Questions pg.229

1. List the main reasons for water scarce
a) Varations in climate
b) Land Degradation
c) Population Growth
d) Water Polution

2. What is a drought? What type of harships do you think that a drought could cause if you were living in a village in a poor country such as Ethiopia?
Drought is a period of dry weather that dries the land and ruins the crop, which will make people in poor countries starve.

3. How does land degradation affect the supply of fresh water?
If land degradation is happening, the water falling down to earth will run-off instead of letting it filtrate, also when it run-off a big amount of water, there will be flash flood.

4. (a) What is El Nino?
El Nino is a warm ocean current of variable intensity that develops after late December along the coast of Ecuador and Peru and sometimes causes catastrophic weather conditions.

(b) Why does El Nino often cause drought in Australia?
El Nino often cause drought in Australia, because the reverse of air pressure across the Pacific is resulted in high pressure systems building up over most of Australia.

5. Observe the map showing the global effects of El Nino is 1982-83.

(a) What effects does El Nino have on the availability if fresh water?
El Nino limits the fresh water.
(b) Name the countries and describe the problems that arose from decreased rainfall caused by El Nino.
Australia, Peru, US, Indonesia, Africa, China, Papua New Guinea, Philipines