Resources

Anything that can be used to satisfy a need or has value can be called a resource.
Water, electricity, rickshaw, vegetable and textbook all have utility and hence are
considered as resources. All the resources have value or worth. Some resources
have economic value, some do not. Some may become valuable only over a
period of time. For example, your grandmom’s home remedies may not have
commercial value at present but if they are patented and sold, they could also
become economically valuable. Meanwhile, the two factors that change
substances to resources include time and technology.
Types of Resources
Resources are of 3 kinds- natural, human made and human.
Natural Resources: are drawn from nature and are used without much
modification. Examples include the air we breathe, water in our rivers and lakes,
soil, minerals and so on. Natural resources can also be categorised into
renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources can be renewed
and get replenished very quickly. Solar and wind energy are renewable resources
that are unlimited and will not be affected by human activities. Meanwhile, non-
renewable resources have limited stock and once exhausted may take thousands
of years to be replenished. Some examples are coal, petroleum and natural gas.
Physical factors like terrain, climate and altitude affect the distribution of natural
resources.
Human Made Resources: At times, natural substances become resources
only after their original form has changed. People make use of natural resources
to manufacture human made resources like buildings, bridges, roads, machinery
and vehicles. Another example is technology.
Human Resource: refers to the number (quantity) and abilities (mental and
physical) of the people. That is why human beings are a special resource. People
are human resources. Improving the quality of people’s skills so that they are
able to create more resources is known as human resource development.
Conserving Resources
Imagine a situation where all the water on the earth had dried up and all the trees
were cut down. There is no shade and nothing to eat or drink. If we are not careful
then even renewable resources can become very scarce and the non-renewable
ones can definitely get exhausted. Using resources carefully and giving them
time to get renewed is called resource conservation. Carefully utilising resources
so that besides meeting the requirements of the present, it also takes care of
future generations is called sustainable development. There are ways to conserve
resources. Each person can contribute by reducing consumption, recycling and
reusing things.
The future of our planet and people is dependent on our ability to maintain and
preserve the life support system that nature provides. Therefore, we are required
to ensure that:

 all uses of renewable resources are sustainable

 the diversity of life on the earth is conserved
 the damage to the natural environmental system is minimised
Land
A very important natural resource, Land covers 30% of the earth’s surface and
not every part is habitable. Cause for the uneven population in certain parts is
varied characteristics of land and climate.

Areas that are sparsely populated or Densely populated areas

uninhabited
 Rugged topography  Plains
 Steep slopes of the mountains  River valleys
 Low-lying areas susceptible to  These are lands suitable for
water agriculture

Uses of Land
The land is used for different purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining,
building houses, roads and setting up of industries. This is commonly termed as
Land use.

 Physical Factors determining the use of land- topography, soil, climate,

minerals and availability of water.
 Human Factors that are human determinants of land use pattern-
population and technology
Land can also be classified into private land and community land on the basis of
ownership. Private land owned by individuals whereas community land is owned
by the community for common uses such as the collection of fodder, fruits, nuts
or medicinal herbs. Another name for community lands is common property
resources. Even though people’s demands are ever growing availability of land is
limited thus leading people to encroach land to build commercial areas, shopping
complexes in urban areas and to expand agricultural land in rural areas. This
expansion of agriculture and construction activities also lead to major threats like
land degradation, landslides, soil erosion and desertification.

Conservation of Land Resource

Ever Growing population and their growing demands lead to large scale
destruction of forest cover and other natural resources. Meanwhile, given below
are the common methods used to conserve land resources:

 Afforestation
 land reclamation
 regulated use of chemical pesticide and fertilisers
 checks on overgrazing
Soil
The thin layer of grainy substance covering the surface of the earth and closely
linked to the land. Landforms determine the type of soil. Soil is made up of
organic matter, minerals and weathered rocks found on the earth through the
process of weathering. The right mix of minerals and organic matter make the soil
fertile.
Landslides
The mass movement of rock, debris or earth down a slope is known as
Landslides and it often takes place in conjunction with earthquakes, floods and
volcanoes. Meanwhile, a prolonged spell of rainfall can also cause a landslide.
Mitigation Mechanism
Development in scientific techniques has empowered us to understand what
factors cause landslides and how to manage them. Some of the broad mitigation
techniques of landslide are given as follows:

 Hazard mapping to locate areas prone to landslides. Hence, such areas can
be avoided for building settlements
 Construction of retention wall to stop the land from slipping
 Increase in the vegetation cover to arrest landslide
 The surface drainage control works to control the movement of a landslide
along with rainwater and spring flows

Factors of Soil Formation

 The nature of the parent rock
 Climatic factors
 Topography
 Role of organic material
 Time taken for the composition of soil formation
Degradation of Soil and Conservation Measures
Soil erosion and depletion are the major threats to the soil as a resource. Both
human and natural factors can lead to degradation of soils. Factors, which lead to
soil degradation are:

 deforestation
 overgrazing
 overuse of chemical fertilizers or pesticides
 rain wash
 landslides and floods
Meanwhile, some methods of soil conservation are given below:
Mulching: The bare ground between plants is covered with a layer of organic
matter like straw and it helps to retain soil moisture
Contour barriers: Stones, grass, soil are used to build barriers along contours.
Trenches are made in front of the barriers to collect water
Rock dam: Rocks are piled up to slow down the flow of water and also help to
prevent gullies and further soil loss
Terrace farming: Broad flat steps or terraces are made on the steep slopes so
that flat surfaces are available to grow crops, thus reducing surface runoff and
soil erosion
Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at
different times to protect the soil from rain wash
Contour ploughing: Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a
natural barrier for water to flow down the slope
Shelterbelts: In the coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check
the wind movement to protect soil cover

Water
Three fourth of earth’s surface is covered with a vital renewable natural resource
known as water. Oceans covers about 2/3rds of the earth’s surface and supports
a rich variety of plant and animal life. However, it is saline and not useful for
human consumption. Freshwater accounts for only 2.7% and 70% of these occurs
as ice-sheets and glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland and mountain region and they
are inaccessible because of their location. Thus, only 1% of freshwater is useful
for human consumption.
Water can neither be added nor subtracted from the earth and its total volume
remains constant. Its abundance seems to vary only because of the constant
motion, cycling through the oceans, the air, the land and back again, through the
processes of evaporation, precipitation and run-off. This, as you already know is
referred to as the ‘water cycle’.
Problems of Water Availability
Most parts of the world are facing shortages in the freshwater supply. Countries
located in climatic zones most susceptible to droughts face great problems of
water scarcity. Thus, water shortage may be a consequence of variation in
seasonal or annual precipitation or the scarcity is caused by overexploitation and
contamination of water sources.

Conservation of Water Resources

To get access to clean and adequate water sources, steps have been taken to
preserve this resource:

 Forest and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish
underground water Water harvesting is another method to save the surface
runoff
 The canals used for irrigating field should be properly lined to minimise
losses by water seepage
 Sprinklers effectively irrigate the area by checking water losses through
seepage and evaporation
 In dry regions with high rates of evaporation, drip or trickle irrigation is
very useful
 The valuable water resource can, therefore, be conserved by adopting
these means of irrigation

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Natural vegetation and wildlife exist only in the narrow zone of contact between
the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere that we call the biosphere. In the
biosphere living beings are interrelated and interdependent on each other for
survival. This life-supporting the system is known as the ecosystem. Wildlife
includes animals, birds, insects as well as the aquatic life forms. The birds feed
on insects and act as decomposers as well. Vulture due to its ability to feed on
dead livestock is a scavenger and considered a vital cleanser of the environment.
So, animals big or small, all are integral to maintaining balance in the ecosystem.
Distribution of Natural Vegetation
The growth of vegetation depends primarily on temperature and moisture. The
major vegetation types of the world are grouped as forests, grasslands, scrubs
and tundra.
In areas of heavy rainfall- Huge trees thrive- forests are thus associated with
areas having abundant water supply. As the number of moisture decreases- the
size of trees and their density reduces-short stunted trees and shrubs grow in
regions of moderate rainfall. In dry areas- Thorny shrubs and scrubs grow in low
rainfall areas.
Conservation of Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
Changes in climate and human interference can cause the loss of natural habitats
for the plants and animals. Deforestation, soil erosion, constructional activities,
forest fires, tsunami and landslides are some of the human and natural factors
that accelerate the process of extinction of these resources. One other major
concern is the poaching that results in a sharp decline in the number of particular
species. National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves are made to
protect our natural vegetation and wildlife. Conservation of creeks, lakes, and
wetlands is necessary to save the precious resource from depletion.
Awareness programmes like social forestry and Vanamohatasava are also
established at the regional and community level. School children are also
encouraged to bird watch and visit nature camps so that they appreciate the
habitat of varied species. Many countries have passed laws against the trade as
well as the killing of birds and animals. In India, killing lions, tigers, deers, great
Indian bustards and peacocks is illegal. Meanwhile, an international convention
cites has been established that lists several species of animals and birds in
which trade is prohibited.
Types of Minerals
There are 3000 various types of Minerals and based on their composition, they
can be classified into metallic and non-metallic minerals.

Metallic minerals contain metal in the raw form. Metals are hard substances that
conduct heat and electricity and have a characteristic lustre or shine. Iron ore,
bauxite, manganese ore are some examples. Metallic minerals may be ferrous or
non-ferrous. Ferrous minerals like iron ore, manganese and chromites contain
iron. A non-ferrous mineral does not contain iron but may contain some other
metal such as gold, silver, copper or lead.
Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals. Limestone, mica and gypsum are
examples of such minerals. The mineral fuels like coal and petroleum are also
non-metallic minerals. Minerals can be extracted by mining, drilling or quarrying.
Mining is the process of extracting minerals from rocks buried under the earth’s
surface. Meanwhile, in open-case mining, minerals that lie at shallow depths are
extracted by removing the surface layer. At the same time, Shaft mining is the
method in which deep bores, called shafts, are made to reach mineral deposits
that lie at great depths. Also, drilling is the method used to bore deep wells so as
to take out Petroleum and Natural gas that occur far below the earth’s surface.
Finally, in the method known as quarrying, minerals that lie near the surface are
just dug out.

Distribution of Minerals

Types Of Minerals Rock Formation Examples

Iron-ore in north Sweden, copper and nickel

Igneous and
deposits in Ontario, Canada; iron, nickel,
Metallic minerals metamorphic rock
chromites and platinum in South Africa are
formations
examples of minerals

Sedimentary rock Limestone deposits of Caucasus region of

Non-Metallic France, manganese deposits of Georgia and
formation
Minerals Ukraine and phosphate beds of Algeria.
Asia
 Large iron ore deposits- China & India
 World’s largest tin producer- China, Malaysia and Indonesia
 Production of lead, antimony and tungsten- China leads
 Deposits of manganese, bauxite, nickel, zinc and copper- Asia
Europe
 Leading producer of iron ore in the world– Europe
 Countries with large deposits of iron ore– Russia, Ukraine, Sweden and
France
 Minerals deposits of copper, lead, zinc, manganese and nickel– Eastern
Europe and European Russia
North America
 Mineral deposits in North America are located in 3 zones– the Canadian
region north of the Great Lakes, the Appalachian region and the mountain
ranges of the west
 Iron ore, nickel, gold, uranium and copper– mined in the Canadian Shield
Region
 Coal– Appalachian Region
 Vast deposits of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver in- Western Cordilleras
South America
 The largest producer of high-grade iron ore in the World– Brazil
 Leading producers of copper- Chile and Peru
 World’s largest producers of tin- Brazil and Bolivia
 Large deposits of gold, silver, zinc, chromium, manganese, bauxite, mica,
platinum, asbestos and diamond- South America
 Mineral oil is found in- Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Columbia
Africa
 Rich in mineral resources- World’s largest producer of diamonds, gold and
platinum

 Produce a large portion of the world’s gold- South Africa, Zimbabwe and
Zaire
 Copper, iron, chromium, uranium, cobalt and bauxite- other minerals found
in Africa
 Oil– found in Nigeria, Libya and Angola
Australia
The largest producer of bauxite in the world-leading producer of gold, diamond,
iron ore, tin and nickel-rich in copper, lead, zinc and manganese

 The largest deposits of gold– found in Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie areas of

western Australia
Antarctica
Variety of mineral deposits are found, some probably large.

 The significant size of deposits of coal- the Transantarctic Mountains

 Deposits of Iron forecasted-near the Prince Charles Mountains of East
Antarctica
 Iron ore, gold, silver and oil present in commercial quantities

Uses of Minerals
 Minerals for gems-hard set in various jewellery styles
 Copper used in making coins and pipes.
 Silicon used in the computer industry is obtained from quartz
 Aluminium extracted from its ore bauxite is used in automobiles and
aeroplanes, bottling industry, buildings and kitchen cookware.

Conserving Minerals
Minerals- a nonrenewable resource takes thousands of years for the formation
and concentration of minerals. The rate of formation is much smaller than the rate
at which humans consume these minerals. It is necessary to reduce wastage in
the process of mining. Recycling of metals is another way to conserve mineral
resources.

Power Resources
Power or energy plays a vital role in our lives. We also need power for industry,
agriculture, transport, communication and defence. Power resources may be
broadly categorised as conventional and non-conventional resources.

Conventional Sources
The energy which has been in common use for a long time-examples are firewood
and fossil fuels.
Firewood
Widely used for cooking and heating – 50% of the energy used by villagers comes
from firewood. Remains of plants and animals which were buried under the earth
for millions of years got converted by the heat and pressure into fossil fuels.
Fossil fuel such as coal, petroleum and natural gas are the main sources of
conventional energy. The rate at which the growing world population is
consuming them is far greater than the rate of their formation. So, these are likely
to be exhausted soon.
Coal
Abundantly found fossil fuel- used as a domestic fuel, in industries such as iron
and steel, steam engines- to generate electricity. Electricity from coal is called
thermal power. The coal was formed millions of years ago when giant ferns and
swamps got buried under the layers of earth. Coal is therefore referred to as
Buried Sunshine. The leading coal producers of the world are China, USA,
Germany, Russia, South Africa and France. The coal producing areas of India are
Raniganj, Jharia, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand.
Petroleum
Petrol keeps your car running-Oil keeps your cycle from squeaking-both begin as
thick black liquid called petroleum. found between the layers of rocks- drilled
from oil fields located in off-shore and coastal areas-sent to refineries which
process the crude oil and produce a variety of products like diesel, petrol,
kerosene, wax, plastics and lubricants. Petroleum and its derivatives are called
Black Gold, which are very valuable.
Chief petroleum producing countries- Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, other
major producers are USA, Russia, Venezuela, and Algeria.
Leading producers in India-Digboi in Assam, Bombay High in Mumbai and the
deltas of Krishna and Godavari rivers.
Natural Gas
Found with petroleum deposits-released when crude oil is brought to the surface-
used as a domestic and industrial fuel.
Major producers of natural gas-Russia, Norway, UK and the Netherlands – In India
Jaisalmer, Krishna Godavari delta, Tripura and some areas offshore in Mumbai
have natural gas resources.
Cause for concern-Sharp increase in our consumption of fossil fuels has led to
their depletion at an alarming rate- toxic pollutants are released from burning
these fuels- Unchecked burning of fossil fuel is like an unchecked dripping tap
which will eventually run dry. This has led to the tapping of various
nonconventional sources of energy that are cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels.

Hydel Power
Rain water or river water stored in dams. The falling water flows through pipes
inside the dam over turbine blades placed at the bottom of the dam. The moving
blades then turn the generator to produce electricity. This is called hydro
electricity. Water discharged after the generation of electricity is used for
irrigation. 1/4th of the world’s electricity is produced by hydel power.

 Leading producers of hydel power in the world-Paraguay, Norway, Brazil,

and China.
 Important hydel power stations in India-Bhakra Nangal, Gandhi Sagar,
Nagarjunsagar and Damodar valley projects.

Non-conventional Sources of Energy

Increasing use of fossil fuels leads to shortage- if the present rate of
consumption continues, the reserves of these fuels will get exhausted- their use
also causes environmental pollution- Therefore, there is need for using
nonconventional sources such as solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, which
are renewable.

Solar energy
Solar energy trapped from the sun-used in solar cells to produce electricity
Many of these cells are joined into solar panels to generate power for heating and
lighting purposes. Solar energy is used in solar heaters, solar cookers, solar
dryers besides being used for community lighting and traffic signals.
Wind energy
Inexhaustible source of energy- Windmills are used for grinding grain and lifting
water-high speed winds rotate the windmill which is connected to a generator to
produce electricity- Wind Farms are found in Netherlands, Germany, Denmark,
UK, USA and Spain.
Nuclear Power
Obtained from energy stored in the nuclei of atoms of naturally occurring
radioactive elements like uranium and thorium- undergo nuclear fission in
nuclear reactors and emit power

 Greatest producers of nuclear power– USA and Europe

 Large deposits of Uranium in India-Rajasthan and Jharkhand
 Thorium found in large quantities- in the Monazite sands of Kerala
 Nuclear power stations in India-located in Kalpakkam in Tamilnadu,
Tarapur in Maharashtra, Ranapratap Sagar near Kota in Rajasthan, Narora
in Uttar Pradesh and Kaiga in Karnataka.
Geo-Thermal Energy
Heat energy obtained from the earth- temperature in the interior of the earth rises
steadily with depth- heat energy may surface itself in the form of hot springs- this
energy is used to generate power and in the form of hot springs, it has been used
for cooking, heating and bathing.

 World’s largest geothermal power plants– in US, followed by New Zealand,

Iceland, Philippines and Central America
 Geothermal plants in India-located in Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh and
Puga Valley in Ladakh
Tidal Energy
Energy generated from tides – can be harnessed by building dams at narrow
openings of the sea-During high tide, energy of the tides is used to turn the
turbine installed in the dam to produce electricity.

 Huge tidal mill farms-Russia, France and the Gulf of Kachchh in India

Biogas
Organic waste (dead plant and animal material, animal dung and kitchen waste)
can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas. Organic waste is
decomposed by bacteria in biogas digesters- will emit biogas (a mixture of
methane and carbon dioxide)-is an excellent fuel for cooking and lighting and
produces huge amounts of organic manure each year- harnessing this energy is
both difficult as well as costly.
AGRICULTURE
The transformation from a plant to a finished product involves three types of
economic activities-primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary activities include the
extraction and production of natural resources. Examples- Agriculture, fishing
and gathering. Secondary activities- the processing of these resources.
Examples- Manufacturing of steel, baking of bread and weaving of cloth. Tertiary
activities-provide support to the primary and secondary sectors through services.
Examples- Transport, trade, banking, insurance and advertising.
Agriculture is a primary activity. Favourable topography of soil and climate are
vital for agricultural activity.

Farm System
Agriculture or farming can be looked at as a system. Important inputs-seeds,
fertilisers, machinery and labour. Operations involved-ploughing, sowing,
irrigation, weeding and harvesting. The outputs from the system-crops, wool,
dairy and poultry products.

Types of Farming
Subsistence farming and Commercial farming– main types of farming depending
upon the geographical conditions, demand of produce, labour and level of
technology.
Subsistence farming- classified as intensive subsistence and primitive
subsistence farming.

Subsistence farming Intensive subsistence agriculture

The type of farming is The farmer cultivates a small plot of land using simple tools
practised to meet the and more labour. Climate with a large number of days with
needs of the farmer’s sunshine and fertile soils permit growing of more than one
family. crop annually on the same plot.

Main Crop Rice

Other Crops Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds

Areas Prevalent in the thickly populated areas of the monsoon
regions of the south, southeast and east Asia.
Primitive subsistence agriculture

Includes shifting cultivation and nomadic herding.

Shifting Cultivation– a plot of land is cleared by felling the trees and burning them. The ashes are then mixed w
Nomadic Herding-herdsmen move from place to place with their animals for fodder and water, along defined r
Shifting Cultivation– maize, yam, potatoes and cassava

Nomadic Herding-Sheep, camel, yak and goats are most commonly reared. They provide milk, meat, wool, hide
Shifting Cultivation-practised in the thickly forested areas of Amazon basin, tropical Africa, parts of Southeast Asia

Nomadic Herding– practised in the semi-arid and arid regions of Sahara, Central Asia and some parts of India

Classification of Industries
Industries are classified on the basis of raw materials, size and ownership.
Industries Classified on the basis of Raw Materials: agro-based, mineral-based,
marine-based and forest-based. Agro-based industries use plant and animal-
based products as their raw materials-examples are food processing, vegetable
oil, cotton textile, dairy products and leather industries. Mineral based industries-
primary industries use mineral ores as their raw materials- products of these
industries feed other industries-one product is Iron made from iron ore- used as
raw material for the manufacture of a number of other products, such as heavy
machinery, building materials and railway coaches. Marine based industries- use
products from the sea and oceans as raw materials- Given examples are
Industries processing seafood or manufacturing fish oil. Forest based industries-
utilise forest produce as raw material- industries associated with forests are pulp
and paper, pharmaceuticals, furniture and buildings.
Industries Classified on the basis of Size: Size refers to the amount of capital
invested, the number of people employed and the volume of production-
classified into the small scale and large scale industries-Cottage or household
industries where products are manufactured by hand by the artisans-Examples of
cottage industry are basket weaving, pottery and other handicrafts. Small scale
industries– use a lesser amount of capital and technology. Large Scale
Industries-produce large volumes of products-investment of capital is higher-
technology used is superior- Silk weaving and food processing industries are
small scale industries while Production of automobiles and heavy machinery are
large scale industries.
Industries Classified on the basis of Ownership: Private sector, state-owned or
public sector, joint sector and cooperative sector. Private Sector Industries-
owned and operated by individuals or a group of individuals. Public Sector
Industries– owned and operated by the government, such as Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited and Steel Authority of India Limited. Joint Sector Industries-
owned and operated by the state and individuals or a group of individuals-Maruti
Udyog Limited is an example. Cooperative Sector Industries-owned and operated
by the producers or suppliers of raw materials, workers or both-Anand Milk Union
Limited and Sudha Dairy.

Factors Affecting the Location of Industries

Availability of raw material, land, water, labour, power, capital, transport and
market- Industries are usually located at areas where these are easily available-
government provides incentives like subsidised power, lower transport cost and
other infrastructure so that industries may be located in backward areas-
Industrialisation often leads to development and growth of towns and cities.
Industrial System
The Industrial System consists of inputs, processes and outputs:

 inputs are the raw materials, labour and costs of land, transport, power and
other infrastructure
 processes include a wide range of activities that convert the raw material
into finished products
 outputs are the end product and the income earned from it
Industrial Regions
Industrial regions emerge when a number of industries locate close to each other
and share the benefits of their closeness- eastern North America, western and
central Europe, eastern Europe and eastern Asia (Major Industrial Regions of the
World)- they are located in the temperate areas, near seaports and especially near
coalfields.

 Industrial Regions in India-Mumbai Pune cluster, Bangalore-Tamil Nadu

region, Hugli region, Ahmedabad-Baroda region, Chottanagpur industrial
belt, Vishakhapatnam-Guntur belt, Gurgaon-Delhi-Meerut region and the
Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram industrial cluster.
Distribution of Major Industries
World’s major industries-iron and steel industry, the textile industry and the
information technology industry. Countries in which the iron and steel industry is
located are Germany, USA, China, Japan and Russia. Textile industry is focussed
in India, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Major hubs of the
Information technology industry are the Silicon Valley of Central California and
the Bangalore region of India.
Iron and Steel Industry
It is a feeder industry whose products are used as raw material for other
industries- inputs for the industry are raw materials (iron ore, coal and limestone,
along with labour, capital, site and other infrastructure)-process of converting
iron ore into steel involves many stages (raw material is put in the blast furnace
where it undergoes smelting and is then refined)-output obtained is steel (may be
used by other industries as raw material).
Steel– tough, can easily be shaped, cut, or made into wire-Special alloys of steel
can be made by adding small amounts of other metals such as aluminium, nickel,
and copper.
Important steel-producing centres-Bhilai, Durgapur, Burnpur, Jamshedpur,
Rourkela, Bokaro are situated in a region that spreads over four states — West
Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Bhadravati and Vijay Nagar in
Karnataka, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Salem in Tamil Nadu.
Jamshedpur: Before 1947, only one iron and steel plant in the country – Tata Iron
and Steel Company Limited (TISCO)-was privately owned- After Independence,
the government took the initiative and set up several iron and steel plants. TISCO-
started in 1907 at Sakchi, near the confluence of the rivers Subarnarekha and
Kharkai in Jharkhand. Later Sakchi was renamed as Jamshedpur.
Benefits of the place

 Only 32 km away from Kalimati station on the Bengal-Nagpur railway line

 Close to the iron ore, coal and manganese deposits as well as to Kolkata,
which provided a large market
 TISCO gets coal from Jharia coalfields, and iron ore, limestone, dolomite
and manganese from Odisha and Chhattisgarh
 The Kharkai and Subarnarekha rivers ensured sufficient water supply
 Government initiatives provided adequate capital for its later development
Pittsburgh: Important steel city of the United States of America-enjoys
locational advantages-raw material such as coal is available locally, while iron ore
comes from the iron mines at Minnesota, about 1500 km from Pittsburgh-one of
the world’s best routes for shipping ore cheaply, the famous Great Lakes
waterway lies between these mines and Pittsburgh-Trains carry the ore from the
Great Lakes to the Pittsburgh area-Ohio, the Monogahela and Allegheny rivers
provide adequate water supply-Finished steel is transported to the market by
both land and water routes-Pittsburgh area has many factories that use steel as
their raw material to manufacture railroad equipment, heavy machinery and rails.
Cotton Textile Industry
Weaving cloth from yarn is an ancient art- Cotton, wool, silk, jute, flax used for
making cloth-textile industry is divided on the basis of raw materials used-Fibres,
the raw material can be natural or man-made-Natural fibres: obtained from wool,
silk, cotton, linen and jute-Man made fibres: nylon, polyester, acrylic and rayon-
one of the oldest industries in the world- Till the industrial revolution in the 18th
century, cotton cloth was made using hand-spinning techniques (wheels) and
looms-In 18th-century power looms facilitated the development of cotton textile
industry- first in Britain and later in other parts of the world-important producers
of cotton textiles are India, China, Japan and the USA.
The Muslins of Dhaka, Chintzes of Masulipatnam, Calicos of Calicut and gold-
wrought cotton of Burhanpur, Surat and Vadodara were known worldwide for
their quality and design- manufacturing these was time-consuming and
expensive- traditional cotton textile industry was unable to face the competition
from the new textile mills of the West that produced cheap and good quality
fabrics through mechanized industrial units- first successful mechanized textile
mill was established in Mumbai in 1854-warm, moist climate, a port for importing
machinery, availability of raw material and skilled labour led to rapid expansion of
the industry in the region-industry flourished in the states of Maharashtra and
Gujarat initially because of favourable humid climate-But today, humidity can be
created artificially-Other important centres are Coimbatore, Kanpur, Chennai,
Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Puducherry and Panipat.
Ahmedabad: located in Gujarat on the banks of the Sabarmati river- first mill
established in 1859-second largest textile city of India, following Mumbai- referred
to as “Manchester of India”-situated very close to cotton growing area ensures
easy availability of raw material-ideal climate for spinning and weaving-flat terrain
and easy availability of land makes it suitable establishment for mills- provide
both skilled and semi-skilled labour- Well developed road and railway network
permits easy transportation of textiles to different parts of the country also
providing easy access to the market. Mumbai port nearby facilitates import of
machinery and export of cotton textiles-Issues in Ahmedabad textile mills-Several
textile mills closed down due to the emergence of new textile centres in the
country as well as non upgradation of machines and technology in the mills of
Ahmedabad.
Osaka: an important textile centre of Japan, also known as the ‘Manchester of
Japan.’- geographical factors facilitating the growth of textile industry in Osaka
are listed below:

 Extensive plain around Osaka ensured that land was easily available for the
growth of cotton mills
 Warm humid climate is well suited to spinning and weaving
 River Yodo provides sufficient water for the mills-Labour is easily available
 Location of port facilitates import of raw cotton and for exporting textiles
The textile industry at Osaka depends completely upon imported raw materials.
Cotton is imported from Egypt, India, China and the USA. The finished product is
mostly exported and has a good market due to good quality and low price.
Despite it being an important textile city in the country, of late, the cotton textile
industry of Osaka has been replaced by other industries, such as iron and steel,
machinery, shipbuilding, automobiles, electrical equipment and cement.
Human Resources
People are a nation’s greatest resource. Nature’s bounty becomes significant
only when people find it useful. It is people with their demands and abilities that
turn them into ‘resources’. Hence, human resource is the ultimate resource.
Distribution of Population
The way in which people are spread across the earth’s surface is known as the
pattern of population distribution. Over 90% of the world’s population lives in
about 30% of the land surface. Distribution of population is uneven. Some areas
are crowded and some areas are sparsely populated. The crowded areas are
south and south-east Asia, Europe and northeastern North America. Very few
people live in high latitude areas, tropical deserts, high mountains and areas of
equatorial forests. Many more people live north of the Equator than south of the
Equator. Almost three-quarters of the world’s people live in two continents, Asia
and Africa. 60% of the world’s people stay in just 10 countries. All of them have
more than 100 million people.
Density of Population
A number of people living in the unit area of the earth’s surface are the density of
population- normally expressed as per square metre. The average density of
population in the whole world is 51 persons per square km. South-Central Asia
has the highest density of population followed by East and South East Asia.
Factors Affecting Distribution of Population
Geographical Features
Topography: People prefer to live on plains rather than mountains and plateau
as these areas are suitable for farming, manufacturing and service activities.

 The Ganga plains- most densely populated areas of the world

 Andes, Alps and Himalayas—sparsely populated.
Climate: People usually avoid extreme climates that are very hot or very cold.
Examples: Sahara desert, polar regions of Russia, Canada and Antarctica.
Soil: Fertile soils provide suitable land for agriculture.
Examples: Densely populated fertile plains such as Ganga and Brahmaputra in
India, Hwang-He, Chang Jiang in China and the Nile in Egypt.
Water: People prefer to live in areas where freshwater is easily available. River
valleys of the world are densely populated while deserts have spare population.
Minerals: Areas with mineral deposits are more populated.
Example: Diamond mines of South Africa and the discovery of oil in the Middle
East lead to settling of people in these areas.
Social, Cultural and Economic Factors
Social: Areas of better housing, education and health facilities are more densely
populated e.g., Pune.
Cultural: Places with religion or cultural significance attract people.
Examples: Varanasi, Jerusalem and Vatican city
Economic: Industrial areas provide employment opportunities so it attracts a
large number of people.
Examples: Osaka in Japan and Mumbai in India are two densely populated areas.

Population Change
The population change refers to change in the number of people during a specific
time. The world population is not stable. It has increased manifold due to
changes in the number of births and deaths. Until the 1800s, the world’s
population grew steadily but slowly. Large numbers of babies were born, but they
died early too. Causes: no proper health facilities- no sufficient food available for
all the people-farmers not able to produce enough to meet the food requirements
of all the people. This resulted in a low increase in population. In 1804, the world
population hit 1 bn and later about 155 years later in 1959, the population reached
3 billion-is also known as population explosion. Also, later in 1999, about 40
years later, the population doubled reaching 6 billion. The main reason for this
growth: better food supplies and medicine, deaths were reduced, while the
number of births still remained fairly high.
Births are usually measured using the birth rate i.e. the number of live births per
1,000 people. Deaths are usually measured using the death rate i.e. the number of
deaths per 1,000 people. Migrations are the movement of people in and out of an
area. Births and deaths are the natural causes of population change. Difference
between the birth rate and the death rate of a country is called the natural growth
rate. The population increase in the world is mainly due to a rapid increase in
natural growth rate.
Another cause for population size change- Migration. People may move within a
country or between countries. Emigrants are people who leave a country;
Immigrants are those who arrive in a country. Countries like the United States of
America and Australia have gained in-numbers by in-migration or immigration.
Sudan is an example of a country that has experienced a loss in population
numbers due to out-migration or emigration.
The general trend of international migrations is from the less developed nations
to the more developed nations in search of better employment opportunities.
Within countries, a large number of people may move from the rural to urban
areas in search of employment, education and health facilities.

Patterns of Population Change

Rates of population growth vary across the world- Even if, the world’s total
population is rising rapidly, not all countries are experiencing this growth. Kenya
has a high population growth rate, as well as high birth rates and death rates.
With improving health care, death rates have reduced, but birth rates still remain
high leading to high growth rates. In other countries like the United Kingdom,
population growth is slowing because of both low death and low birth rates.

Population Composition
Economic development has little to do with how crowded a place is. Bangladesh
and Japan-densely populated. But, Japan is more economically developed than
Bangladesh. People vary in age, sex, literacy level, health condition, occupation
and income level. Population composition refers to the structure of the
population.
The composition of the population helps to know- the number of males or
females, age group they belong to, how educated they are and what type of
occupations they are employed in, what their income levels and health conditions
are. People can study the population composition of a country by looking at the
population pyramid or the age-sex pyramid.
A population pyramid shows
• The total population divided into various age groups, e.g., 5 to 9 years, 10 to 14
years.
• The percentage of the total population, subdivided into males and females, in
each of those groups.

The numbers of children (below 15 years) are shown at the bottom and reflect the
level of births. The size of the top shows the numbers of aged people (above 65
years) and reflects the number of deaths. The population pyramid also tells us
how many dependents there are in a country. There are two groups of
dependents — young dependents (aged below 15 years) and elderly dependents
(aged over 65 years). Those of the working-age are economically active.
The population pyramid of Kenya

The population pyramid shown above for Kenya has birth and death rates both
high, hence it is broad at the base and rapidly narrows towards the top. This is
because although many children are born, a large percentage of them die in their
infancy, relatively few become adults and there are very few old people.
Population Pyramid of India

In countries like India where death rates (especially amongst the very young) are
decreasing, the pyramid is broad in the younger age groups, because more
infants survive to adulthood. This can be seen in the pyramid above for India.
Such populations contain a relatively large number of young people and which
means a strong and expanding labour force.
In countries like Japan, low birth rates make the pyramid narrow at the base.
Decreased death rates allow numbers of people to reach old age. Skilled, spirited
and hopeful young people endowed with a positive outlook are the future of any
nation.