Natural Disasters in South East Asia and Bangladesh - Vulnerability Risks and Consequences (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters - International Center for Training Exchanges in the Geosciences, 1998, 83 p.): PART IV - SYNOPTIC ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL HAZARDS ON A NATIONAL SCALE: 2. Five types of territories prone to risks: 2.2. Inland basins

Natural Disasters in South East Asia and Bangladesh - Vulnerability Risks and Consequences (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters - International Center for Training Exchanges in the Geosciences, 1998, 83 p.)

PART IV - SYNOPTIC ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL HAZARDS ON A NATIONAL SCALE

2. Five types of territories prone to risks

		(introduction...)
		2.1. Deltas
		2.2. Inland basins
		2.3. Coastal plains
		2.4. Coastal mountains
		2.5. Inland mountains

2.2. Inland basins

The inland basins, too, have high population densities associated with the historical or present (Laos) capital cities and irrigated rice-growing. The majority ethnic group of the countries largely dominates especially in the countryside whereas the minority groups, often Chinese, are found in the urban areas linked to trade. The international opening-up is more restricted though variable depending on the country. The bridge over the Mekong river, that facilitates the links between Vientiane and Thailand, has been, in a quite characteristic way, called the "Friendship bridge". This type of territory is therefore still largely dominated by rural agricultural activity which probably reduces and minimizes the perception of flood risks while droughts are mentally dreaded (RIGG, 1995).