Primary and Secondary Sectors: Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing, and Industry
Primary Sector
The primary sector includes economic activities related to obtaining resources from nature.
Activities in the Primary Sector
Agriculture is the cultivation of land to obtain grasses, vegetables, bushes, trees, food for people, fodder, and raw materials for industry.
Natural Factors
- Climate: The growth of plants depends on the temperature, humidity of the land, and amount of light received.
- Land Relief: The best lands are flat lands and valley bottoms.
- Soil and Vegetation: The soil provides the nutrients for plants to grow. Soil fertility is crucial.
Human Factors
- Population Growth: An increase in the population results in needing more space for crops and pasture.
- Social and Economic Organization: The agricultural economy affects the choice of crops to be cultivated.
- Types of Ownership: Private and collective.
- Concentrated: Farmers’ and workers’ houses are grouped together in a village. The land is outside the village.
Agricultural Landscape
These are basic divisions of agricultural land. Every single field is dedicated to one particular crop.
Types of Traditional Agriculture
The main objective is production for self-consumption. They use primitive technology and involve a great deal of labor.
- Itinerant
- Dry sedentary agriculture
- Monsoon irrigation agriculture
Livestock Farming
It has several functions. Sometimes, it complements agriculture by providing goods and animal work.
Types of Livestock Farming Systems
- Traditional systems
- Nomadic livestock farming
- Transhumant livestock farming
Fishing
It is any activity which obtains natural products from the sea. Products obtained include fresh goods, frozen goods, etc.
Types of Fishing
- Artisanal: Small boats are used. They are intended for the local market.
- Industrial: They include technology and machinery, such as radars.
Secondary Sector
The secondary sector includes all the activities that transform raw materials.
Activities
Industry: The main secondary sector activity. It transforms raw materials into finished products.
Other Activities:
Mining: The process of locating, extracting, and refining minerals in the ground.
Raw Materials
The ones that are taken from nature.
Types:
- Biological raw materials: They come from agriculture and forestry.
- Animal raw materials: They come from livestock farming and fishing.
- Other raw materials have a geological origin.
Sources of Energy
Types:
- Traditional sources of energy: They are the most frequently used because the processes are well-developed.
- Alternative sources of energy: These sources might replace traditional ones.
Industry in History
- Manual: Before the middle of the 18th century, instruments were traditional, and the level of power sources was low.
- Modern: It all started in Great Britain.
- Nowadays: From the middle of the 20th century, industry has been developing so much that historians call this process the Third Industrial Revolution.
Types of Industry and Location
Industries are classified according to several criteria, such as the products they manufacture and the type of raw material they use.
Globalization
Regions:
- United States, Japan, and the European Union
- Regional powers such as Russia and Australia
- The emerging countries in Asia
Division of Work
Because of the globalization of the economy, there is a new international division of industrial work.