California Flashcards
What is the GDP per capita?
$38,956
What is the population of California?
38 million
What is the HDI?
0.95
What percentage of the population is aged under 18?
23.9%
What percentage of the country is aged under 14?
22.9%
What percentage of the population is below the poverty level?
16.9%
Which two plates from the conservative plate boundary?
Pacific plate & North American Plate
Why are steep coastal slopes more at risk from landslides?
Coastal erosion
What are coastal fogs caused by?
Atmospheric moisture and different air temperature on Pacific Ocean
What is a liquefaction zone?
Loose sand and silt that behaves like liquid when struck by an earthquake. Can act like quicksand.
How much slower is the NA plate than the Pacific plate?
4-5cm per year
Why is the coastal region of California prone to exceptional drought?
La Niña periods cause high air pressure over North America and a lack of rain.
What does deforestation cause?
Less interception of rain and a higher risk of flooding.
How does deforestation increase the risk of landslides?
Vegetation helps to stabilise soil with its roots.
How many acres of farmland are deforested each year?
50,000
How does urbanisation worsen flooding?
Concrete surfaces are impermeable so prevent percolation and encourage overland flow. Slanted roofs increase surface run off. Buildings can trigger landslides.
How much did the population increase by between 2010 and 2013?
2.9%
In which direction are the plates moving in California?
North west
What type of plate boundary is found in California?
Conservative
At what speed is the Pacific plate moving?
5-6cm per year
At what speed is the North American plate moving?
1cm per year
What hazard does El Niño bring to California?
Flooding
In 1982 how many landslides occurred after heavy rains?
18,000
How many people died in the 1982 landslides?
Up to 33 people
What hazard is associated with drought?
Forest fires
How many people are classed as ‘poor’ in California?
3.5 million
What has increased urbanisation led to?
Squatter settlements
In 1989 what happened to the properties that had been built on reclaimed marshland?
Liquefaction
When did the Loma Prieta earthquake occur?
October 1989
What magnitude was the Loma Prieta earthquake?
6.9
How many were killed or injured by the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989?
63 dead and 3,800 injured
How many structures were damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989?
28,000
How long did it take to restore electricity after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989?
2 days
How much aid was donated by the US government and private donations?
$3 billion
What happened to the Cyprus Freeway?
It was rebuilt using an aseismic design.
What was the Loma Prieta earthquake caused by in 1989?
A segment of the San Andreas fault ruptured under the Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz mountains. The sudden release of energy caused an earthquake.
What does the Governor’s Office of Emergency Service provide?
Online support to help residents be prepared for natural hazards. It has a service which allows residents to find out which hazards they are at risk of.
What is GPS used for?
It’s is installed in Southern California to detect natural disasters and to alert emergency services of the risk of flash floods.
What is satellite technology used for?
It is used to make precise measurements of ground movement and can therefore predict earthquakes.
What is SEMS?
Standardised Emergency Management System
What does SEMS do?
- establishes response operations
- staffs emergency centres
- coordinates emergency response
- communicates between levels of government
