The Sundarbans Flashcards
give three key features of the geographical setting/background of the sundarbans
- a region in the Bay of Bengal, consisting of 102 islands
- the worlds largest delta is here, which extends over 10,000km2 of southern bangladesh
- natural ecosystems here are mangrove forests and swamps, with 334 flora species and 693 fauna species
what 3 rivers form the delta found here
Ganges
Brahmaputra
Meghna
what percentage of the population live on less than $2 per day
80%
how many people per km2, is the population dense?
1150 people per km2
very densely populated
how many people is the coastal region home to
50 million
what’s the three main coastal regions
the east, near Chittagong
the central area where the 3 major rivers can be found
a low lying western plain with some dense mangrove forests
what’s one major acitivity that occurs here
many goods grow/harvested here such as fuel, construction fishing and jobs such as food and drink services
what’s 4 major concerns within the sundarbans
loss of land due to coastal erosion
flooding
sea level rise
natural hazards such as tropical storms
why do tropical storms kill so many people in bangladesh
because of the low lying nature of the country
that’s four major threats to the sundarbans
-deforestation in the himalayas causes soil erosion, mangrove cannot survive silty water
-7500 ha of forest have been submerged, associated with rising sea level and climate change
- 17,000 ha of mangrove destroyed in 30 years for agriculture
-coasts are retreating 200m per year
why and how does the mangrove forest make up to $12,000 per year
fertility of soil means many nutritional foods can be grown, fishing and timber production all combined mean the mangrove forest can make this moneh
what’s 4 features of the sundarban location
-high risk of cyclones, erosion and flooding
-sparse population which is beginning to change, can’t live inland bc of himalayas and coastal areas becoming flooded more often
-bengal tigers are under threat, increasing conflict with people
-low lying area
what’s two factors of Bangladesh, where the largest river delta is located
-it’s a densely populated area, because of its suitability for agriculture
-the rivers do flood easily by excess rainwater, this is good for crops as it contains silt which is very fertile
what’s three features of Chittagong
-relatively flat, less low lying
-very densely populated and undergone major urbanisation where many people live in slums
-major problems with waste disposal, as the city has undergone industrialisation, they dump their waste in Begal Bay/Rivers
describe what happened during cyclone bhola 1970
killed over 300,000 people
a storm surge of 10.6m that inundated coastal areas
how many people ddi cyclone sidr kill and what was the cost of damage
killed 4000
and damage of over $450 million
what’s three issues within the sundarbans
-because of rising sea levels and shrinking forests, humans and tigers are fighting for space
-approx 60%~ of the male workforce in the indian sundarbans are moving away from construction jobs in india
- some people are being moved out of the sundarbans due to the danger of cyclones, the islands left behind are converted into protected areas
when did cyclone sidr hit
on 15th november 2007
what did windspeeds of cyclone sidr and how high was the storm surge?
240km/h
5m
how many peole were made homeless due to this cyclone and what category cyclone was it
1.5 million people and it was a category 4 cyclone
how many hectares of crops were destroyed due to the cyclone
1 million hectares
what two agencies helped reduce impacts of cyclone sidr due to their cyclone preparedness programme
The USA and EU
what are four ways the cyclone preparedness programme helped reduce the risks of cyclone sidr
-satellites tracked the cyclone and allowed the evacuation of 1 million people from the most hazardous areas through early warning
-1800 cyclone shelters provided a refuge for many people and cyclone walls to reduce the death toll
-short term aid was provided by the USA, EU and NGOs such as Oscan and food rations provided for 400,000 people
-the world bank sent $250 million of aid
what’s the most major factor (environmental) of cyclone Sidr
Nearly 1/4 of the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans was destroyed by the storm surge and strong winds. It was estimated the forest could take 40 years to recover. This was the most major impact as mangrove Forest, playing important role in absorb the energy of tropical storms and shelter in vulnerable areas behind them.
What is six different types of land-use found in the coastal area of Bangladesh?
agriculture traditionalist rice farming
fishing traditionally shrimp farming
salt farming
industry
tourism
settlement and infrastructural
whats 6 main natural challenges in the sundarbans
coastal flooding
cyclones
high levels of salinity in the soil
instability of the islands
accessibility and remoteness
human eating tigers
what’s 6 main human challengers within the sundarbans
-over exploitation of coastal resources from vulnerable habitats
-conversion of wetlands to intensive agriculture and settlement
-Destructive fishing techniques
-Lack of awareness of the environmental and economic importance of the region
-Resources conflict
-Lack of awareness of Coastal issues by decision makers
why does agriculture occupy the coastal areas of Bangladesh
-race farming has been one of the most important activities in Bangladesh
- fertile alluvial soil is deposited within the freshwater a strong environment. Provide excellent conditions for year-round cultivation farms
-often small and produce low incomes
why does fishing occupy a lot of coastal areas of bangladesh
coastal location and tropical waters provide excellent opportunity is fission 445,000 tons of fish were harvested in 2003
However, shrimp farming in the south-east mangroves have become increasingly important due to the global demand, so people of Bangladesh saw this as an opportunity
why does industry occupy a lot of the coastal areas of Bangladesh?
A variety of industrial activities, and I’ll set an apostle areas to take advantage of flat. Expensive land could access the shipping routes and a large supply of cheap labour.
There are only few sometimes no regulations in relation to pollution and industry can take advantage of this in deposit waste into the sea
Why does settlement and infrastructure occupy the coastal areas of Bangladesh?
settlement and infrastructure are developing in the coastal areas, increasingly because of new areas to develop
New job opportunities are increasing for the rapidly growing population
And example of an area could be a Chittagong in the south-east
What is four issues in terms of conflict in management that arise from the development of coastal areas
-The rapid development of shrimp farming has conflicted with traditional farming
-Shrimp farming, and the environment
-The industrial development conflicts with the environment and human rights
-Agriculture in settlements conflict with the environment
why is the rapid development of shrimp farming conflict with traditional farming a problem?
shrimp farming has displaced rice, farmers further inland, which is created major disputes between people
Shrimp farming has caused freshwater areas to pick up of the line which prevents production of rice. It has also polluted fresh drinking water supplies. Million people have to travel further for water.
Why is shrimp farming and the environment a problem
shrimp farming has led to the loss of large areas of natural mangrove swamps, which are important ecosystems
Not only do they support huge amounts of fish, but provide timber fuelwood and material for industry. They also provide a natural buffer for tropical cyclones
why is industrial development conflicting with the environment and human rights a problem
A particular industry, which is a major concern is ship breaking
This is where large vessels are deposited on the coast, ready to be broken down by young workers who are exposed to extremely poor working conditions long hours unprotected from hazardous, materials, chemicals, toxins, and heavy materials they are regularly killed
why is agriculture/settlements conflicted with the environment a problem
pollution comes from agricultural pesticides, fertilisers and untreated waste from an ever increasing settlements. This leads to decline fish, stocks and other marine organisms. 
what’s the main human response to the challenges of the Sundarbans
adaptation
How have people live in in the Sundarbans adapted?
-NGOs run education programmes to encourage farmers to return to more traditional ecologically-friendly methods
-NGOs produce education and training about community level preparation for natural disasters
-New salt tolerant rice varieties that can survive being submerged in sea water for over two weeks
- building multi-purpose cyclone shelters equipped with communication equipment and megaphones, they will also be school environments etc
what sort of plan was introduced in 2005 to enable coastal people in bangladesh to pursue sustainable economic development in a safe environment
ICZM
what four areas has investment been target in, as a result of the ICZM plan
-measures to protect and safeguard the population against natural hazards
-Protection of the natural environment together with its regeneration where it had suffered deterioration
-Management of freshwater resources to protect and sustain that provision
-Improving rule, livelihoods and economic prospects along sustainable parts
how many cyclone storm surge shelters have been constructed, which protects 27% of the coastal population
over 2000
when not functioning as a storm surge shelter what do the cyclone shelters act as
social centres, being used for schools and communities to connect
how many raised mounds were created after a major flood event and why
1500, to protect livestock (farm animals)
how many km of embankment have been created too
nearly 5000km
how many barrier dams have been raised as part of the coastal embankment project and why
123
in order to protect vulnerable farmland from inundation by saline flood water
in the last few decades how many hectares of mangrove afforestation has been promoted by the forest department and why
148000 hectares of mangrove
they are a key constituent in absorbing cyclone wave energy along storm prone coasts
how can locals in the sundarbans feel resilient in terms of the problems there
the wealth of goods and services has allowed local populations to remain resilient, such as the mangrove forest provided trike in e in terms of their shelter against storm winds and floods etc
