This is an online version of a CD-ROM publication. The text files that describe using this publication make reference to software provided on the disc. For this online version the software can be downloaded for free from Adobe Systems and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI).

Welcome to HAZPAC! HAZPAC is an interactive map about natural hazard risk in the Pacific Rim region. It is intended to communicate to a broad audience the ideas of "Crowding the Rim," which is an international, public-private partnership that fosters collaborative solutions for regional risks. HAZPAC, which stands for "HAZards of the PACific," uses Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to help people visualize the socioeconomic connections and shared hazard vulnerabilities among Pacific Rim countries, as well as to explore the general nature of risk.

Please refer to the "INTRODUCTION TO HAZPAC" section of the readme file below to determine which HAZPAC project will be right for you.

Once you have decided which HAZPAC project is suitable for you, please refer to the "GETTING STARTED" sections in the readme file for some basic information that will help you begin using HAZPAC. Also, we highly recommend that you follow the Tutorial exercises in the project-specific HAZPAC User Guides. The User Guides are PDF (Portable Document Format) files that must be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free copy of Acrobat Reader is available using the link near the bottom of this page).