ABSTRACT
Countries with a high exposure to natural hazards, such as Iran, are more likely to experience disasters in terms of both casualties and economic losses. Many countries well known for seismic hazards, such as Armenia, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, and Turkey, simply do not have the infrastructure necessary to reduce vulnerability and harm, making them very vulnerable to natural disasters. A few examples are given in chronological order in the first part of this chapter to reveal the vulnerability of some of these developing countries, including Iran, to natural hazards.
