3º ESO. UNIT 3. THE ECONOMIC SECTORS

UNIT 3. THE ECONOMIC SECTORS

The primary sector

The world's food

Agriculture

Livestock farming

Fishing

Silviculture

Silviculture: it is the practice of controlling the growth, composition and the quality of forests.

1. What factors influence farming?

NATURAL FACTORS

Climate

Relief

• Altitude, orientation and slope influence farming.
• Lower-lying areas are more suitable for arable crops.
• Slopes that face the sun, with higher temperatures, are particularly good for arable farming.
• Flat areas are more favourable. Terraces are sometimes built to cultivate slopes.

• It is the main factor affecting farming.
• Each plant and livestock species requires certain temperature and humidity levels.
• Each climate is therefore associated with specific crops and types of livestock.

For example, rice needs water and high temperatures.

NATURAL FACTORS

Water

Soil

• Availability of both surface and groundwater determines which crops can be grown.
• Overuse of irrigation systems may deplete rivers and groundwater.
• Irrigation methods that maximise water are becoming more widespread in certain parts of the world.

Their use depends on:

• Texture (ability to retain water)
• Depth.
• Amount of organic and mineral matter.
• Acidity, which limits soil fertility.

For example, rice needs water and high temperatures.

HUMAN FACTORS

Demographic pressure

Technological development

Technology has helped overcome certain geographic limitations:

• Lack of water, use of irrigation systems.
• Low temperatures, use of greenhouses.
• Land scarcity, growing hydroponic crops.
• Limits of human strength, use of machines.

• Highly populated areas require intensive farming to feed all the inhabitants.
• Extensive farming is more common in less populated areas.

Hydroponic crop: it is a method of growing plants without soil, by using a nutrient-rich water solution.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Historical, economic and political factors

• Subsistence farms cultivate a wide variety of plants, while commercial farms are more specialised.
• The crops also vary based on labour costs and the availability of subsidies.

4. How are crops cultivated around the world?

CULTIVATION METHODS

According to crop diversity:

According to irrigation:

Monoculture

Polyculture

Irrigated

Rainfed

One single crop.

They grow thanks to the artificial supply of water.

These rely exclusively on rainwater.

A variety of crops.

STARDEW VALLEY

TYPES OF LAND USE

Intensive farming: it is a method that uses a lot of machinery, labour and chemicals in order to grow as many crops or keep as many animals as possible.

Extensive farming: it is a method that uses traditional techniques and less labour and investment in large areas of land.

Traditional farming methods

• Mainly used for subsistence or, in certain cases, sale at local level.
• Holding are usually small.
• Polyculture is practised in the same field.
• Basic techniques, low mechanisation and no fertilisers.

• Little investment, which limits productivity.

Modern commercial farming

• Products are mainly for sale, sometimes internationally.
• Fields are usually large.
• Monoculture is the most used.
• Use of advance techniques, such as agro-biotechnology and advance fertilisers.
• Mechanisation of farm tasks.
• Large investments, focused on productivity.

Fishing metods

BASED ON THE BOATS USED AN THEIR RANGE...

BASED ON THE TECHNOLOGY USED AND THE DESTINATION OF THE CATCH...

Coastal fishing

Deep-sea fishing

Small-scale

Small or medium-sized boats that fish near the coast.

Large boats that spend days or weeks at sea.

Industrial

Simple fishing gear is used, and the catches, which are small, are sold locally.

It is performed with large boats, complex gear and cutting-edge technology, ensuring large catches. The fish is sold internationally.

Large-scale fishing

Large-scale fishing

It involves large vessels, called factory ships, which may spend months at sea.

It involves large vessels, called factory ships, which may spend months at sea.

THE SECONDARY SECTOR

What activities are associated with the secondary sector?

The secondary sector includes different activities...

Construction

Mining

Energy production

Industry

It uses different methods to extract minerals.

It is required to perform work.

It transforms natural resources and creates new products.

It makes different types of buildings and infraestructure.

Industry can be classified according to:

The products they manufacture

BASIC

INTERMEDIATE GOODS

CONSUMER GOODS

Steel, metal, petrochemicals, cement, etc.

Machinery for other industries, engines and transport materials, construction materials, etc.

Food, cars, textiles, consumer electronics, etc.

Industry can be classified according to:

Technical development

MATURE

HIGH TECHNOLOGY

Steel, textile, etc.

Microelectronics, robotics, etc.

Industry can be classified according to:

The quantity of raw materials

HEAVY

MEDIUM-HEAVY

LIGHT

It is the composed by most of the basic and intermediate goods industries.

A middle point between heavy and light.

For example, consumer goods.

Industry can be classified according to:

Size

LARGE

MEDIUM

SMALL

Over 1000 workers.

Between 50 and 1000 workers.

Fewer than 50 workers.

Where are industrial areas located?

Factors of industrial location

Natural factors

Economic factors

• Proximity to natural resources and energy sources helps lower production costs.

• They are not important nowadays because the development of means of transport.

• Availability of capital (money).

• Transport infrastructure is also necessary to connect industrial production with consumer markets.

SHENZHEN, THE CHINESE CITY CONQUERING THE WORLD WITH ITS TECHNOLOGY

What are the world's largest industrial regions?

Traditional industrial regions

Emerging industrial regions

They have appeared in recent decades and their importance is increasing. The most important is China (world's leading industrial power) but also South Korea, Brazil and countries of South East Asia.

They have played a key role in industry but their importance is decreasing in the last years.

Industrial relocation

Positive effects for companies and their owners

Negative effects for workers

Industrial relocation: The process by which a company relocates its production sites to other countries, where costs are lower and workers have fewer rights.

Like the lower production costs because workers' salaries are lower and environmental laws are not very demanding.

• In LEDCs, workers are overexploited because where there are fewer laws ensuring welfare and fair pay.

• In MEDCs, there are important loss of jobs, so unemployement rase increases.

Enviromental consequences

• Secondary activities have a high environmental impact, due to emissions and overexploitation of raw materials.

• In MEDCs, there are laxer laws, leading to pollution, deforestation or phenomenons like smog.

• Also, transporting products thousand of kilometres results in increased emissions.

• It is really important to change our economic system to achieve environmental sustainability.

Smog: a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes the atmosphere difficult to breathe.

WHAT'S BEHIND OUR MOBILE PHONES?

THE TERTIARY SECTOR

An interconnected world

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE SERVICE SECTOR?

Activities of tertiary sector

Business services

Consumer services

Distribution services

Basic services

They ensure people's welfare and social organisation (healthcare, education, justice...)

Activites such as leisure, hospitality, retail...

Services needed by companies, like managemente, advertising...

They heltp to move people, goods and information (transport, telecomunnications, etc)

Activities of tertiary sector

Activities of tertiary sector

Public services

Private services

Provided by the state and funded with taxes, such as healthcare, education, social services...

Provided by private companies and paid by the consumers.

ECONOMIC TERTIARISATION

It is due especially to the expansion of welfare state, the economic development, the increased demand to outsource service and the growth of the urban population

Economic tertiarisation: it is an economic transition in which the tertiary sector becomes the basis of a country's employment and wealth.

Why is transport a strategig sector?

FUNCTIONS OF TRANSPORT

• Economic: it connects producers with consumers. Transport is also crucial for sectors such as trade and tourism.

• Political: transport networks helps territories and their inhabitants. Some countries also have strategically important routes.

• Social: it brings different territories and cultures into contact.

TRANSPORT NETWORKS

• They consist of a series of nodes or hubs (e.g. cities, ports, airports, etc.), joined by axes or routes (roads, air and sea routes, etc.).

• Transport networks have grown due to globalisation, industrial relocation, lower transport costs and e-commerce.

• Accesibility depends on them.

Intermodal transport: it is the process of using two or more means of transport in a journey.

RoAD

RAIL

SEA/RIVER

2021 Suez Canal obstruction

AIR

what impact does tourism have?

GROWTH OF TOURISM

Tourism has become a mass phenomenon because:

• Welfare state expansion (paid holidays, greater purchasing power...).

• Cheaper and faster transport.

• More tourism services, such as accomodation options.

Touristification: process of transformation of a place into a tourist space. Usually, it led to negative consequences to the local population.

POSITIVE EFFECTS

• Economic impact: it increases economic activity due to the demand for goods and services. This contributes to the creation of employment and the influx of foreign currency.

• Demographic impact: there is a population growth. It is crucial for rural areas.

• Sociocultural impact: it promotes contact with other cultures, heritage preservation, opportunities for language practice...

NEGATIVE EFFECTS

• Economic impact: prices are pushed up, especially in the real-estate sector. Jobs created by tourism are usually low-skilled and low-wage, especially in Spain.

• Environmental impact: it reduces natural areas and increases land and water pollution and noise.

• Sociocultural impact: there is a loss of identity among local communities and decreases the quality of life of residents. Cities become amusement parks for tourists