What is a hazard and how has human population and settlement increased the effects of hazards?

The “Nature” of the Problem: Population and Natural Disasters

Between 1950 and 2003, the world’s population grew from an estimated 2.5 billion to 6.3 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More people are affected by natural disasters today because there are more people in the world to be affected. But beyond basic statistics, natural disasters may be getting more expensive because more people are building more expensive infrastructure in areas that are prone to natural disasters, like coastal areas, fire-prone forests, steep mountain slopes, and riverbanks. If disasters are having a greater impact today, says Patzert, the culprit is not Mother Nature, it’s human nature.
page 1Page 3
Graph of population and gross world product since 1950