The 2012 drought in the US and the 2009 drought in Ethiopia differed in characteristics and socio-economic vulnerability. The US drought was less frequent but more widespread and concentrated, while Ethiopian droughts have increased in frequency. Ethiopia's population is more vulnerable due to higher poverty, lower education and health levels, and ethnic inequalities. The US recovered faster from the drought due to greater wealth, education, health infrastructure, and low ethnic inequalities.

1. Vulnerability: Drought
Case studies:
US (2012) versus Ethiopia (2009) Drought
Charlotte Chung, Tae Eun Kim, Yusuke Fukuyama, Isabel Wilson

2. Characteristics: Areal Extent
US Ethiopia
2012-2013 March 2008-April 2009
January 3 2012 July 3 2012
2009
April 9 2013

3. Characteristics: Frequency
US Ethiopia
- Dust Bowl (1930s) Increased frequency of
- Droughts of the 1950s droughts in eastern Africa
- Droughts of the 1970s over the past 20 years
not as frequent as
Ethiopian droughts, but of
larger severity
Horn of Africa

4. Characteristics: Magnitude
US Ethiopia
• 54.6% of the states • Precipitation levels fell
experienced drought by under 30% of the average
the end of June 2012, in 1995-2010
reaching its highest
percentage since 1956
• Covered much larger
area compared to past
droughts, but more
concentrated in severity

5. Characteristics: Speed of Onset
US Ethiopia

6. Socio-Economic Vulnerability
Wealth Education
Health

7. Wealth
More wealth=less vulnerability
US Ethiopia
GDP: $15,653 trillion GDP: $103.1 billion
per capita: $49,800 per capita: $513
below poverty line: 15.1% below poverty line: 29.2%
Labor Force: agriculture
Labor Force: farming
forestry fishing (0.7%), (85%), industry (5%),
manufacture extract services (10%)
transport craft (20.3%),
technical professional Lower Vulnerability
(37.3%), office (24.2%), because of better
economy and higher
services (17.6%) income

8. Education
Higher education=less vulnerability
US Ethiopia
School life expectancy: School life expectancy:
• Male (15) • Male (9)
• Female (17) • Female (8)
Literacy rate Literacy rate
• Total: 99.9% • Total: 42.7%
• Male: 99.9% • Male: 50.3%
• Female: 99.9% • Female: 35.1%
Education Expenditure
Education Expenditure
• 5.4% of GDP Higher School life
• 4.7% of GDP
expectancy and
literacy rate =
Less vulnerable

9. Health
Better health care=less vulnerability
US Ethiopia
Health expenditure Health expenditure
17.9% of GDP 4.9% of GDP
Children under the age of 5 Children under the age of 5
underweight - 1.3% underweight - 29.2%
Infant mortality rate Infant mortality rate
6 deaths per 1000 births 60.9 deaths per 1000 births
Better health facilities, less
children underweight, lower
infant mortality rate= lower
vulnerability

10. Demographics
Very differentiated
Ethiopia USA
-80 million in population -Urbanized, while 82% residing in
-Average family size of 6-7 cities and suburbs
-41.5% of population aged -3rd populous country in the world
between 0-14 (more than 300 million)
-Very youthful population -Stationary population structure, and
many are still in their active age (low
-Urban population is 17% of the
dependency)
total population

11. Ethiopia: Ethnic Variations
Ethnic inequality=higher vulnerability
Certain et
hnic group
were cons s
idered mo
important re
than the
others
k of
Ethnicity % of Population e s: lac ment,
tuniti ve
e d oppor tical invol
Limit ion, poli tural
of cul
Oromo 40
ed ucat
ation
ma nifest
Amahara 25
Tigray 7

12. USA: Ethnic Variations
Low vulnerability from ethnicity
Most affected areas:
Colorado, Kansas,
Oklahoma, Nebraska,
Arkansas, Missouri,
Illinois, Kentucky,
Indiana, Georgia
Inequality between Re c e i v
e e qu a
ethnicities is very opport l
unities
low

13. Overall Evaluation
USA Ethiopia
• Only the first year of • Caught in a deadly cycle
drought of death and famine
• Less time needed for • Around US$176 million
recovery was donated in
international aid - not
enough