Contents -- Preface -- Abbreviations and Acronyms -- Summary -- 1. Introduction -- Objectives -- Selection of Countries and Issues for Investigation -- Concepts and Definitions -- Method of Investigation -- 2. Disasters and the Macroeconomy -- The Dynamic Nature of Vulnerability -- Overview of the Factors Determining Vulnerability -- Natural Hazards -- Economic Structure -- Stage of Development -- Prevailing Socioeconomic Conditions -- The Macroeconomic Impact of Disasters -- Lessons Learned -- 3. Public Finance and Disasters -- Background -- The Broad Fiscal Impact of Disasters -- Disaggregated Reexamination of Public Finances -- External Aid -- Is Reallocation an Appropriate Solution? -- Risk Reduction Activities -- Long-Term Policy Consequences of Disasters -- Lessons Learned -- 4. Information on Natural Hazards and Disaster Reduction -- Information and Public Action -- Hazard Information as a Public Good -- Climatic Forecasting in Southern Africa -- Tropical Storms -- Failures in the Provision of Information as a Public Good -- Findings and Conclusions -- 5. Financing the Cost of Future Disasters -- Risk Transfer Tools -- Potential Obstacles -- Creative Solutions -- Promoting Mitigation -- Conclusions -- 6. Findings of the Study and Implications for Policy and Research -- Findings -- Policy Implications -- Directions for Future Research -- Appendix A. Dominica: Natural Disasters and Economic Development in a Small Island State -- Appendix B. Bangladesh: Disasters and Public Finance -- Appendix C. Malawi and Southern Africa: Climatic Variability and Economic Performance -- Notes -- References -- Index -- Boxes -- 2.1 Measuring vulnerability -- 2.2 Saying so does not make it so: poverty reduction strategies -- 2.3 Funding rehabilitation: the implications for long-term growth -- 3.1 Fiscal impacts of drought in Sub-Saharan Africa.

4.1 Evidence-based volcanology: application of Bayes' rule to the situation in Dominica in 1998 -- 5.1 Insuring banana growers against disaster: the WINCROP scheme -- B.1 Uncertainties in postdisaster economic forecasting in Bangladesh -- Figures -- 2.1 Dominica: real annual fluctuations in agricultural, nonagricultural, and total GDP, 1978-99 -- 2.2 Bangladesh: real annual fluctuations in agricultural, nonagricultural, and total GDP, financial years 1965-2000 -- 2.3 Malawi: real annual fluctuations in agricultural, nonagricultural, and total GDP, 1980-2001 -- 2.4 Southern Africa: cereal production and El Niño events, 1972-99.