Economic Activities: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sectors
Economic Activities
The Primary Sector
Agricultural Activities
This sector includes activities related to food procurement and production, encompassing agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, as well as logging.
Agricultural activities are crucial, as populations depend on them for sustenance.
Factors Influencing Agriculture
- Weather: Every crop requires specific weather conditions, temperature, and humidity for optimal growth.
- Terrain: Agriculture typically thrives in plains and wide valleys.
- Soils: Soil characteristics significantly impact crop development. Land use depends on soil texture, which affects water retention and acidity. Physical conditions of agriculture are particularly important for groups with limited economic and technical resources.
The Agricultural Landscape
Human agricultural activities have transformed the natural landscape. The agricultural landscape is modified to obtain products from nature.
Characteristic Elements
- Cultivation plots
- Settlement systems
Plots
A plot is a division of agricultural land dedicated to farming. Plots vary in size, shape, and boundaries:
- Open fields: Consist of open patches without delimiting fences, typically small in size.
- Closed fields: Relatively large plots enclosed by walls or hedges, often irregular in shape.
Cropping Systems
- Polyculture: The agricultural area is divided into numerous plots for growing various crops.
- Monoculture: The agricultural area specializes in cultivating a single product.
Irrigation
- Irrigated landscapes: Utilize water extracted from underground sources or reservoirs.
- Rain-fed crops: Rely on rainwater for hydration.
Agricultural Intensity
- Intensive agriculture: Practiced in densely populated areas with scarce land and small properties, maximizing production in limited space.
- Extensive agriculture: Practiced in sparsely populated areas with abundant land and limited labor, aiming for large-scale, low-cost production, often incorporating fallow periods.
Settlement
Rural settlements are sparsely populated and concentrated.
Livestock
Traditional Livestock
Often complements agriculture, with animals used for fieldwork and fertilizer production. Farmers typically maintain small herds of sheep or goats for milk. This practice is common in tropical zones and arid regions where pastoralist subsistence livestock farming prevails.
Commercial or Market Farming
Intensive Livestock Production
Occurs on highly specialized farms, with animals confined to barns or farms. Cattle farming may combine stable and semi-stable lifestyles and diets.
Extensive Livestock Farming
Practiced in areas with abundant pastureland, allowing large herds to graze freely. This method requires minimal labor but significant capital investment.
Fisheries and Fishing Methods
Fisheries utilize the animal resources of the sea.
Traditional or Artisanal Fisheries
Occurs near the coast, relying on human power and simple fishing gear. This practice is prevalent in less developed regions.
Industrial Fishing
Aims for large catches, requiring financial resources for ships, advanced technology, port infrastructure, and research into new fishing systems.
- Inshore fishing: Small vessels with strong nets and lines operate near the coast, landing catches at auctions.
- Offshore fishing: Large, well-equipped fleets with radar operate farther from the coast.
- Distant-water fishing: Some countries operate large mother ships for fishing in distant waters.
Raw Materials
Natural raw materials are transformed in industries to create usable products.
- Animal origin: Derived from livestock and used in industries like textiles.
- Plant origin: Include agricultural products like cotton and forest products.
- Mineral origin: Extracted from the earth. Metallic minerals, like hematite and bauxite, are crucial for steel production. Non-metallic minerals include coal, natural gas, uranium, and oil, used for energy production.
Mining
The process of extracting minerals from mines, which can be open-pit or underground. Open-pit mining can be hazardous for workers.
Traditional Energy Sources
Classification of Energy Sources
Natural resources transformed to generate energy for industries and transportation. Classified as renewable or non-renewable based on their exhaustibility, and as traditional or alternative based on economic importance.
- Renewable: Virtually inexhaustible (e.g., sun, wind).
- Non-renewable: Exist in limited quantities (e.g., coal, oil).
- Traditional: Widely used, meeting most of a country’s energy needs.
- Alternative: Less common, often under research and development.
Traditional Energy Sources
- Coal: A fossil fuel formed from decomposed plant matter over millions of years. A major energy source since the Industrial Revolution.
- Petroleum: A thick, dark liquid formed from decomposed organic matter. The most widely used energy source.
- Natural gas: Similar origin to petroleum, often found together. Used as fuel.
- Hydropower: Energy from water stored in reservoirs, used for electricity generation.
- Nuclear energy: Derived from nuclear fuels.
Tertiary Activities
The tertiary sector encompasses activities that provide services rather than producing material goods.
Diversity of the Services Sector
A wide range of activities. The tertiary sector has expanded significantly with the information society and technological advancements, leading to the concept of a tertiary revolution.
The Upper Tertiary or Quaternary Sector
The tertiary sector continues to grow due to increasing demand for scientific and technological services. The basic tertiary sector includes activities requiring minimal or no qualifications.
Business Activity: Trade
Trade involves buying and selling goods to meet population needs. Initially conducted through barter, the exchange of goods for others.
Domestic and Foreign Trade
- Domestic trade: Takes place within a country.
- Wholesale trade: Wholesalers purchase large quantities from producers and sell to other traders or businesses.
- Retail trade: Sells directly to the public in small quantities.
- Foreign trade: Occurs between countries.
- Exports: Sales of domestic goods to other countries.
- Imports: Purchases of foreign products.
Trade Balance
The difference between a country’s exports and imports. A positive balance indicates higher exports than imports, while a negative balance indicates the opposite.
Balance of Payments
Records all economic exchanges of a country, including goods, services, and financial assets. A surplus occurs when revenues exceed expenditures, while a deficit occurs when expenditures exceed revenues. A country can have a negative trade balance but a surplus balance of payments.
Transportation
The movement of people or goods from one place to another. Transportation systems include land, air, and maritime transport. Infrastructure like roads, railroads, and airports facilitate movement.
Functions of Current Transportation
- Enables daily population movement.
- Allows long-distance travel.
- Facilitates the distribution of goods and services.
The Transportation Revolution
The past 50 years have seen significant changes, including increased tonnage capacity of ships, trucks, and planes. Intermodal freight transport combines various modes like planes, trains, and ships using containers. Increased speed in rail and air travel, infrastructure improvements, enhanced security, reduced transport costs, and advancements in telecommunications have led to more effective and safe transportation.