Drought is a period or condition of unusually dry weather within a geographic area where rainfall is normally present.

During a drought there is a lack of precipitation. Droughts occur in all climatic zones. However, its characteristics vary significantly from one region to another. Drought usually results in a water shortage that seriously interferes with human activity. Water-supply reservoirs empty, wells dry up, and crop damage ensues. Its seriousness depends on the degree of the water shortage, size of area affected, and the duration and warmth of the dry period. In many underdeveloped countries, such as India, people place a great demand on water supply. During a drought period there is a lack of water, and thus many of the poor die. Most precipitation depends on water vapor carried by winds from an ocean or other source of moisture. If these moisture-carrying winds are replaced by winds from a dry region, or if they are modified by downward motion, as in the center of an anticyclone, the weather is abnormally dry and often persistently cloudless. If the drought period is short, it is known as a dry spell. A dry spell is usually more than 14 days without precipitation, whereas a severe drought may last for years. Statistics indicate that every 22 years a major drought occurs in the United States, most seriously affecting the midwestern states. The drought of 1933-35, during which large areas of the Great Plains became known as the Dust Bowl, is an example of a disastrous drought that took place in the United Staes. The effect of the drought was brought about by overcropping, overpopulation, and lack of relief measures. Although drought cannot be reliably predicted, certain precautions can be taken in drought-risk areas. These include construction of reservoirs to hold emergency water supplies, education to avoid overcropping and overgrazing, and programs to limit settlement in drought-prone areas. The Southern Africa Development Community

monitors the crop and food situation in the region and alerts the people during periods of crisis.

Effects of Drought
Drought produces a large number of impacts that affects the social, enviornmental, and economical standard of living. Its affects spread far beyond the physical effects of drought itself. Water is integral to produce goods and provide certain services.Some direct impacts of drought are reduced crop, rangeland, and forest productivity; reduced water leves; increased fire hazard; increased livestock and wildlife death rates; and damage to wildlife and fish habitat. A reduction in crop productivity usually results in less income for farmers, increased prices for food, unemployment, and migration. The many effects of drought can be listed as economic, environmental, or social. Please click here to see the list of its many negative effects. However, not all impacts of drought are negative. Fortunate agricultural producers located outside the drought area benefit by selling their goods at higher prices. Drought is also associated with increases in insect infestations, plant disease, and wind erosion. Droughts may cause problems with insects and diseases to forests. Forest fires increase dramatically during periods of droughts Farmers are not the only ones who suffer from droughts. Retailers who provide goods and services to farmers must deal with reduced business. This later leads to unemployment and loss of tax revenue for the government. The recreational and tourism industries are seriously damaged because tourists do not want to travel to a country that is suffering from a severe water shortage. Shortages of certain goods results in the costly importation of necessary goods from outside the affected area. Environmental losses are caused by damages to plant and animal species. Wildlife habitat, and air and water quality are usually damaged due to a lack of water and an increase in forest and range fires. Most of the effects of drought are short-term, and as the drought comes to an end many problems are solved. However, many other environmental effects hinder the area for long periods after the drought is over. For example, wildlife habitat may be ruined through the loss of wetlands, lakes, and

vegetation. Some species of animals may be wiped out from the area as well. Other drought-related impacts include social impacts. Social impacts include health, public safety, conflicts between water users, and reduced quality of life. During droughts many people migrate to areas outside the drought-affected location. When this happens, the area loses a great deal of its population, and thus the area has less financial support. Between 1950 and 1980 the drought of Brazil had a loss of 5.5 million people. This continues to be a significant problem in the economic development of Brazil.

Desertification
In many underdeveloped countries where a desert is present, such as Africa, severe drought and lack of sufficient rainfall may lead to desertification. Desertification can be defined as the expansion of the desert. This is usually caused by overgrazing of cattle and wind. Types: Meteorological, Hydrological, Agricultural and Socioeconomic Meteorological Drought Meteorological drought is the amount of dryness and the duration of the dry period. Atmospheric conditions that result in deficiencies of precipitation change from area to area. Agricultural Drought Agricultural drought mainly effects food production and farming. Agricultural drought and precipitation shortages bring soil water deficits, reduced ground water or reservoir levels, and so on. More of these effects can be listed by clicking here. Deficient topsoil moisture at planting may stop germination, leading to low plant populations. Hydrological Drought

Hydrological drought is associated with the effects of periods of precipitation shortages on water supply. Water in hydrologic storage systems such as reservoirs and rivers are often used for multiple purposes such as flood control, irrigation, recreation, navigation, hydropower, and wildlife habitat. Competition for water in these storage systems escalates during drought and conflicts between water users increase significantly. Socioeconomic Drought Socioeconomic drought occurs when the demand for an economic good exceeds supply as a result of a weather-related shortfall in water supply. The supply of many economic goods, such as water, forage, food grains, fish, and hydroelectric power, depends on weather. Due to variability of climate, water supply is sufficient in some years but not satisfactory to meet human and environmental needs in other years. The demand for economic goods is increasing as a result of increasing population. Supply may also increase because of improved production efficiency and technology.

Countless numbers of droughts have been recorded throughout history. Nearly every nation has endured a major drought and has suffered from the effects of the drought. Overpopulated areas that experience little annual rainfall, such as India, are in constant danger of drought. Drought represents one of the most important natural triggers for malnutrition and famine, a significant and widespread problem in many parts of Africa and in other countries as well. At least a quarter of the world's population lives in such areas where drought hinders the nations stability and development. Droughts tend to be more severe in some areas than in others. Catastrophic droughts generally occur in areas bordering the arid regions of the world. When a poleward shift in the prevailing westerlies occurs the high-pressure, anticyclonic conditions of the arid regions effect the climate of areas that normally have wet lowpressure weather. Thus, a drought is started.