lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Malta
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
Marshall Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Mauritania
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Mauritius
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Mayotte
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mlima Benara 660 m
Mexico
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
Micronesia, Federated States of
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Moldova
lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Monaco
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m
Mongolia
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m
Montenegro
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
Montserrat
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills
volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
Morocco
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m
Mozambique
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Namibia
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Nauru
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation along plateau rim 61 m
Navassa Island
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on southwest side 77 m
Nepal
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Netherlands
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m (on the island of Saba in the
Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands
following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles)
note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at
322 m
New Caledonia
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
New Zealand
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Nicaragua
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Niger
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m
Nigeria
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Niue
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Norfolk Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Northern Mariana Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Agrihan 965 m
Norway
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
Oman
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Pacific Ocean
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
-10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Pakistan
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m
Palau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
Panama
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m
Papua New Guinea
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Paracel Islands
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Paraguay
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m
Peru
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Philippines
lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
Pitcairn Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ridge 347 m
Poland
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Portugal
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m
Puerto Rico
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Qatar
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
Romania
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Russia
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m
Rwanda
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Saint Barthelemy
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m; Green
Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena
Island 818 m
Saint Kitts and Nevis
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Saint Lucia
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Saint Martin
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m
Samoa
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Silisili 1,857 m
San Marino
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 m
Sao Tome and Principe
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Saudi Arabia
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Senegal
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation southwest of Kedougou 581 m
Serbia
lowest point: Danube and Timok Rivers 35 m
highest point: Midzor 2,169 m
Seychelles
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Sierra Leone
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Singapore
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Sint Maarten
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Flagstaff 386 m
Slovakia
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Slovenia
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
Solomon Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,310 m
Somalia
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
South Africa
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Southern Ocean
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
South Sandwich Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m
Spain
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Spratly Islands
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Sri Lanka
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Sudan
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Suriname
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Svalbard
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Swaziland
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Sweden
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
Kristianstad -2.4 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
Switzerland
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Syria
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Taiwan
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Tajikistan
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni (Pik Imeni Ismail Samani) 7,495
m
Tanzania
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Thailand
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Timor-Leste
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Togo
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m
Tokelau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Tonga
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Kao Island 1,033 m
Trinidad and Tobago
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Tunisia
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Turkey
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Turkmenistan
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m
note: Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a
water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Turks and Caicos Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Flamingo Hill 48 m
Tuvalu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Uganda
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Ukraine
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m
United Arab Emirates
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
United Kingdom
lowest point: The Fens -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
United States
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,207 m above sea level) on the island
of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by
this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than
Mount Everest, which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea
level
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
lowest point: Pacific
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island,
unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m;
Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location -
less than 2 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra
Atoll, unnamed location - 3 m
Uruguay
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Uzbekistan
lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Vanuatu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Venezuela
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar 5,007 m
Vietnam
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m
Virgin Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Wake Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Wallis and Futuna
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 765 m
West Bank
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Western Sahara
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed elevation 805 m
World
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
Ocean
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
top ten highest mountains (measured from sea level): Mount Everest
(Nepal-China) 8,850 m; K2 (Pakistan) 8,611 m; Kanchenjunga
(Nepal-India) 8,598 m; Lhotse (Nepal) 8,516 m; Makalu (Nepal-China)
8,463 m; Cho Oyu (Nepal-China) 8,201 m; Dhaulagiri (Nepal) 8,167 m;
Manaslu (Nepal) 8,163 m; Nanga Parbat (Pakistan) 8,125 m; Anapurna
(Nepal) 8,091 m
Yemen
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Zambia
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Zimbabwe
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
======================================================================
@2021
Field Listing :: Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where
volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights
historically active volcanoes.
Country
Natural hazards
Afghanistan
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding; droughts
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
volcanism: American Samoa experiences limited volcanic activity on
the Ofu and Olosega Islands, neither has erupted since the 19th
century
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 in some areas
volcanism: Argentina experiences volcanic activity in the Andes
Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (elev. 2,997 m, 9,833
ft) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes
include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchon-Peteroa, San Jose, Tromen,
Tupungatito, and Viedma
Armenia
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Aruba
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is
rarely threatened
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
volcanism: volcanic activity occurs on the Heard and McDonald Islands
Austria
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Azerbaijan
droughts
Bahamas, The
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
flood and wind damage
Bahrain
periodic droughts; dust storms
Bangladesh
droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely
inundated during the summer monsoon season
Barbados
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
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
Bolivia
flooding in the northeast (March-April)
volcanism: Bolivia experiences volcanic activity in Andes Mountains
on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this
region are Irruputuncu (elev. 5,163 m, 16,939 ft), which last
erupted in 1995 and Olca-Paruma
Bosnia and Herzegovina
destructive earthquakes
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
volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (elev. 4,095 m, 13,435 ft), which last
erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West
Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of
gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986
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
volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast
Mountains remain dormant
Cape Verde
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
volcanism: Fogo (elev. 2,829 m, 9,281 ft), which last erupted in
1995, is Cape Verde's only active volcano
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
volcanism: Chile experiences significant volcanic activity due to
the more than three-dozen active volcanoes situated within the Andes
Mountains; Lascar (elev. 5,592 m, 18,346 ft), which last erupted in
2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes;
Llaima (elev. 3,125 m, 10,253 ft) in central Chile, which last
erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's
2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically
active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Copahue, Guallatiri,
Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, San Pedro, and Villarrica
China
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
land subsidence
volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes
including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or
P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been
relatively inactive in recent centuries
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
volcanism: Galeras (elev. 4,276 m, 14,029 ft) is one of Colombia's
most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major
evacuations; it has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the
Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and
close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (elev. 5,321
m, 17,453 ft), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985
producing lahars that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted
in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila
reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since
then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona
Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace
Comoros
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
volcanic activity on Grand Comore
volcanism: Karthala (elev. 2,361 m, 7,746 ft) on Grand Comore Island
last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to
be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
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
volcanism: Nyiragongo (elev. 3,470 m, 11,384 ft), which erupted in
2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to
the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; the volcano
produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km
(60 mi)/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the
Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and
close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira,
which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is
the only other historically active volcano
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
volcanism: Arenal (elev. 1,670 m, 5,479 ft), which erupted in 2010,
is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed
the town of Tabacon; Irazu (elev. 3,432 m, 11,260 ft), situated just
east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital
city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active
volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba
Cote d'Ivoire
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Croatia
destructive earthquakes
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
Curacao
Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is
rarely threatened
Cyprus
moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Czech Republic
flooding
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
volcanism: Djibouti experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba
(elev. 298 m, 978 ft) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located
along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active
Dominica
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
can be expected during the late summer months
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
volcanism: Ecuador experiences volcanic activity in the Andes
Mountains; Sangay (elev. 5,230 m, 17,159 ft), which erupted in 2010,
is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active
volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi,
Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina
(elev. 1,476 m, 4,842 ft), a shield volcano that last erupted in
2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other
historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra,
Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago
Egypt
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods;
landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
dust storms; sandstorms