7 Most Disaster-Prone Countries in the World

In this article, we list and discuss the 7 Most Disaster-Prone Countries in the World. If you would like to see our detailed discussion, you can instead go to the 20 Most Disaster-Prone Countries in the World.

7. India

Insider Monkey Score: 0.75

India, officially known as the Republic of India, is another South Asian country. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India is the world’s most populated country as of 2024 and one of the most polluted ones, too. The country has high vulnerability, susceptibility, and exposure to disasters.

6. Türkiye

Insider Monkey Score: 0.8

Turkey is an upper-middle-income Middle-Eastern country, renowned for its beautiful mosques and other religious architecture alongside tourist attractions. Turkey is ranked as the 6th most disaster-prone country, and earthquakes are frequent in the country. The 2023 Syria-Turkey Earthquakes were especially disastrous, killing more than 40,000 people.

5. Indonesia

Insider Monkey Score: 0.85

Located in the Southeastern part of Asia and Oceania, Indonesia is a famous vacay spot for many people due to its warm climate, numerous beaches, and rainforests. Despite so many scenic locations, Indonesia is one of the top 5 countries to be prone to disasters. The country has the highest risk of earthquakes, 27% of the population is exposed to the risk of floods, and it significantly lacks coping and adaptive capacities. 

4. The Philippines

Insider Monkey Score: 0.9

Ranked 4th, the Philippines is another South Asian country with beautiful beaches and lush greenery. The country is particularly susceptible to earthquakes, floods, landslides, and typhoons. In July 2023, Typhoon Doksuri wreaked havoc in the country and affected the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.

3. Peru

Insider Monkey Score: 0.9

Peru is a country in South America, best known for its evergreen mountains and archaeological sites. It is one of the top 3 most disaster-prone countries and is particularly susceptible to earthquakes, flooding, and landslides. Overall, the country is highly vulnerable and susceptible, lacking coping capacities in the wake of disasters.

2. Papua New Guinea

Insider Monkey Score: 0.95

Ranked 2nd, Papua New Guinea is an island country located in Oceania, filled with rainforests and beaches. Although the country’s beauty acts as a magnet for tourism, it is unfortunately not the safest country when it comes to natural disasters. Papua New Guinea is particularly prone to earthquakes, has high exposure and vulnerability to disasters, and severely lacks adaptive capacities.

1. Mexico

Insider Monkey Score: 1

First, on the list of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, Mexico is located in the south of North America and is one of the largest countries in the world by area. It is an upper-middle-income country best known for its rich culture and delicious cuisine. According to being prone to natural disasters, Mexico tops the charts and is the most disaster-prone country in the world. It is especially prone to floods, has high exposure to disasters, and is incredibly susceptible too. 

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