Why is it that hurricanes are very common in some places while in other places not?

One of the busier questions on the Science Question and Answer site is:
Why is it that hurricanes are very common in some places while in other places not?
http://science.civicvoice.com/q1272__hurricanes_are_very_common.html

Although it is a popular page, there are only 5 answers.

Here is one of the answers.

Hurricanes come from a lot of moisture. Where it is hot and tropical. Also they do not mostly occur in the USA. There is other places that are more affected than the USA. Japan,Toyko, Afica, etc. It has to be hot and humid for it to happen. In Africa it is called a monsoon. They also happen in the Artic. It depends on if cold air and hot air hit each other and which is more there.