A cultural and geographical overview is followed by a discussion of major disaster types. The regions at highest risk of seismicity contain some of Indonesia's largest cities, including Bandung, Ujung Pandang, Melang, and Padang. Indonesia's volcanic zones are also densely populated, since the soil fertility in these areas is enhanced by volcanic material. The country has three zones of volcanoes, with the most active and potentially destructive located in Java - home to more than half of the country's population. Indonesia is also vulnerable to annual flooding, especially in the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java.
Landslides are also a serious problem in both earthquake and flood zones.
The report assesses both host country and U.S. efforts to alleviate the damage of these hazards.