Vulnerability has two central components. The first refers to susceptibility to negative socioeconomic impacts of climate variability; the more severe the impacts, the greater the degree of vulnerability. The second refers to the degree of recoverability from severe climatic events. The less vulnerable system has the capability of recovering faster and of adjusting so that future vulnerability to similar climatic events is lowered. Vulnerability often varies between groups; we examine sectoral differences (e.g. among agriculturists and ranchers) as well as differences between ethnic groups. This helps to explain how and why some groups in society are more vulnerable to damage from climate variability.