Social and economic consequences of volcanoes

 Volcanoes produce ash, lava, volcanic bombs, pyroclastic flows and lahars which can

all greatly alter the landscape.
 Ash from large volcanoes has been known to affect global weather climates.

Negative or hazardous consequences of volcanic eruptions

 Volcanoes are dangerous - they can kill people and damage property and services.
 Economic activity can suffer as it is hard for businesses to operate and recover after
an eruption.
 Natural habitats are disrupted and animals and plants are destroyed.
Positive consequences of volcanic eruptions

 Volcanoes serve as tourist attractions, bringing in money for the local economy.
 Volcanic ash acts as a natural fertiliser for the soil, which is good for growing crops.
 Geothermal energy can be generated in places where the crust is thinner and so volcanic
areas can be used to harness renewable energy

Economic benefits

Volcanic deposits are enriched in elements such as magnesium and potassium. When
volcanic rock and ash weathers, these elements are released, producing extremely fertile
soils. Thin layers of ash can act as natural fertilisers, producing increased harvests in years
following an eruption.

Economic disadvantages

Volcanoes are dangerous - they can kill people and damage property and services. Economic
activity can suffer as it is hard for businesses to operate and recover after an eruption. Natural
habitats are disrupted and animals and plants are destroyed.
Eruptions can cause significant economic loss and damage directly (eruptive processes) or
indirectly (associated non-eruptive processes like lahars, tsunamis, etc.), and through
cascading effects (perturbations on transport, networks, etc.)

Social

Disadvantages
There are thought to be about 600 million people living close enough to active volcanoes to
be affected when they erupt. Casualties from volcanic eruptions have been modest (around
300,000 in the last 200 years) compared to other natural hazards, but economic losses and
societal disruption can be considerable.

Benefits
Volcanoes can provide people with many benefits such as: volcanic rock and ash provide
fertile land which results in a higher crop yield for farmers. tourists are attracted to the
volcano, which increases money to the local economy. geothermal energy can be harnessed,
which provides free electricity for locals.