Risk of Flooding Mapped Around the World Devastating floods across Pakistan this summer have resulted in more than 1,400 lives lost and one-third of the country being under water. This raises the question: which nations and their populations are the most vulnerable to the risk of flooding around the world? Using data from a recent study published in Nature, this graphic maps flood risk around the world, highlighting the 1.81 billion people directly exposed to 1-in-100 year floods. The methodology takes into account potential risks from both inland and coastal flooding. Asian Countries Most at Risk from Rising Water Levels Not surprisingly, countries with considerable coastlines, river systems, and flatlands find themselves with high percentages of their population at risk. The Netherlands and Bangladesh are the only two nations in the world to have more than half of their population at risk due to flooding, at 59% and 58%, respectively. Vietnam (46%), Egypt (41%), and Myanmar (40%) round out the rest of the top five nations. Besides the Netherlands, only two other European nations are in the top 20 nations by percentage of population at risk, Austria (18th at 29%) and Albania (20th at 28%). Rank Country Flood risk, by population exposed (%) Total population exposed #1 Netherlands 58.7% 10,100,000 #2 Bangladesh 57.5% 94,424,000 #3 Vietnam 46.0% 45,504,000 #4 Egypt 40.5% 38,871,000 #5 Myanmar 39.9% 19,104,000 #6 Laos 39.7% 2,985,000 #7 Cambodia 38.1% 7,431,000 #8 Guyana 37.9% 276,000 #9 Suriname 37.7% 233,000 #10 Iraq 36.8% 16,350,000 #11 Thailand 33.9% 25,431,000 #12 South Sudan 32.5% 5,437,000 #13 Pakistan 31.1% 71,786,000 #14 Nepal 29.4% 11,993,000 #15 Republic of the Congo 29.3% 1,170,000 #16 Philippines 29.0% 30,483,000 #17 Japan 28.7% 36,060,000 #18 Austria 27.8% 2,437,000 #19 India 27.7% 389,816,000 #20 Albania 27.6% 771,000 #21 China 27.5% 394,826,000 #22 Chad 27.4% 4,547,000 #23 Indonesia 27.0% 75,696,000 #24 Croatia 26.9% 1,094,000 #25 Slovakia 26.7% 1,401,000 The Southeast Asia region alone makes up more than two-thirds of the global population exposed to flooding risk at 1.24 billion people. China and India account for 395 million and 390 million people, respectively, with both nations at the top in terms of the absolute number of people at risk of rising water levels. The rest of the top five countries by total population at risk are Bangladesh (94 million people at risk), Indonesia (76 million people at risk), and Pakistan (72 million people at risk). How Flooding is Already Affecting Countries Like Pakistan While forecasted climate and natural disasters can often take years to manifest, flooding affected more than 100 million people in 2021. Recent summer floods in Pakistan have continued the trend in 2022. With 31% of its population (72 million people) at risk of flooding, Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to floods.

2. Risk of Flooding Mapped Around the World
Devastating floods across Pakistan this summer have resulted in more than
1,400 lives lost and one-third of the country being under water.
This raises the question: which nations and their populations are the most
vulnerable to the risk of flooding around the world?
Using data from a recent study published in Nature, this graphic maps flood
risk around the world, highlighting the 1.81 billion people directly exposed to
1-in-100 year floods. The methodology takes into account potential risks from
both inland and coastal flooding.
Asian Countries Most at Risk from Rising Water
Levels
Not surprisingly, countries with considerable coastlines, river systems, and
flatlands find themselves with high percentages of their population at risk.
The Netherlands and Bangladesh are the only two nations in the world to have
more than half of their population at risk due to flooding, at 59% and 58%,
respectively. Vietnam (46%), Egypt (41%), and Myanmar (40%) round out the
rest of the top five nations.
Besides the Netherlands, only two other European nations are in the top 20
nations by percentage of population at risk, Austria (18th at 29%) and Albania
(20th at 28%).
Rank Country Flood risk, by population exposed (%) Total popula
#1
Netherlands
58.7% 10,100,000
#2
Bangladesh
57.5% 94,424,000
#3
Vietnam
46.0% 45,504,000
#4
Egypt
40.5% 38,871,000
#5
Myanmar
39.9% 19,104,000
#6
Laos
39.7% 2,985,000

3. Rank Country Flood risk, by population exposed (%) Total popula
#7
Cambodia
38.1% 7,431,000
#8
Guyana
37.9% 276,000
#9
Suriname
37.7% 233,000
#10
Iraq
36.8% 16,350,000
#11
Thailand
33.9% 25,431,000
#12
South Sudan
32.5% 5,437,000
#13
Pakistan
31.1% 71,786,000
#14
Nepal
29.4% 11,993,000
#15
Republic of the Congo
29.3% 1,170,000
#16
Philippines
29.0% 30,483,000
#17
Japan
28.7% 36,060,000
#18
Austria
27.8% 2,437,000
#19
India
27.7% 389,816,000
#20
Albania
27.6% 771,000
#21
China
27.5% 394,826,000
#22
Chad
27.4% 4,547,000
#23
Indonesia
27.0% 75,696,000
#24
Croatia
26.9% 1,094,000
#25
Slovakia
26.7% 1,401,000

4. The Southeast Asia region alone makes up more than two-thirds of the global
population exposed to flooding risk at 1.24 billion people.
China and India account for 395 million and 390 million people, respectively,
with both nations at the top in terms of the absolute number of people at risk
of rising water levels. The rest of the top five countries by total population at
risk are Bangladesh (94 million people at risk), Indonesia (76 million people at
risk), and Pakistan (72 million people at risk).
How Flooding is Already Affecting Countries Like
Pakistan
While forecasted climate and natural disasters can often take years to
manifest, flooding affected more than 100 million people in 2021. Recent
summer floods in Pakistan have continued the trend in 2022.
With 31% of its population (72 million people) at risk of flooding, Pakistan is
particularly vulnerable to floods.
In 2010, floods in Pakistan were estimated to have affected more than 18
million people. The recent floods, which started in June, are estimated to have
affected more than 33 million people as more than one-third of the country is
submerged underwater.
The Cost of Floods Today and in the Future
Although the rising human toll is by far the biggest concern that floods
present, they also bring with them massive economic costs. Last
year, droughts, floods, and storms caused economic losses totaling $224.2
billion worldwide, nearly doubling the 2001-2020 annual average of $117.8
billion.
A recent report forecasted that water risk (caused by droughts, floods, and
storms) could eat up $5.6 trillion of global GDP by 2050, with floods projected
to account for 36% of these direct losses.
As both human and economic losses caused by floods continue to mount,
nations around the world will need to focus on preventative infrastructure
and restorative solutions for ecosystems and communities already affected
and most at risk of flooding.