1. NOT ENOUGH WATER
NIGERIA AND AUSTRALIA
By Kamilia Broderick
8N

2. WHAT IS A DROUGHT?
A drought is a very long and abnormally duration of
time where there is a place with extremely low rainfall
and there is not enough water for users. But the
definition of drought can be different for different parts
of the world. For example, in the UK a drought is
defined as 15 prolonged days where less than
0.25mm of rain falls in any 24 hours. But some parts
of the world have naturally dry climates such as some
parts in Africa. So over there a drought is defined as
How is a drought two years or more in which there has been less than
average rainfall.
caused?
In different parts of the world there is a lack of rainfall. If it does not rain, of course
the land would be dry. Another thing that causes a drought is lack of snowfall. Many
places at higher altitude rely on snowmelt from mountains for water. Also if ridges
of high pressure stay still for a long duration of time, then the normal process of air
rising and water vapour condensing will stop. There might be rain occurring with
either side of the high pressure but not under it.

3. Australia Drought
What caused the drought?
Australia has one of the most inconstant rainfall
Climates in the whole world. This may be the
reason why Australia is affected by droughts. Bu
Studies have showed that the strongest and
Reason for the drought is the climate
phenomenon
That is called the ‘Southern Oscillation’ . This is
the
Huge air pressure shift between the Asian and
East
Pacific Ocean regions. Its best-known opposite i
‘El Nino.’
The El Nino
The expression El Nino, refers to a widespread warming of the eastern and
tropical Pacific Ocean that leads to a major shift in weather patterns
across the pacific. This causes ocean currents nearby Australia . El Nino
takes place every three to eight years.

4. How has the drought affected the
people/environment of Australia?
The drought has made an extreme impact on the people of Australia
Who live in the Drought region. The drought impact is very serious on
The economic business, especially for the agricultural farming residents.
For the Agriculture to be successful, a
specific amount of water is needed, but
when a drought occurs, that specific amount
of water cannot be met. Droughts don’t only
kill crops and livestock, they can degrade the
whole land. As top soil becomes dry, it is
easily influenced with wind erosion.
Without water, crops die. Which means there is a loss of earnings for the farmers
because they cannot harvest their crops if they are destroyed. But if there were a
drought produced shortage of wheat in Australia, to food prices in cities would rise.
This could mean a good thing or a bad thing. The good thing is that people buy the
food for higher prices or people think the price is to high and just buy other foods
instead so the farmers get very little money.
Breeding stocks reduce and some farm animals die from lack of water. Also the
environmental damage, particularly vegetation loss and soil erosion has long
term circumstances for the maintenance level for the agricultural industries.

5. How is Australia managing
The Drought?/ how can Australia manage the
Drought?
Using monthly rainfall analysis , areas that have a shortage of
rainfall appear in the Drought Statement as well as the publication
‘Monthly Drought Review.’
If the gathered rainfall over the three straight months was within
the lowest 10 percent on record, a Drought Watch will begin and
the region is highlighted.
This existing dry period stretches to six months for dried up regions.
Though is also given to whether an area is usually dry at that time
of the year. There are 2 rainfall shortage categories;
1.A severe lack of rainfall exists in a area when rainfall for three
months or more is in the lowest 5 per cent of records.
2. A serious shortage of rainfall lies in the next lowest 5 per cent.
That is lowest 5 per cent to 10 per cent of previous records for a
three months or longer period.

6. The Sahel desert drought
The Sahel desert drought was the worst drought in history
for the Century. It began in the 1970sand lasted until the
early years of the 1980s. This drought his parts of
Northern Africa which effected the countries Nigeria, Niger
and Mali.
What caused the Sahel desert drought ?
A new study showed that a combination of ocean
temperature and loss of natural vegetation could’ve been
the main and major reason for the drought.
The waters around Africa were warmer
than normal, which weakened the
continental convergence associated
with the monsoon, which left West Sahel desert
Africa to dry. Numerous scientist
thought the drought was caused by
humans over-using natural resources in
the region

7. How did this drought affect the
people/environment of Nigeria?
The Sahel drought has effect many people in Nigeria, Mali and
Niger. The rain shortage has killed many of the crops in the Sahel
region and has left many people with very bad harvests and so
the food had to be shared. People had to travel up to 4km to find
the nearest watering hole.
The lack of water lead to animals dying, so the people had
trouble finding animals to hunt to get food and money by selling
them. The shortage of vegetation meant the animals that
survived had to eat the leaves from trees. Eventually the trees
slowly died off; these trees usually retain some moisture, so
without the rain the ground died up even quicker.

8. How could’ve Nigeria managed the
drought and how can they prevent it form
it happening again?
One solution that could manage the
drought is by building a dam. If dams
were built in Nigeria this could collect
any rain that came. By collecting rain
the remaining water in the dam could be
used to grow crops.
Also with the help of other countries,
money could be raised to help build
crops. They could sell food and set up a
business. Then use the money to find a
solution to help manage the drought.

9. MEDC & LEDC.
Australia Nigeria
Australia is a MEDC because the Nigeria may be the 6th largest
government is by far better than some distributor in the world, but that
countries I know. .Also it is quite a doesn’t make it an MEDC country.
wealthy country because it has a lot of It’s all about the education and how
resources and the education system is much money each person receives
very good. They have better health care each year. The education system in
and medical supplies. Also people have Nigeria isn’t that great, and since
access to jobs easily from the better Nigeria is prone to droughts, their
education. Each person in Australia crops get destroyed from not getting
earns much more money than the enough rain/water so they don’t get
people in Nigeria. Australia is also prone much money if their business in
to droughts, but since the government is selling food is falling. Also since
wealthier, Australia can actually manage there is only 3 doctors per 1000
the drought by building dams or people, the medical supplies and
underground water pipes, where Niger health care isn’t that great.
isn’t that wealthy, so they don’t have the
money to do so.

10. Comparing the countries.
Similarities
The two countries, Australia and Nigeria, have a similar situation, which are
droughts. Both countries are dry and the affects on the people are pretty much
the same. Australia grows crops and so does Nigeria, so when a drought occurs
they both have trouble in keeping their crops healthy; therefore their business in
harvesting their crops and then selling them to earn money will fall significantly.
Differences.
Australia and Nigeria have a similar situation, but Australia is a MEDC country, the
people of Australia earn much more money because there are job opportunities
and the education system is better. Also the life expectancy in Australia is 81,
whereas in Nigeria the life expectancy is 44. But Australia is a much wealthier
country, so they probably have enough money to build dams and water pipes,
unlike Nigeria.

11. FACTS..!!
Australia: Nigeria :
The land area is 7741 km2 The land area of Nigeria is 924 km2
The birth rate is 13 births per 1,000 people There are 42 births per 1000 people
The death rate is 7 deaths per 1,000 people. There are 19 deaths per 1000 people
There are 25 doctors per 10,000 people The life expectancy is 44 years
There are 3 doctors per 10,000 people
Bibliography ~
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-57_u-479_t-1306_c-5026/qld/sose-geography/disasters/natural-hazards/drought-and-drought-
in-australia
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3191174.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/527040.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/527040.stm
http://droughts.tripod.com/drought/id8.html
Geography@work textbook 1; page 170
CIA
Oxford school atlas