Forex Teach

The dramatic events in Gati, where massive earthquake killed nearly 200 thousand people, and the number of victims is more than 1.5 million people, again drew world attention to the consequences of natural disasters in the world's poorest countries. After all, poor living conditions account for a number of casualties and enormous destruction. Haiti - the poorest country in the hemisphere: almost 80% of the population lives on the mountain slopes, in houses built of a mixture of wood chips and cheap cement.

According to experts, the population of low-income is 58% of the total population. That is, they account for 92% and 88% of affected people killed by natural disasters.

In the period from 1975 to 2008 on Earth occurred on 23 major natural disaster, which killed 1.8 million people and economic losses estimated at 1.53 trillion. of dollars. And 46% of economic losses in Asia, 26% for America, 23% in Europe and 5% in Oceania and the African continent. It should be noted that the risks of natural disasters are increasing every year, as government programs, which should be directed to the reduction of natural hazards in the underdeveloped countries are not working properly or missing. Therefore, when the UN established the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Operations (OCHA), which has been collecting humanitarian aid to affected countries. Only affected the amount of aid to Haiti in terms of money amounts to 2.02 billion dollars. So if the world economy is ready to continuously support the countries affected by natural disasters?

All developed countries are laying the economic in its budget a certain amount in the fight against natural disasters. For example, in China, this amount is about 6% of GNP in Japan - 1% of GNP. Just 50% of the costs reimbursed by insurance companies. Thus, we can conclude that countries that have an educated population, a complex financial system, open economies have the lowest losses from natural disasters and recovers quickly.

Natural disasters have been and will be, and the international community can assist the underdeveloped countries of economic, to overcome the effects of these disasters, but also the governments of affected countries should pursue a policy aimed at improving the quality of life, the development of modern infrastructure, advanced technologies in the construction in earthquake zones, to develop Special system for public notification when an approaching threat. Only then will we achieve a reduction of economic losses, and most importantly, human lives. And the enormous destruction and loss of life in Haiti - a sad confirmation of a complete lack of development in these areas in the policy of this State.

Xenia Low