The Dry Zone covers more than 54,000km, encompassing 58 townships which span from lower Sagaing region, to the western and central parts of Mandalay region and most of Magway region. It is estimated that approximately one-quarter of the country’s population live in this area. Situated in the shadow of the Rakhine mountain range, the Dry Zone receives limited rains compared to country averages. This said, climate is not homogenous across the area, with conditions ranging from semi-arid (and even arid) in certain areas to semi-humid in others. Dry spells during the rainy season are frequent, but their intensities vary geographically and over time. Insufficient rain is not the only potential hazard, however, as decreasing forest cover and soil erosion place communities at greater risk of localized flash floods during times of heavy rain. The Dry Zone is particularly affected by food security issues (see the Food Security Information Network for more details.)