Primary Economic Activities
You must have understood the difference in the distribution of various activities from the given observation. All these activities are dependent on nature. Hunting, gathering, animal husbandry, agriculture, fishing, lumbering, mining etc. are primary economic activities. Natural resources exploited in primary activities, factors affecting these activities and effect of natural calamities affect these primary activities. To fulfil the needs of growing population, to provide technical help to manpower etc. mechanization was started in primary activities.
Primary Occupations : 1) Hunting : Hunting was a primitive activity of man to obtain food. A large number of animal species have become extinct or are on the verge of extinction because of large-scale hunting. Commercial hunting is banned all over the world. Also many laws are being passed to conserve and protect the animals. Some tribes practice hunting for their subsistence. Distribution : Bushmen of Kalahari desert (South Africa), Pygmies of Equatorial Selvas, Boras, Eskimos of Tundra, Sentinels in Andaman, Jarawahs, Onges, etc. hunt for livelihood.
Geographical explanation Many people in the world practice this activity which is dependent on the forest products. They collect fruits, roots and tubers, leaves, flowers, medicinal plants for their livelihood. They also collect products like gum, lac, honey, wax, rubber, etc. Different types of forest products are collected. e.g. kath is collected from monsoon forests from Khair trees. Some of these products have a high demand in the market. This activity is carried out on a large commercial scale. This occupation is carried out in all the forest covered regions of the world. The equatorial forests are dense and evergreen. The climate is humid and unhealthy. Due to the disturbance of reptiles and insects, collection of forest products is not done on a large scale. 3) Lumbering : Observe the given map in Fig. 4.1 and answer the following questions : 1) Which countries in the monsoon region practise lumbering on a larger scale? 2) In which part of Australia is lumbering carried on? 3) Why do you think lumbering is not carried out in the Northern part of Africa? 4) Write a note on the relationship between latitudes and lumbering. 5) Lumbering is not developed on a commercial level in equatorial regions?
Geographical explanation Amongst all other activities going on in the forest, lumbering is one of the most important activities. According to the nature of vegetation, we divided earth into various natural regions. The trees in the tropical forest have hardwood. Also, these forests are evergreen and hence commercial lumbering cannot be done in these forests.
Tropical deciduous or monsoon forests are not dense. Many bushes grow at the base of these forests. Since these forests are near agricultural lands and densely populated regions, they have been deforested for agricultural purpose on a large scale. In the coniferous forests, only one species of trees is found in an area. These trees grow tall. That’s why in the world, the lumbering activity is mostly practised in the coniferous regions. Today, wood is used on a very large scale for various purposes, hence the percentage of forest in the world is decreasing drastically. As a result, hazards related to the environment are occurring.
1) Along which coast of North America is the Grand Bank located? 2) Along which coast of South America is the fishing mostly practised? 3) In which part of the Australian continent has fishing activity developed? 4) Fishing is carried out on large scale on the Western coast of Africa than on the Eastern coast. Give reasons. 5) Commercial fishing is practised on the Southern coast of Greenland. Give reasons. Geographical explanation There are many physical and human factors that impact development of fishing as a primary activity in certain areas of the world. Though it started as a subsistence level activity, fishing is now one of the major primary economic activities especially in coastal areas. Some of the factors are as follows :
(a) Wide expanse of the continental shelf with presence of shallow water. For example, North-West Pacific which is below 200 metres of depth near Okhotsk Sea near China. (b) Confluence of warm and cold currents and subsequent growth of abundant plankton. As a result, development of fishing grounds or banks takes place. For example, meeting of warm Kuroshio current with cold Oyashio
current favours coastal area near Japan for fishing. Other factors which are favourable for development of fishing are : 1) The traditional skills of some people who are naturally good at fishing, for example, Japanese and Chinese. The fishing activity has further developed over here. 2) Large population of the country, lack of land and absence of other protein food makes island countries especially dependent on fish as a staple food. For example, Japan, Philippines. 3) Absence of alternative occupation makes fishing a major occupation. 4) Use of technology has increased fishing activity. 5) Broken coast line provides excellent portal facilities. 6) Cold climate in temperate regions facilitates preservation of fish. In tropical countries, artificial refrigeration facilities have to be developed. 7) Nearby forest provides wood for ship building.
5) Animal husbandry : Look at the map in Figure 4.1 and answer the following questions :
1) Do you think there is a correlation between animal husbandry and grasslands?
2) In which continent is animal husbandry not practised on a large scale?
3) In which regions of the world do animal husbandry and agriculture coincide?
4) Animal husbandry is found in between which latitudes of the world?
5) In which zone between 30°North and 30°South latitudes, is animal husbandry not found on a large scale? What could be the reason behind?
6) What could be the reason of concentration of animal husbandry in the Eastern part of Australia?
7) Why is animal husbandry developed more in the arid regions of the interior of the continents? Geographical explanation Considering the latitudinal distribution of animal husbandry in the world, it is located between 30°N to 60°N and 30°S to 55°S latitudes. Climate is one of the most influencing factors in the development of animal husbandry. It is more developed in the Northern Hemisphere. Presence of grasslands in all the continents has led to distribution of this occupation. But, this occupation is influenced by advanced technology, market and availability of large estates. It has developed on a commercial basis in North America, South America and Australia. The animal husbandry in North and South America is carried out with the help of advanced technology on a commercial scale. Dense forests inhospitable climate, low-quality fodder in equatorial region has discouraged the development of animal husbandry in these regions. Looking at fig. 4.1, we realise that agriculture and animal husbandry is done together in man’s areas. Hence, they are considered as allied activities.
