Explain why people continue to live close to active volcanoes. Use examples in your answer. (5 marks)

People continue to live close to active volcanoes for many reasons. For example, people still live close to Mount Vesuvius in Italy because of the fertile soil that is found on the slopes of the volcano. This allows for agriculture to provide a stable income for people who live there. This is similar to volcanic tourism creating jobs for populations that remain near volcanos, such as tours to see the volcanos of Hawaii. Furthermore, the last time Vesuvius erupted was in 1944, and before that 12,000 years ago, which will make people feel safer in the area, as the threat of another eruption seems unlikely. Also, technological advances such as seismically measuring the movement of the ground will allow people to have some warning before an eruption and again make them feel safer. On the other hand, some people may not be able to afford to move away from the area, such as Montserrat where people still remain.