drought West Bank droughts Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Wake Island occasional typhoons Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Swaziland drought Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Serbia and Montenegro destructive earthquakes Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Zambia periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts United Arab Emirates frequent sand and dust storms Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season Azerbaijan droughts Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Andorra avalanches Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau American Samoa typhoons common from December to March Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Akrotiri Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Belgium flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Belarus Solomon Islands typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Navassa Island Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Bassas da India maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Bouvet Island Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Jarvis Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Dhekelia Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts European Union flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Ireland Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Europa Island Czech Republic flooding French Guiana high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding Finland Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Faroe Islands French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January Baker Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard France flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gabon Georgia earthquakes Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guernsey Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Germany flooding Glorioso Islands periodic cyclones Guadeloupe hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) Greece severe earthquakes Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Gaza Strip droughts Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Hong Kong occasional typhoons Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Howland Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Croatia destructive earthquakes Hungary Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Man, Isle of India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes British Indian Ocean Territory Clipperton Island Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes Johnston Atoll Juan de Nova Island periodic cyclones Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons Kyrgyzstan Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Kingman Reef wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Laos floods, droughts Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Latvia Lithuania Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Slovakia Palmyra Atoll Liechtenstein Lesotho periodic droughts Luxembourg Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Madagascar periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation Martinique hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) Macau typhoons Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mongolia dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) Malawi Macedonia high seismic risks Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Monaco Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Midway Islands Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Malta Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Malaysia flooding, landslides, forest fires Mozambique severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Niger recurring droughts Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Nigeria periodic droughts; flooding Netherlands flooding Norway rockslides, avalanches Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Nauru periodic droughts Suriname Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Paracel Islands typhoons Spratly Islands typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Poland flooding Panama occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Palau typhoons (June to December) Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Reunion periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano Marshall Islands infrequent typhoons Romania earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible South Africa prolonged droughts Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms San Marino Singapore Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Spain periodic droughts Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Sudan dust storms and periodic persistent droughts Svalbard ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Syria dust storms, sandstorms Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Tromelin Island Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Tajikistan earthquakes and floods Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Sao Tome and Principe Tunisia East Timor floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Turkey very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Turkmenistan Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Uganda United Kingdom winter windstorms; floods Ukraine United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Burkina Faso recurring droughts Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Uzbekistan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Holy See (Vatican City) Namibia prolonged periods of drought West Bank droughts Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Wake Island occasional typhoons Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Swaziland drought Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Serbia and Montenegro destructive earthquakes Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Zambia periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season Azerbaijan droughts Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Andorra avalanches Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau American Samoa typhoons common from December to March Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Belgium flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Belarus Solomon Islands typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Navassa Island Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Bassas da India maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Bouvet Island Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Jarvis Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Ireland Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Europa Island Czech Republic flooding French Guiana high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding Finland Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Faroe Islands French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January Baker Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard France flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gabon Georgia earthquakes Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guernsey Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Germany flooding Glorioso Islands periodic cyclones Guadeloupe hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) Greece severe earthquakes Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Gaza Strip droughts Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Hong Kong occasional typhoons Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Howland Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Croatia destructive earthquakes Hungary Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Man, Isle of India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes British Indian Ocean Territory Clipperton Island Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes Johnston Atoll Juan de Nova Island periodic cyclones Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons Kyrgyzstan Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Kingman Reef wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Laos floods, droughts Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Latvia Lithuania Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Slovakia Palmyra Atoll Liechtenstein Lesotho periodic droughts Luxembourg Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Madagascar periodic cyclones Martinique hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) Macau typhoons Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mongolia dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) Malawi Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of high seismic risks Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Monaco Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Midway Islands Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Malta Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Malaysia flooding, landslides, forest fires Mozambique severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Niger recurring droughts Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Nigeria periodic droughts; flooding Netherlands flooding Norway rockslides, avalanches Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Nauru periodic droughts Suriname Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Paracel Islands typhoons Spratly Islands typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Poland flooding Panama occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Palau typhoons (June to December) Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Reunion periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano Marshall Islands infrequent typhoons Romania earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible South Africa prolonged droughts Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms San Marino Singapore Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Spain periodic droughts Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Sudan dust storms and periodic persistent droughts Svalbard ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Syria dust storms, sandstorms Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Tromelin Island Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Tajikistan earthquakes and floods Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Sao Tome and Principe Tunisia East Timor floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Turkey very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Turkmenistan Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Uganda United Kingdom winter windstorms; floods Ukraine United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Burkina Faso recurring droughts Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Uzbekistan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Holy See (Vatican City) Namibia prolonged periods of drought West Bank droughts Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Wake Island occasional typhoons Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Swaziland drought Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Serbia and Montenegro destructive earthquakes Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Zambia periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season Azerbaijan droughts Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Andorra avalanches Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau American Samoa typhoons common from December to March Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Belgium flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Belarus Solomon Islands typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Navassa Island Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Bassas da India maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Bouvet Island Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Jarvis Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Ireland Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Europa Island Czech Republic flooding French Guiana high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding Finland Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Faroe Islands French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January Baker Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard France flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gabon Georgia earthquakes Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guernsey Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Germany flooding Glorioso Islands periodic cyclones Guadeloupe hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) Greece severe earthquakes Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Gaza Strip droughts Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Hong Kong occasional typhoons Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Howland Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Croatia destructive earthquakes Hungary Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Man, Isle of India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes British Indian Ocean Territory Clipperton Island Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes Johnston Atoll Juan de Nova Island periodic cyclones Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons Kyrgyzstan Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Kingman Reef wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring heavy rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Laos floods, droughts Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Latvia Lithuania Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Slovakia Palmyra Atoll Liechtenstein Lesotho periodic droughts Luxembourg Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Madagascar periodic cyclones Martinique hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) Macau typhoons Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mongolia dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) Malawi Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of high seismic risks Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Monaco Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Midway Islands Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Malta Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Malaysia flooding, landslides, forest fires Mozambique severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Niger recurring droughts Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Nigeria periodic droughts; flooding Netherlands flooding Norway rockslides, avalanches Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Nauru periodic droughts Suriname Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Paracel Islands typhoons Spratly Islands typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Poland flooding Panama occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Palau typhoons (June to December) Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Reunion periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano Marshall Islands infrequent typhoons Romania earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible South Africa prolonged droughts Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms San Marino Singapore Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Spain periodic droughts Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Sudan dust storms and periodic persistent droughts Svalbard ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Syria dust storms, sandstorms Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Tromelin Island Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Tajikistan earthquakes and floods Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Sao Tome and Principe Tunisia East Timor floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Turkey very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Turkmenistan Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Uganda United Kingdom winter windstorms; floods Ukraine United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Burkina Faso recurring droughts Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Uzbekistan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Holy See (Vatican City) Namibia prolonged periods of drought West Bank droughts Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Wake Island occasional typhoons Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Swaziland drought Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Serbia and Montenegro destructive earthquakes Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Zambia tropical storms (November to April) Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Austria Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Belgium flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter Belarus Solomon Islands typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Navassa Island Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Bassas da India maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones Bhutan violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Bouvet Island Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclones may occur in the early months of the year Cameroon recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Cape Verde prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Jarvis Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Ireland Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Estonia flooding occurs frequently in the spring Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Europa Island Czech Republic flooding French Guiana high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding Finland Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Faroe Islands French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January Baker Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard France flooding; avalanches French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gabon Georgia earthquakes Ghana dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guernsey Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Germany flooding Glorioso Islands periodic cyclones Guadeloupe hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August) Greece severe earthquakes Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Gaza Strip droughts Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Hong Kong occasional typhoons Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast Howland Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Croatia destructive earthquakes Hungary Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes Man, Isle of India droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; earthquakes British Indian Ocean Territory Clipperton Island Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 Jordan droughts Johnston Atoll Juan de Nova Island periodic cyclones Kenya recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons Kyrgyzstan Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Kingman Reef wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Laos floods, droughts, and blight Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Latvia Lithuania Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Slovakia Palmyra Atoll Liechtenstein Lesotho periodic droughts Luxembourg Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Madagascar periodic cyclones Martinique hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) Macau typhoons Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mongolia dust and snow storms, grassland and forest fires, drought and "zud", which is a combination of drought followed by harsh winter conditions Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (full-scale eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano occurred during 1996-97) Malawi Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of high seismic risks Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts Monaco Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Midway Islands Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Malta Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts Malaysia flooding, landslides Mozambique severe droughts and floods occur in central and southern provinces; devastating cyclones New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Niger recurring droughts Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes Nigeria periodic droughts Netherlands flooding Norway rockslides, avalanches Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Nauru periodic droughts Suriname Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Paracel Islands typhoons Spratly Islands typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Poland Panama Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Palau typhoons (June to December) Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Reunion periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano Marshall Islands occasional typhoons Romania earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible South Africa prolonged droughts Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms San Marino Singapore Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Spain periodic droughts Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Sudan dust storms Svalbard ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Syria dust storms, sandstorms Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Tromelin Island Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Tajikistan Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Sao Tome and Principe Tunisia Turkey very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Turkmenistan Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Uganda United Kingdom Ukraine United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Burkina Faso recurring droughts Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts Uzbekistan Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Holy See (Vatican City) Namibia prolonged periods of drought West Bank droughts Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Wake Island occasional typhoons Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Swaziland Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Zambia tropical storms (November to April) Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December World large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) Afghanistan damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Akrotiri Albania destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought Algeria mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season American Samoa typhoons common from December to March Andorra avalanches Angola locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau Anguilla frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Antarctica katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Antigua and Barbuda hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts Arctic Ocean ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May Argentina San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Armenia occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Ashmore and Cartier Islands surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Atlantic Ocean icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Australia cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Austria landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Azerbaijan droughts Bahamas, The hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Bahrain periodic droughts; dust storms United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Bangladesh droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Barbados infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Iles Eparses all islands subject to periodic cyclones Belarus NA Belgium flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Belize frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Benin hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Bermuda hurricanes (June to November) Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season Bosnia and Herzegovina destructive earthquakes Bolivia flooding in the northeast (March-April) Botswana periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Bouvet Island NA Brazil recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south British Indian Ocean Territory NA British Virgin Islands hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Brunei typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare Bulgaria earthquakes, landslides Burkina Faso recurring droughts Burma destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Burundi flooding, landslides, drought Cambodia monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Cameroon volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes Canada continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Cape Verde prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Cayman Islands hurricanes (July to November) Central African Republic hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Chad hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Chile severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis China frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Christmas Island the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Clipperton Island NA Cocos (Keeling) Islands cyclone season is October to April Colombia highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts Comoros cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Cyprus moderate earthquake activity; droughts Congo, Republic of the seasonal flooding Cook Islands typhoons (November to March) Coral Sea Islands occasional tropical cyclones Costa Rica occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Cote d'Ivoire coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Croatia destructive earthquakes Egypt periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms East Timor floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Ecuador frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Dominica flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Djibouti earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Dhekelia Denmark flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Czech Republic flooding Cuba the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common El Salvador known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Equatorial Guinea violent windstorms, flash floods Eritrea frequent droughts; locust swarms Estonia sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Ethiopia geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) strong winds persist throughout the year Faroe Islands NA Fiji cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Finland NA France metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean French Polynesia occasional cyclonic storms in January French Southern and Antarctic Lands Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonia Toothfish; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs Gabon NA Gambia, The drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Gaza Strip droughts Georgia earthquakes Germany flooding Ghana dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Gibraltar NA Iles Eparses all islands subject to periodic cyclones Greece severe earthquakes Greenland continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Grenada lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Guam frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) Guatemala numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Guernsey NA Guinea hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Guinea-Bissau hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Guyana flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Holy See (Vatican City) NA Honduras frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Iceland earthquakes and volcanic activity Hungary Hong Kong occasional typhoons Iles Eparses all islands subject to periodic cyclones India droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes Indian Ocean occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Indonesia occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Iran periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes Iraq dust storms, sandstorms, floods Ireland NA Isle of Man NA Israel sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Italy regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Jamaica hurricanes (especially July to November) Jan Mayen dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985 Japan many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons Jersey NA Jordan droughts; periodic earthquakes Kazakhstan earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty Kenya recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons Kiribati typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Korea, North late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall Korea, South occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Kuwait sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kyrgyzstan NA Laos floods, droughts Latvia NA Lebanon dust storms, sandstorms Lesotho periodic droughts Liberia dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Libya hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Liechtenstein NA Lithuania NA Luxembourg NA Macau typhoons Macedonia high seismic risks Madagascar periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation Malawi NA Malaysia flooding, landslides, forest fires Maldives low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Mali hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Malta NA Marshall Islands infrequent typhoons Mauritania hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Mauritius cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Mayotte cyclones during rainy season Mexico tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Micronesia, Federated States of typhoons (June to December) Moldova landslides (57 cases in 1998) Monaco NA Mongolia dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions Montenegro destructive earthquakes Montserrat severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) Morocco northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Mozambique severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces Namibia prolonged periods of drought Nauru periodic droughts Navassa Island hurricanes Nepal severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Netherlands flooding Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October New Caledonia cyclones, most frequent from November to March New Zealand earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Nicaragua destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Niger recurring droughts Nigeria periodic droughts; flooding Niue typhoons Norfolk Island typhoons (especially May to July) Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Norway rockslides, avalanches Pacific Ocean surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Pakistan frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Palau typhoons (June to December) Panama occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Papua New Guinea active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Paracel Islands typhoons Paraguay local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Peru earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Philippines astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Pitcairn Islands typhoons (especially November to March) Poland flooding Portugal Azores subject to severe earthquakes Puerto Rico periodic droughts; hurricanes Qatar haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Romania earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Wallis and Futuna NA Virgin Islands several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Wake Island occasional typhoons Venezuela subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts Vietnam occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Vanuatu tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Uruguay seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Uzbekistan NA United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard United States tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development United Arab Emirates frequent sand and dust storms United Kingdom winter windstorms; floods Uganda NA Ukraine NA Turks and Caicos Islands frequent hurricanes Tuvalu severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level Turkmenistan NA Tunisia NA Turkey severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Tonga cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou Trinidad and Tobago outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Togo hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Tokelau lies in Pacific typhoon belt Tanzania flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Thailand land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts Syria dust storms, sandstorms Tajikistan earthquakes and floods Switzerland avalanches, landslides, flash floods Swaziland drought Sweden ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic Suriname NA Svalbard ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Spratly Islands typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard Sri Lanka occasional cyclones and tornadoes Sudan dust storms and periodic persistent droughts Spain periodic droughts South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Southern Ocean huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue South Africa prolonged droughts Solomon Islands typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis Somalia recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Slovakia NA Slovenia flooding and earthquakes Sierra Leone dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms Singapore NA Senegal lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible San Marino NA Sao Tome and Principe NA Saudi Arabia frequent sand and dust storms Saint Pierre and Miquelon persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Samoa occasional typhoons; active volcanism Saint Kitts and Nevis hurricanes (July to October) Saint Lucia hurricanes and volcanic activity Rwanda periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Saint Helena active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 Russia permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Oman summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Iles Eparses all islands subject to periodic cyclones United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Iles Eparses all islands subject to periodic cyclones European Union flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic Taiwan earthquakes and typhoons Zimbabwe recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Zambia periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) Yemen sandstorms and dust storms in summer Western Sahara hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility West Bank droughts Human Rights UN clears Zim of rights abuses Iraqi Guerrillas Free Remaining Japanese Hostages U.S. Troops hold canadians near Iran-Iraq border Foiling of US bid at UN human rights session hailed more Birth Control Issues Final Arguments Begin in Abortion Ban Case Judge deliberates in abortion trial Cleft lip abortion to be investigated New father dies in car crash just minutes after helping wife more Top | Languages | Jobs | News Archive | WN Links | WN Network | © 1997-2004 World News Network | Contact our Advertising team for Advertising and Sponsorship on WorldNews.com and WorldNews Network