Key Economic and Industrial Terms Explained

Key Economic and Industrial Terms

Agribusiness: Sector of economic activity that includes the various processes of transformation of agricultural products, irrespective of the industrial branch they fall under: food, textiles, energy, etc.

Multinational Company: A term used to refer to companies with factories in several countries. These factories are legally separate but linked to the decisions of the headquarters, which is located in another country. Eg. Ford.

ERDF (European Regional Development

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Human Development: Historical Eras and Economic Foundations

Prehistory: Dawn of Humanity

Prehistory encompasses the period from the appearance of humanity until the first written records. Knowledge of this era comes from human skeletal remains, discovered tools, remnants of housing, and artistic creations. Humans appeared approximately 2 million years ago and made crucial discoveries, notably controlling fire and domesticating animals.

Paleolithic Period: Nomadic Life

During the Paleolithic period, humans were nomadic. They lived near rivers, subsisting on

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Key Agricultural and Rural Development Terminology

Organic Agriculture

A farming system based on the optimal use of natural resources, avoiding synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to produce organic food.

Extensive Agriculture

Characterized by the need to increase acreage to boost production, primarily using traditional methods. Key features include low yields, low capitalization, and reliance on traditional crops.

Extensive Livestock

Characterized by very long production cycles and the use of native breeds adapted to the local

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Urbanization in Antiquity, Medieval & Modern Eras

The Urbanization Process: A Historical Overview

De-urbanization process:

  • The conformation of the urban network in antiquity. It is a network of peripheral locations of towns like the Phoenician colonies. The Greeks created colonies along the Mediterranean coasts of Catalonia and Valencia. Small towns began to develop, fortified by the native Iberian population. The Punic presence and the long period of Romanization strengthened a well-connected urban system.
  • The Hispanic City. The Iberian Peninsula
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Iberian Peninsula: Geography, Relief, and Plateau Regions

Iberian Peninsula: Territory and Relief

1. The Spanish Territory

1.1. Location of the Iberian Peninsula

The geographical position of the Iberian Peninsula facilitates trade with Europe. The Pyrenees act as a natural barrier, but were not an obstacle for contact with other peoples in the past. There are accessible mountain passes and only 14 km separate it from Africa at Gibraltar. This proximity has facilitated cultural and commercial exchange and navigation control.

1.2. Relief Features of the Spanish

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Forest Resources and Agriculture: Types and Importance

Forest Resources and Their Importance

The Portuguese expanded beyond the Treaty of Tordesillas, primarily in America. While the Spanish focused on acquiring precious metals in Potosi, the Portuguese initially found little and spent much of their colonization searching for them. They expanded their territory, but without finding significant metal deposits.

Forest resources are generally considered renewable, but constant and often irreversible deforestation is a significant concern.

Intensive exploitation

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