In teams students had to select a country in which to locate a UN disaster response base and justify why they would locate it in this location. The initial answer is on the left, the developed answer is on the right.
Can you say how the answer has developed? What has been added to make it stronger? scroll down to see the other suggestions for the proposed(imaginary) UN disaster response base.
Kazakhstan- this is because it is surrounded by disaster prone areas such as china, Russia, India and Pakistan etc. but Kazakhstan itself is relatively disaster free. Over the past thirty years, they have only had sixteen events and 228 people have died. The countries surrounding Kazakhstan are quite vulnerable as they are LEDCs
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We would locate our base in Kazakhstan because it is surrounded by disaster probe areas such as China,India and Pakistan. Asia had six of the world's 10 biggest disasters last year, claiming 27,000 lives and costing 38.2 billion dollars. A lot of disasters such as earthquakes hit these areas for example in 1976 in Tangshan, China, an earthquake hit with a magnitude killing over 240,000 people. By having a base in Kazakhstan it will lower social effects such as loss of life, economic effects such as destruction of buildings which may lead to businesses being lost and environmental effects. Kazakhstan is relatively disaster free. In the past 30 years, the country has only had 16 disasters with 228 deaths. It is surrounded by LEDCs which are quite vulnerable as they do not have enough money to prepare or measure when a disaster is going to happen. Kazakhstan is still a developing country so building a base here will help the country develop as the GDP of Kazakhstan is only US$198.90 billion compared to the USA which has a GDP of US$15.68 trillion. Building the base here will have a multiplying effect by creating jobs.
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Switzerland it is central in terms of aid groups in Europe. It's transport links to other countries are advanced by air and rail. It is neutral in terms of politics and is stable. It is not at risk from disasters
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Switzerland, because it is a United Nations member and politically neutral. In terms of location it is in Central Europe so has good links to large aid organisations nearby. It also is highly developed and organised so would be able to dispatch response by air quickly to any where around the world. It is also a good location as it is not at risk form disasters or political unrest. Between 1980 to 2010 there was only 42 recorded diseasters in Switzerland one of the lowest in the world non of which where survire and the majority where hydro based meaning they were easily dealt with. It would be easy to organise meetings and conferences as well due to its location. It would also be easy to get volunteers due to its neighbour countries and there military. It is also modern so information form around the world be easily sent and received so response times would be short. The climate is also ideal for storing resource including food and water.It should not be in Saudi Arabia and Kazakstan as it corrupt and holds political grudges against other countries. Switzerland has a low crime rate so aid will not be stolen and it is able to focus on aid without worrying about other issues.
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