Better solutions. Fewer disasters. Safer world. Latin America and the Caribbean Risk & Vulnerability Assessment Highlights (2018)
Introduction As part of PDC s annual Risk and Vulnerability Analysis update, a region-specific analysis for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) was conducted and regional ranks for all RVA indices, component indices, sub-component indices, and, where important, indicators were generated. This report highlights the most recent RVA analysis. These results allow for the comparison of the drivers of multi-hazard risk for countries within the Americas and provides the reader with the ability to clearly identify the components, sub-components or indicators responsible for specific scores and rankings. The information presented in this document can be used alone or in conjunction with additional information to examine the conditions underlying disaster risk. For more information or to request more detailed data and analyses please contact: disaster@pdc.org. Authors Joseph Green, PhD PDC RVA Lead Risk and Health Specialist Pacific Disaster Center jgreen@pdc.org 808.891.7969 PDC LAC Liaison Paulo C. Fernandes Jr. Disaster Services Analyst Pacific Disaster Center pfernandes@pdc.org 305.437.2241 Cassie Stelow, MS Senior Disaster Services Analyst Pacific Disaster Center cstelow@pdc.org 808.891.7962 2
Multi-Hazard Risk The Latin American and Caribbean average Multi-Hazard Risk Index score (0.48) is equal to the global average score (0.48). Ten of the 34 countries within the region have higher than average MHR scores. The Latin Caribbean, Andean and Central American Region have the highest risks. Multi-Hazard than average Multi-Hazard Exposure than average Vulnerability Exposure than average Coping Capacity Vulnerability Lack of Coping Capacity 3
Country Name Multi-hazard Risk index Regional Ranking (out of 28*) Global Ranking (out of 165) Change from previous year** Haiti 0.67 1 3 Guatemala 0.57 2 30 Honduras 0.55 3 40 Dominican Republic 0.54 4 44 Ecuador 0.53 5 50 El Salvador 0.53 5 50 Peru 0.53 5 50 Bolivia 0.51 8 66 Jamaica 0.51 8 66 Nicaragua 0.51 8 66 Colombia 0.49 11 77 Venezuela 0.49 11 77 Argentina 0.48 13 82 Belize 0.48 13 82 Guyana 0.48 13 82 Brazil 0.47 16 93 Suriname 0.47 16 93 Antigua & Barbuda 0.46 18 100 Chile 0.46 18 100 St. Lucia 0.46 18 100 Panama 0.45 21 105 Paraguay 0.44 22 107 Costa Rica 0.43 23 111 Grenada 0.4 24 120 Barbados 0.39 25 123 St. Vincent & the Grenadines 0.39 25 123 Trinidad & Tobago 0.34 27 143 Uruguay 0.34 27 143
Vulnerability The LAC average Vulnerability Index score (0.34) is lower than the global average. The highest vulnerability can be found in the Latin Caribbean and Andean regions. Vulnerability in the Region is most significantly driven by: Recent Disaster Impacts Economic Constraints 5
Country Name Vulnerability index Regional Ranking (out of 29) Global Ranking (out of 165) Change from previous year* Haiti 0.58 1 8 Guatemala 0.49 2 35 Honduras 0.44 3 51 Bolivia 0.42 4 58 Colombia 0.42 4 58 Ecuador 0.41 6 66 Dominican Republic 0.4 7 70 Nicaragua 0.39 8 75 El Salvador 0.38 9 80 Panama 0.38 9 80 Peru 0.38 9 80 St. Lucia 0.36 12 90 Paraguay 0.34 13 96 Venezuela 0.34 13 96 Brazil 0.33 15 100 St. Vincent & The Grenadines 0.33 15 100 Argentina 0.3 17 111 Jamaica 0.3 17 111 Guyana 0.29 19 117 Antigua & Barbuda 0.28 20 120 Chile 0.28 20 120 Costa Rica 0.28 20 120 Suriname 0.28 20 120 Belize 0.27 24 124 Trinidad & Tobago 0.24 25 134 Grenada 0.23 26 140 Cuba 0.22 27 146 Uruguay 0.22 27 146 Barbados 0.21 28 151
Coping Capacity The LAC region has higher than average Coping Capacity. The lowest Coping Capacity can be found in the Latin Caribbean region of the AOR. Coping Capacity in the LAC is most significantly constrained by: Low Environmental Capacity Low Transportation Capacity 7 *Only includes countries with available coping capacity data. **Region includes Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Country Name Coping Capacity index Regional Ranking (out of 30) Global Ranking (out of 173) Change from previous year* Haiti 0.28 30 168 Honduras 0.44 29 123 Venezuela 0.45 28 122 Guatemala 0.47 27 115 Guyana 0.48 26 111 Nicaragua 0.49 25 107 Bolivia 0.51 24 98 El Salvador 0.52 23 92 Paraguay 0.53 22 91 Peru 0.54 21 85 Ecuador 0.55 20 82 Colombia 0.56 19 79 Argentina 0.57 16 76 Belize 0.57 16 76 Dominican Republic 0.57 16 76 Suriname 0.58 15 73 Jamaica 0.59 14 68 Brazil 0.61 11 62 Grenada 0.61 11 62 St. Lucia 0.61 11 62 Panama 0.62 10 59 Trinidad & Tobago 0.65 9 55 Costa Rica 0.66 7 51 St. Vincent & the Grenadines 0.66 7 51 Dominica 0.67 5 47 Uruguay 0.67 5 47 Antigua & Barbuda 0.68 1 40 Barbados 0.68 1 40 Chile 0.68 1 40
Resilience The LAC has lower than average resilience. However, resilience has increased more than the global average over the past 15 years. Since 2000, Resilience has changed: 15% Regionally 2% Globally 9 *Only includes countries with available vulnerability data. **Region includes Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Resilience: Examining the Relationship between Coping Capacity and Vulnerability A country s Resilience is a function of its Coping Capacity and Vulnerability. The figure below illustrates the correlation between Coping Capacity and Vulnerability by Resilience grouping (Very High, High, Moderate, Low, Very Low). The comparison shows a strong negative correlation between a country s Coping Capacity and Vulnerability. 10
Health Component Indicators PDC s Risk and Vulnerability Assessment contains health-related indicators. Vulnerable Health Status, Health Care Capacity, and Clean Water Access Vulnerability all capture components of overall population health. Vulnerable Health Status in the LAC is lower than the global average. Maternal Mortality Rate Infant Mortality Rate Life Expectancy Prevalence Undernourished 89.4 deaths per 100,000 births 16 deaths per 1,000 live births 74.2 Years 10.5 % of population under age 5 Clean Water Access Vulnerability in the LAC is lower than the global average. Access to Improved Water Source Access to Improved Sanitation 93.7 % of population 83.5 % of population Health Care Capacity in the LAC Region is lower than the global average. 0.57 0.59 Hospital Beds 23.71 per 10,000 persons Nurses per 10,000 persons 26 per 10,000 persons Physicians 14.2 per 10,000 persons LAC Global Average 11
Information Component Indicators PDC s Risk and Vulnerability Assessment contains information-access indicators. These can aid in determining where complex messaging and/or communication may present a challenge. Adult literacy, primary education enrollment, average years of schooling, and internet users per 100 persons all capture the population s ability to receive and process information. Access to Information Vulnerability in the LAC is lower than the Global average. Adult Literacy Rate Gross Enrollment Ratio Mean Years of Schooling 91.8% 80.5% 8.6 Years Internet users 54.3 per 100 Communication Capacity in the LAC is higher than the Global average. Fixed Phone Lines Mobile Phone Subscriptions Secure Internet Servers 18.5 per 100 people 116.1 per 100 people 173.3 per 1 million people 12
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