Section 3 : Why people continue to live in areas where volcanoes are found.

Main question for this section:

1. Why do people continue to live near volcanoes?

They chose to live close to volcanoes because they felt that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.

Minerals

Magma rising from deep inside the earth contains a range of minerals. Most of the metallic minerals mined around the world, particularly copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc are associated with rocks found deep below extinct volcanoes. This makes the areas ideal for both large scale commercial mining and smaller scale local activities by individuals and small groups of locals. Active and dormant volcanoes have the same mineralisation, so like extinct volcanoes, they are rich sources of minerals.

Geothermal Energy

The heat from underground steam is used to drive turbines and produce electricity, or to heat water supplies that are then used to provide household heating and hot water. Where steam doesn't naturally occur it is possible to drill several deep holes into very hot rocks, pump cool water down one hole and extract steam from another hole close by.

Fertile Soils

Volcanic rocks are rich in minerals, but when the rocks are fresh the minerals are not available to plants. The rocks need thousands of years to become weathered and broken down before they form rich soils. When they do become soils though, they form some of the richest ones on the planet. Mount Vesuvius, has such rich soils thanks to two large eruptions 35,000 and 12000 years ago. Both eruptions produced very thick deposits of ash and broken rocks which have weathered to rich soils.

Tourism

Volcanoes attract millions of visitors every year, for different reasons. As an example of the wilder side of nature, there are few things that can beat seeing an erupting volcano blowing red hot ash and rock thousands of feet into the air. Even the less active ones that are just puffing out steam and smoke are impressive sights and attract tourists from around the world.

Tourism creates jobs and generate income.

1. Why are there so many people living near volcanoes. Is it a stupidity or practically?

2. Are the reasons different in DCs [Developed country] compared to LDC's [less developed country]?

It is both a stupidity and practically. This is because some people feel it is practical as they think the advantages living near the volcanoes outweighed the disadvantages hence they live there. Truly, there are many advantages living near volcanoes eg. fertile soils after eruption, minerals can be collected and sold at a high price, geothermal energy which gives them electricity and etc.

While others feel it is stupid because life is more important than money. What if a volcano erupt? Everyone would die including your family hence it can also be stupid to some people. But majority of the farmers and villagers have no choice as it is their living. If they do not live near the volcanoes they would have no where else to live and no money for a living.

The reasons are different because DCs have government support which gives them a choice whereas LDCs do not have such privileges.