Are tornados as common in other parts of the world as they are in the U.S.?

Question

Americans are accustomed to tornados & twisters wreaking havoc & destroying homes in the midwestern states like Oklahoma, Kansas, et.al. We hear about it in the news, we see video captures, and we see the devasted victims right here in our own country!

But, I rarely hear about tornados or twisters destroying homes & properties in Europe, Asia, or Africa. Aside from the occasional offshore "waterspout" tornados or hurricanes, I don't recall hearing about a category 1, 2, or 3 tornado elsewhere in the world.

Surely, the U.S. isn't the only area in the world where tornados exist!

Does anyone know if tornados FREQUENT elsewhere in the world (i.e.other countries)? Or is the U.S. climate and geological features just more suitable for tornados?

Answer 1

Netherlands

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bermuda

  Belarus

Brazil

Canada

North America

Chile

China  

Czech Republic

Denmark

Spain

Estonia

Fiji  

Finland

France

United Kingdom

Germany

Greece

Hungarian  

Ireland

Virgin Islands

Italy  

Japan

  Korea  

Liechtenstein

Mexico

Malta

  Netherlands

Norway

  New Zealand

Poland

Portugal  

Puerto Rico

  South Africa

Russia

Serbia

Sloveni

Switzerland

Turkey

Ukranian

United States

  Zimbabwe

northern india

Answer 2

By far the central plains of the United States gets the vast majority of tornadoes on average.  This is mainly due to the unique landforms that exist there, with a north-south oriented mountain range to the west, the general latitude of the plains being favorable for stronger mid level westerlies, the unhindered way for both ample Gulf moisture from the south and cold air intrusions from Canada.  The are other factors as well.

Other places like Canada, Europe and Australia get them as well, but not nearly at the frequency of the U.S.

Answer 3

Tornadoes occur in central Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.  

Probably the reason you never hear about them in other countries is because news of such things isn't as newsworthy halfway around the world as it is here.   For example it seems we get hurricanes here a lot more often than in Myanmar but only because when they happen here we notice them more.