H I S T O R Y :

From a climatological perspective, these two developing countries have historically each been forced to cope with a series of challenges that in particular have affected the arability and carrying capacity of their respective nations. Kenya underwent stages of rapid climate change in the mid-Holocene period, bringing about "increasing rainfall variability and aridification"1 that left much of the country's 225,000 square miles barren. On the other hand, Bangladesh - though geologically unstable because of heavy tectonic activity that easily gives way to tsunamis and earthquakes - has always been intensely humid and wet, with tectonic activity actually enriching the nutrient base of regional river deltas.

Bangladesh exhibits a tropical monsoon-type climate, with hot and wet summers and dry winters. This is because in the summertime, the land surface heats from absorption of strong incoming solar radiation. As a result, the cooler ocean surface creates a high-to-low pressure gradient from the ocean surface to the land surface, causing increased precipitation over land. During the wintertime, this gradient is reversed, as the land surface is exposed to weak solar radiation and becomes cooler in comparison to the ocean surface. Pressure brings precipitation away from the land and towards the low pressure above ocean waters, as inhabitants on land experience a dry winter season. This seasonal alternation between dry and wet months is a characteristic trait of Bangladesh's climate and is a direct result of its geographic location.

In recent history, however, Bangladesh has been especially susceptible to horrific floods and other natural disasters. Exceptionally heavy monsoon rainfall over northern Bangladesh resulted in disastrous in 1987, in which the Ganges and Brahmaptura Rivers flooded onto surrounding land. In addition, thirteen tropical cyclones killed an estimated 300,000 people in the decade between 1960 and 1970. Perhaps the greatest influence of these natural disasters that our webpage is concerned with deals with the consequences that the surviving population faces after the natural disaster has subsided. With any household dependent on farming as a way of life, natural disasters have widespread influence on the population of the country. The destruction of farmland imposes a chain of consequences on the stability of the family, the economic capabilities of females, and other factors that have influenced its population and efforts to curb its population growth rates.

Kenya's climate can be explained greatly by examining the geography of the area. Located on the Eastern coast of Africa, Kenya has a 536 km coastline and a geography that greatly varies in elevation throughout the country. The low pressure zone, created by the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITZC), is a dominant factor in determining the climate in Kenya. From late fall to late winter, winds from Sudan dominate over western Kenya while the eastern portion of the country is mainly influenced by the northeast trade winds. During this time, coastal areas experience slight rainfall. In April, however, the southern, central and eastern portions of the country experience significant amounts of rainfall as a result of the southeast monsoon, which comes from the Indian Ocean. It is in late summer, however, when climate in Kenya is most volatile. Beginning in July, the southwest trade winds are strong and high winds penetrate through equatorial Africa. This unstable air stream, called the Congo air stream, brings convectional storms to the area.

In addition to Kenya's climate variability throughout the year, the topography of the country also creates climate variability between different areas of the country. The main feature of Kenya's landscape is Mt. Kenya, for which the country is named, and is the country's highest mountain. Mt. Kenya runs from the north to the south, and just west of the center of the country. This "wall" that separates the two halves of the country is significant for creating the highland zone, a region of dense human population to the West of Mt. Kenya characterized by cool weather and abundant rainfall. By the Eastern coat of Kenya, there is an area of elevation, the Coral Upland, which creates a barrier between a moist area by the coast and dry area further inland that is common among coastal areas. These factors make Kenya a country that has many varying climates. Much of the land is not arable, forcing much of the large population to live in a relatively small area of land.