Farming, Industry, Tourism, and Resources: A Comprehensive Look
Farming
Farming is the way that people produce food by growing crops and raising animals. The things they need are called inputs. There are different types of farming:
- Intensive farming uses large inputs to achieve high outputs.
- Extensive farming uses small inputs for large areas.
Farming processes include:
- Arable farming is the plowing of the land and growing crops.
- Pastoral farming is the leaving of land under grass and the rearing of animals.
- Market gardening is when plants grow under controlled conditions.
- Mixed farming is when crops grow in the same place where animals are reared.
Outputs can be classified as:
- Commercial, where outputs are for sale.
- Subsistence, where outputs are for the farmer and their family.
Quotas are limits put on the quantity of goods produced or bought.
Set-aside is a subsidy paid to farmers if they take land out of production.
Farming is changing because of mechanization, increased field and farm size, organic farming, natural environments, the use of chemicals, farm diversification, and other factors.
Industry
Location factors for industry can be divided into:
- Physical: Proximity to raw materials, energy supplies, natural routes, site, and land.
- Human and economic: Labor force, capital availability, proximity to markets, good transport, and a pleasant environment.
Transnational Corporations
Transnational corporations (TNCs) are companies that operate across national boundaries by having factories and offices in several countries. They have grown in size and influence.
Advantages of TNCs:
- Bring work
- Improve education
- Provide money
- Improve energy production
Disadvantages of TNCs:
- Local labor may be poorly paid
- Profits often go overseas
- Minerals may be exported without benefiting the local economy
Other Industry Concepts
Multiplier effect: When the success of one industry leads to the growth of other industries.
High-tech industry: Industries that use high technology and advanced techniques to produce high-value goods.
Newly industrialized countries: Countries that have undergone rapid and successful industrialization since the 1980s.
Formal employment: Work that provides a regular income.
Informal employment: Self-employment work that is irregular and has little or almost no security.
Tourism
Tourism has grown because people have greater affluence, more leisure time, greater mobility and accessibility, package holidays, and advertising.
National Parks
National parks are large areas of attractive countryside where scenery and wildlife are protected. Their main idea is conservation, preserving the natural landscape, and providing a place for recreation.
National park authorities:
- Provide information
- Manage traffic
- Provide wardens
- Preserve the landscape
- Control new buildings
- Manage woodland
The increase in the number of people visiting national parks can cause overcrowding, damage to the environment, and conflicts between users.
Ecotourism is a sustainable form of tourism aimed at protecting the environment and local cultures.
Resources
Resources are any material or product that people find useful. Natural resources are physical features, and human resources include the workforce and skilled labor. The demand for these resources is due to the increase in population and economic development. This has two main problems: some resources will run out, and the environment will become more damaged.
Types of Energy
Nuclear Energy
Advantages:
- Requires little natural resources
- Limited nuclear waste
- Cleaner than fossil fuels
Disadvantages:
- Safety risks
- Health risks
- Accidental releases of radioactive material
Hydro-electricity
Advantages:
- Very clean
- Renewable
- Reduces flooding
Disadvantages:
- Animals are forced to move
- Some areas may be flooded
Wind Turbines
Advantages:
- No pollution
- Renewable
- Does not contribute to global warming
Disadvantages:
- Wind does not blow all the time
- Visual impact
- Expensive
- Noisy
- Danger to birds
Fossil Fuels
Advantages:
- Available
- Efficient
Disadvantages:
- Air pollution
- Damage to the environment
Resources can be conserved by recycling, reducing resource consumption, and increasing energy efficiency.