overpopulation in bangladesh
Resulted in:
overcrowding
traffic congestion in cities like Dhaka
air pollution because of gas from vehicles
shortage of food
water pollution
deforestation for firewood
underpopulation in canada
Resulted in:
the carrying capacity is much higher than the current population
35 million people in Canada
Labour shortage: 32% of Canadian employers are encountering difficulties in hiring workers due to a lack of applicants
Services close down as there are not enough customers.
Less innovation and development
Difficulties in defending the country
Solutions:
relaxing immigrant policies and visa requirements to encourage migration
Pro-natal government support to increase the birth rate eg. subsidies and parental leave programmes
allow pensioners to continue working
China: One Family One Child Policy 1979
1.3 billion people in 2014
China became overpopulated since because of:
social/cultural desire to have a son
economical bonus: men could work in the field
children considered to be social security
previously poor medical infrastructure- high infant mortality rate
Encouragements to limit to one child:
5-10% bonus
free education and health care
free contraceptions
preferential housing
preferential employment
Penalties:
fines
salary reduced
no free access to health care
forced abortion
Exceptions:
rural areas
if multiple births at once(twins, triplets)
if child had disability
if child died
Positive consequences of the policy:
better education and skilled workforce
lower urban poverty
fertility reduced to 1.7
Germany: Pro-natal population policy in 2012
Encouragement to have more children:
paid maternity leave and parental leave
tax breaks to tax payers that have children
eliminating fees for kindergarden
free schooling
encouraging immigration
japan densely populated
a population of around 130 million (2015), and a population density of 336 people per km² (2015)
Sparsely populated rural areas: very few people live on the mountainous slopes in the centre of Honshu island and the south of Shikoku island, because of:
Lack of flat land for cultivation
Thin, infertile and acidic soils
Extreme climate: long cold winters with heavy snow
Remoteness and isolation: transport and communication are difficult
Few jobs available (only in forestry/ primary sector)
Densely populated rural areas: many people live on the flat valleys and gentle slopes of Honshu and Kyushu islands because they:
provide fertile land for cultivation and thus, have attracted many farmers
attract commuters who work in the cities through the high standard of living and services such as out-of-town shopping malls and sports facilities
Densely populated urban areas: many people live in towns and cities along the coast, especially on Honshu island, in the conurbation of Tokyo, cause of:
flat land with mild winters
good service provision like universities and technologically advanced hospitals and health facilities
good transport facilities such as the Port of Tokyo to facilitate the import of raw materials and the export of manufactured goods
canada sparsely populated
With a population of around 35 million (2015), and a population density of 3.87 people per km²
Canada is sparsely populated due to the following reasons:
many mountainous areas
permafrost in the Northern areas so land is too cold for agriculture
snow and ice make transport difficult, especially in less developed areas
Russia: Population decline
Russia has a population growth rate of -0.3%. This has been caused by factors like:
high death rate of 13 deaths per 1000
low fertility rate of 1.6 children per woman
high rates of abortion
low levels of immigration
Problems of population decline:
underuse of health facilities, resulting in rising costs
education cannot be sustained in all areas (particularly sparsely populated)
resources not fully exploited, leading to lower GDP
lack of workers may result in economic recession
Solutions:
pro-natal population policies
development of tertiary sector to prevent lack of workers
Uganda: High population growth rate
Uganda has a population growth rate of more than 3% due to its high birth rate of 44 births per 1000 people per year. This has been caused by factors such as:
low socio-economic status of women
low educational levels
early marriage
low use of contraception due to limited access and poverty
political statements encouraging more babies as some areas in Uganda have a low population density
Problems of high population growth:
Health sector faces human and infrastructural shortages
Primary education could not be sustained in all areas
Insufficient employment opportunities, especially for poorly educated
Threatens agricultural modernisation as population pressure increases deforestation, soil erosion and land degration
Pressure on resources, especially in urban areas
Solutions to reduce population growth:
Widespread availability of contraception
Universal access to education, jobs and health care and female emancipation
Growth with equity/sustainable development
Uganda: Youthful population
In 2014, 48.7% of Uganda’s population were young dependents under the age of 15.
Causes:
high fertility rate and high birth rate
high infant mortality rate encourages more births
children considered social and economic asset
high death rate increases the percentage of young dependents
Benefits:
few old dependents that have to be supported
possibly a large workforce in future
Problems:
Overpopulation if growth is not regulated, resulting in overcrowding, construction of shanty towns, lower standard of life, increased pollution, depletion of resources and food shortages ,as wells as future unemployment
Stress on tax payers to support young dependents and finance development of necessary infrastructure
United Kingdom: Ageing population
The percentage of elderly dependents (+65 years) has increased by 3% from 15% in 1980 to 18% in 2014.
Benefits:
Elderly people can share skills and knowledge to train the younger generation
Elderly people promote the development of health care, specialised facilities, other facilities desired by elderly
Elderly continue to pass on traditions and culture.
Problems:
strain on the working population
higher taxation is required to support the pensions of the elderly and to fund services such as health care and specialised homes.
Government-funded pensions may have to shrink to cover everybody, leaving many people with less to spend
services for younger people, such as schools, are underused. As a result, some people may be left unemployed.
not enough economically active people, causing a lack of workforce and making it harder to defend the country.
Syria to Germany: International Refugee Migration
13 million Syrians are escaping the war. 800,000 of which have come to Germany so far.
Many are fleeing from bombings and shootings that have destroyed their houses and killed family members. refugees are attempting to avoid political persecution, as the goverment has arrested and tortured civilians who they think could be working against them. Others are emigrating to prevent being abused.
Many seek asylum in Germany, because the country provides economic stability as the current unemployment rate is low, and many sectors will be looking for suitable workers as Germany’s population continues to age. Besides, Germany is perceived as a country that protects and promotes human rights, offering food, shelter and language courses to refugees.
Rural Settlement (LEDC): Korodegaga village
Korodegaga village – near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia – consists of nine small hamlets with 1400 people in total.
The area was first settled in th 20th century because of:
water supply from two rivers
flat, fertile soil for cultivation
extensive forests for building and firewood
Services provided include: a grain mill, mosques and schools. Villagers walk to the neighbouring towns of Dera and Bofa to access a local market and shops.
Rural settlement (MEDC): Hötzum, Lower Saxony, Germany
Hötzum has a population of around 900 people. Its function is mainly residential, with most people working in the nearby cities
The area was first known to be settled by farmers in the 11th century and by the 18th century, the village had 4 arable farms, a shepherd and 6 horsefarms.
The area was initially settled because of:
water supply from the Hötzumerbach and the Feuergraben
flat, fertile land for arable and pastoral farming
extensive forests which provided many logfelling opportunities
Currently there are very few services available (only a church, a community hall, a sports field and a volunteer fire brigade), but villagers can access the neighbouring village for basic services
Urban settlement: New York
Site and situation:
at a sheltered, natural harbour formed by Hudson river
Hudson river allowed for transport and communication
rocky ridge on Island of Manhatten allowed for easy defence
CBD’s:
Downtown Manhatten: Wall Street (finance district of New York)
Midtown Manhatten: tourist district, including Fifth Avenue (shopping), Broadway (theatre), hotels, Empire State Building, Chrysler and United Nations Buildings
Urban problems:
Urban sprawl - due to population growth, relocation of businesses to suburbs for cheaper land and better accessibility
Poverty and unemployment: around 1 million citizens receive welfare support due to unemployment and poor education
Urban decay and housing problems
Racial conflicts due to a large number of immigrants that become trapped in poverty
Air pollution as there are too many cars that release toxic exhaust fumes
Traffic congestion as there are too many vehicles on the road
Water pollution from oil spills
Solution :
Reduction in air pollution by using hybrid cars
Reducing energy consumption by using more efficient street light and traffic lights, using renewable energy sources to power homes and public buildings
Waste management plan
Squatter settlement in Rio de Janiero
population of 6 million people
1 million people- living in the slums called favelas due to the extremely uneven distribution of wealth.
There are many problems for the shanty town inhabitants:
Landslides: flat land in Rio de Janiero is inhabited by wealthier communties, most favelas are constructed on the mountainous slopes, where landslides are a common occurence
Housing is made from scrap material which is vulnerable to flooding
No clean water supply can lead to diseases
Sanitation is undeveloped or non-existent, This allows disease to spread
No proper electricity supply leads to dangerous tapping of electricity from the city’s power net
Illegal activities and high crime rates due to many drug dealers, gangs and murderers
Slum upgrading strategies include :
Increasing property rights
Improving access to electricity and clean drinking water
reduce likelihood of crime and improve education: toyguns can be exchanged for comic books
Volcano: Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland, 2010
a stratovolcano in Iceland, located approximately 125 km SE of the capital
when:
Lava eruptions in March 2010 were followed by an explosive eruption on April 14th 2010.
what happened:
lava damaged many homes and roads and services were disrupted due to evacuation measures.
Flooding was caused as glacial ice melted and torrents of water were flowing down the slopes of the land. Also, ash covered large plots of agricultural land, damaging the crops.
The massive ash cloud blocked air traffic in large parts of Europe for several days, leaving tourists and business people stranded at their destinations.
Responses:
included an emergency evacuation of more than 800 people. Longterm responses are the reconstruction of damages houses and roads and research on the effect of ash on air planes.
Earthquake: Haiti, 2010
12th of January 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti
Stress building up along the conservative margin between the North American Plate and the Carribean plate was released. The major earthquake was followed by several aftershocks up to a magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale.
resulted:
approximately 230,000 deaths, destruction of 180,000 homes and around 5,000 schools, many services were badly disrupted or destroyed. A major secondary effect was widespread chlora due to polluted drinking water.
widespread poverty that left more than 80% of the population in poorly constructed, high density concrete buildings.
Lack of stable goverment and medical infrastructure limited search and rescue efforts.
Responses:
Short-term responses to the earthquake included search and rescue efforts, as well as the the import of food, water and shelter from the USA and Dominican Republic.
Longterm responses included reparation of the damaged buildings. Besides, migration was common as people moved away to stay with their families. Also, people received cash or food in exchange for public reconstruction work and the World Bank pledged $US100m to support the reconstruction and recovery.
Tropical storm: Katrina, 2005
How did Katrina form?
Katrina was created from the interaction of the remains of a tropical depression of the Bahamas with a storm wave. The storm drifted towards Florida and intensified as it passed over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Katrina intensified before making landfall in Florida and was a Hurricane 3 upon reaching the Mississippi Delta.
Impacts
Levees failed to resist the force of the waves, causing 80% of New Orleans to become flooded
More than 1000 people lost their lives
Half a million houses were damaged in the Gulf Coast region
Services in New Orleans were badly disrupted: no electricity, gas and sewage system for 6 months after the event
Responses
$ 10.5 billion of immediate financial aid for the victims
The Red Cross had brought 74,000 volunteers who provided shelter to 160,000 evacuees
International aid from over 50 countries
Rebuilding levees destroyed by Katrina
Coastal problems and opportunities: Wadden Sea Islands
The Wadden Sea provides a large diversity of fish species and other seafood animals, making fishery an important industry for the local communities. Besides, tourism is well established in the area, with around 800,000 visitors annually.
the area is threatened by storm tides, which may cause floods that damage the unique ecosystem. Furthermore, the continuous eastward shift of the islands has eroded endangering settlements such as which may submerge in future.
Coastal management strategies to protect the islands include dune grass planting and dune fencing. The newly planted grass traps and hold sand thereby reducing coastal erosion and encouraging the formation of new dunes. This makes the islands less vulnerable against erosion from storm surges.
Coral reef: Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier reef is located where water temperatures are above 20°C. The reef grows in shallow areas in the Coral sea, off the Australian coast It grows in clear water that is free of sediment so sunlight can pass through.
Threats:
global warming, which increases coral bleaching.
declining water quality cause of agricultural run-off from the rivers pollutes the ecosystem.
overfishing destroys food chains.
Tourists may destroy parts of the reef when they go diving or reef-walking.
Management strategies:
The Australian government has made the Great Barrier reef a protected area by declaring it a marine park.
The GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) is the ogranisation who looks after the reef and protects it from human threats while allowing sustainable development to take place.
The Marine Park Authority gives out permits for fishing, diving and more and has boats patrol the area to prevent illegal activity.
Tourists are educated about how their trip affects the reef and they are not allowed in certain areas.
fines of up to US$ 1 million can be forced on companies that pollute the fragile ecosystem.
Pollution in the North Sea
The North Sea is polluted by oil spillages in rivers
oil clogs up the gills of fish, casuing them to die.
Spillages also pollute the beaches along the British coast which reduces the number of tourists.
pollution occurs through the disposal of untreated sewage from large urban areas such as Rotterdam, possessing a human health risk .
pollutants from industrial waste may be washed into the sea.
Water supply: Colorado River Basin
Colorado river originates from the Rocky Mountains, passing through 7 states before reaching Mexico.
It is estimated that 40 million people rely on water from the 2,300 km long stream for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes.
Many dams and canals have been built to control this extreme demand
In 1922, the Colorado River Compact was introduced to divide the water supply between the states of the Upper and Lower Basin of the river, with each group being allocated 9.25 trillion litres of water each year
problems over the river’s resources have arisen, because:
River was commited to deliver 20.35 trillion litres per year, but only brought about 17.25 trillion litres anually
Evaporation from lakes has remove 2.5 trillion litres, and even less during periods of drought
Demand for water has increased, due to population growth and more irrigation for farmland.
Environmental problems:
Alluvium becomes trapped behind dams damaging the delta and wetland ecosystem at the mouth of the Colorado river
Salinity has increased in the lower basin, altering the ecosystem
Reduction in the population of fish, shrimps and sea mammals
Resource management strategies:
Reducing leakage from broken pipes
Domestic conservation
Improving irrigation or growing crops with a lower demand for water
Extraction water from ground water supplies
Desalinisation of water from the Pacific ocean
China: Three Gorges Dam
located on the Yangtse River in China. It is approximately 180 m high and 2.3 km wide and has taken almost 17 years to construct.
dam has protected 10 million people from flooding
32 generators provide energy for 60 million people (each generagtor produces as much energy as a small nuclear powerplant), enabling China to reduce its dependency on coal.
dam has created many jobs.
consequences:
dam meant that 1 million people had to be moved to accomodate the reservoir and power stations.
interferes with aquatic life, being a major threat to the White Flag Dolphin, which is already at risk from extinction.
large masses of silt transported by the Yangtse deposit behind the dam, which reduces the storage capacity of the reservoir.
dam lies on a fault line and could be badly affected by an earthquake.
2011 East African Drought
Cause:
The 2011 drought in Ethiopia,Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia was caused by the La Nina phenomenon, an ocean current in the Pacific which increased the intensity of westerly winds in the Indian ocean, pulling moisture away from East Africa and towards Australia and Indonesia.
Effects:
Most crops failed and 60% of cattle perished due to a lack of water
Severe food crisis: lots of people suffer from starvation or malnourishment
Thousands fled to refugee camps in hope of food aid from other countries, but many people died of starvation or disease en route
India: Thar Desert, Rajastan
Climate:
The Thar Desert is dry as hot air rises at the equator and cools. The moistureholding capacity decreases; it rains. As the air moves away from the equator it cools and sinks at the tropics where the desert is located. The sinking air warms up and its moisture-holding capacity increases, so the area is very dry. With the low humidity, there are few clouds to reflect the sunlight and as there is no evaporative cooling, most of the sunlight warms the ground surface, creating hot temperatures.
Vegetation:
Low precipitation and temperatures of up to 53°C result in scattered vegetation that has adapted to the extreme conditions.
Ber tree has a rapidly developing taproot system to survive in drought conditions.
desert is home to thorny bushes and shrubs. These have spiky leaves to reduce rates of evapotranspiration. Xerophilious grass has a small surface area to reduce water loss.
Threats:
threatened by excessive irrigation which leads to salinization. Therefore plants can not take up water from th soil, as the soil has greater concentrations of solute than the roots.
Soil quality is also decreasing as manure is used as an alternative fuel for firewood rather than to sustain nutrient-rich, fertile soils.
population pressure results in overcultivation and overgrazing damaging the natural vegetation. The desert environment is also threatened by tourist attractions such as dune bashing. kills vegetation and creates dust stroms. Also, tourists may dump waste in the desert, poisoning flora and fauna.
Tropical Rainforest in Borneo
While 94 % of the island’s land was covered by forest in 1950, less than half of it remains today (44.5% in 2010).
The rainforest has been cleared for the following reasons:
to boost Malaysia’s economy by exporting timber for furniture and paper production
population pressure: Indonesia’s transmigration programme caused people to move from overcrowded islands as Java to relatively sparsely populated areas as Kalimantan
to build palm oil plantations
coal mining in Kalimantan
Effects of clearance:
atmospheric pollution – burning of forest releases masses of ash and smoke
global warming due to the release of Co2 from burning forests
loss of biodiversity: loss of plant species through deforestation
destruction of habitat: some species are unprotected due to lower forest cover
loss of soil fertiliy: soil degration due to soil erosion and leaching
Management strategies:
Afforestation/reforestation and selective logging
Promoting rainforests as destinations for ecotourism, enabling the undisturbed environment to create a source of income for local people without it being damaged or destroyed
World-wide initiatives including debt-for-nature swaps: debt relief for retaining rainforests
Tourism in Lanzarote
With more than 2 million visitors annually, tourism represents the major pillar of Lanzarote’s economy
Main attractions:
Climate: average water temperature of 20°C, and average air temperature of 21°C, very little rainfall and 8.5 hours of sunshine each day
Numerous luxury and package hotels on beaches eg. Playa Blanca
Jameos del Agua: an underground lagoon in a lava tube
Timanfaya National Park
El Golfo: an emerald green lake situated at the base of a crater on the west coast of the island
Cueva de los Verdes
Cactus Garden
Benefits:
package holidays have created a source of income to promote the development of basic infrastructures, such as the extension of the airport runway to allow for international flights
Employment opportunities in tourist industries eg. hotels, gastronomy, transport, tour guides
Disadvantages:
Import leakage to fulfil tourist demands such as food, because only few types of vegetation can thrive on Lanzarote’s arid, volcanic soils
Ecotourism in Belize
With 245 000 tourists annually, in 2007, over 25% of all jobs were in tourism, which made up over 18% of Belize’s GDP.
Primary and secondary attractions:
Mangrove swamps
Wetlands
Savannah
Mountain pine forests and tropical rainforests
Coral reef
Archaeological sites eg. Mayan civilization
Wildlife reserves
How tourist demands are managed:
Belize Tourist board, Ministry of Tourism and private sector
Problems/Threats:
Waste dumping and financial leakage due to cruise tourism
Overfishing
Coral damage and eutrophication
Aims:
conserve site of barrier reef
increase knowledge of country’s ecosystems through training programmes
reduce concentration of tourists in specific areas
support planning and development of a buffer zone
stricter regulations on cruise ships to reduce waste dumping
persuade cruise tourists to spend more time on land
Global warming management: Maldives
Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, 1,5 m above sea level on average, with 80% percent of the land below 1m.
crisis:
Global warming is a threat to the Maldives, as an increase in temperatures leads to the melting of icebergs, causing sea level rise that may submerge the island group.
Management:
Government has built a 3m high sea wall that surrounds the island to protect it from flooding and preserve its beaches.
Maldives plan to be a carbon neutral country by 2019. they try to avoid adding Co2 to the atmosphere, as carbon dioxide is considered to be responsible for global warming. This should be accomplished by encouraging the development of solar and wind energy.
Fuelwood in Mali:
in Mali , large amounts of fuelwood are used for cooking and heating, especially in rural areas, where electricity networks have not been developed.
Problems:
For local people: The large-scale deforestation that is required to supply for sufficient energy is problematic, as this energy source is likely to run out if not enough trees will be planted. Besides, deforestation requires people to travel farther to collect enough fuelwood. Deforestation also exposes the soil so soil erosion is likely to occur. Furthermore, the burning of fuelwood releases toxic gases which may be trapped in the houses, causing breathing problems or even carbon monoxide poisoning.
Environmental: The widespread deforestation has reduced the humidity of the already dry region, as less plants release water by evapotranspiration. Also, less roots are anchored in the soil, so the soil is more likely to be eroded. soil salinization is increased, as the cut-down trees no longer provide shade for the soil and the hot temperatures-caused draw water out of the soil. the natural vegetation will be less likely to grow, and crop cultivation may be hampered.
Geothermal energy in Iceland:
Iceland is located along the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a divergent boundary where heat from the core of the Earth rises to the surface. The energy produced from this heat equates to around 30% of Iceland’s electricity production.
How it works: Cold water is pumped down to the igneous rock layers, where it is heated by contact with the hot rocks. The hot water is then piped up and the heat energy is converted to electricity.
Positive aspects:
emission-free
sustainable and potentially infinite
3/4 of the population live near geothermal sources
Negative aspects:
high cost
obstruction that consumes land
visual pollution
regional limitations
may release dangerous underground gases
Solar power in India
India is suitable for solar power due its large mass of land and its tropical location.
Advantages of solar power:
safe and pollution-free
great potential in rural areas that are isolated from the national electricity grids
can be used effectively for low power uses as central heating
Disadvantages of solar power
ineffective in high latitude countries and cloudy areas
high initial capital input
less effective for high output uses
Future plans:
establishing an airport that relies solely on solar power
developing 50 solar cities
creating world’s largest solar power station
Wind energy in Germany
Around 9% of the energy produced in Germany comes from wind turbines located both on shore and off-shore (in the North Sea and Baltic Sea).
Wind farms have been built in Germany starting from the 1990s, when awareness of Co2 as a contributing factor to global warming increased.
government encouraged the production of onshore wind energy, as technical challenges prevented off-shore farms. The onshore farms were recognised as a cheap form of renewable energy, which does not contribute to air pollution, global warming or acid rain.
Problem:
people did not want to live near wind farms, as these were considered a form of visual pollution.
This issue was resolved by the development of off-shore farms, which are also more productive as there is more wind out at sea. However, the required network capacities for transmitting the power generated in the North Sea to the large industrial consumers in southern Germany have not yet been constructed.
Energy Supply in China
China sources of its energy from non-renewable sources, with coal-powered plants accounting for roughly 65% of the country’s energy supply in 2020. Renewable sources accounted for another 30% of the country’s energy mix. In China, hydropower is the most-widespread source of renewable energy, and the country has many dams. Wind, nuclear energy and solar power are also becoming more important as the country aims to change to cleaner and more efficient energy sources.
Plantation: Rubber farming in Malaysia
Plantation- farms producing one type of crop
Inputs:
tropical climate (21-28°C, around 2000mm rainfall)
Chinese and Indian labour imported to increase labour force
nevea tree
location: lower mountain slopes ; near railway lines and main port
Process:
Planting in germination beds
Tapping 5-7 years after planting to collect latex
Latex is coagulated using acid
Raw rubber washed and rolled to remove acid ad moisture
Rubber is dried and smoked for stabilisation
Outputs:
Rubber
Extensive commercial farming: Canadian prairies
Extensive farming in the Canadian Prairies because of:
deep, fertile soils
large expanse of flat land (nearly 2 million square kilometres) to grow wide variety of cereals in the province of Alberta
able to use large machinery for harvesting
below zero temperatures in winter break up soil to allow ease of ploughing
good railway link to Great Lakes allowing export of cereal crops
Human inputs:
reliance on machinery for ploughing, planting, spraying the crop and harvesting. A large proportion of expenditure goes toward machinery, chemicals and other equipment. Most of the work can be handled by just a few workers using machines such as combine harvesters and harrows. One or two extra helpers may be hired during planting or harvest time.
Intensive farming: Rice cultivation in Ganges Valley
Inputs:
Rice seeds
Alluvial (silt) soils
Large labour force
Temperatures: >21°C
Monsoon rainfall and dry spells
Water buffaloes for ploughing
Processes:
Ploughing
Planting
Harvesting
Threshing
Weeding
Outputs:
Rice
Rice seeds
Bufallo manure for fertilising
Problems:
Weather conditions such as flooding or drought may threaten rice yields
Monopoly of land: best farmland is owned by few wealthy people, other land owners struggle to cultivate rice in more difficult conditions, especially as they do not have the technology to increase soil fertility
Little use of machinery and modern methods
Food shortages: Overpopulation results in overcultivation on flood plains, leading to soil exhaustion and lower yields
Pastoral farming in New Zealand
Sheep farming inputs:
Sheep were brought to New Zealand in the 1800s by British sailors. Initially, the sheep had few natural enemies, so their numbers increased rapidly.
The sheep are also well adapted to the mild climate and the rich pasture, particularly on the mountainous slopes of South Island.
Processes:
Feeding
Shearing to obtain wool
Milking
Sheep farming outputs:
Meat: beaf and veel
Wool
Milk
Sheep manure for fertilizing
Dairy farming inputs:
Cow breeds
Mild climate with high rates of precipitation
Alluvial and volcanic soils on the flat planes of New Zealand
Special facilities including water troughs, fencing, milking machines and cowshed
Labour
Dairy farming processes:
Grazing
Milking
Drenching
Calving
Dairy farming outputs:
Milk
Calves
Meat
Subsistence farming in Lesotho
Lesotho is a landlocked country that borders South Africa. It relies heavily on subsistence farming, with an estimated 86% of the country’s population growing their own crops and maintaining livestock.
Subsistence farming is common in the lowlands where the terrain is flat and thus suited for the cultivation of crops. In mountainous areas, many farmers also raise livestock to compensate for the lower yields from cultivation on mountain slopes.
subsistence farmers in vast parts of Lesotho raise livestock, which can be sold during drought years when crop yields are low. This provides food security for the farmer’s family.
Food shortages in South Sudan
In South Sudan, nearly 4 million people are severely affected by food shortages.
Causes:
Drought: Long-term decline in rainfall in southern Sudan (by 20% since 1970s)
High population growth (4% in 2013) increases demand for food, so unsustainable farming practices such as overgrazing and overcultivation are used, resulting in land degradation and soil erosion
Reliance on food imports from neighbouring countries: Uganda, Kenya and Sudan
Civil war between government and rebel forces disrupts planting and harvesting
Water supply in Puglia, Italy
Puglia is one of the most water-scarce regions in Italy, and has very few fresh streams or natural rivers. Its aquifers are vulnerable to contamination by seawater, and so the area’s inhabitants built a large aqueduct to tap into the fresh drinking water from an underground spring in the Campania region, located more than 160 km away.
cities in the Puglia region (such as Bari) still receive some of their water for domestic use from this original aqueduct. However, precipitation in the Campania region has become less frequent in recent years, and so less water is draining into the aquifer that feeds the acqueduct.
Puglia also gets around 250 million cubic meters of water every year from the neighboring region of Basilicata. The local authorities have even considered piping water in across the Adriatic Sea from Albania, to help the region cope with supply shortages.
Soil erosion in Nepal
25% of Nepalese forest was removed between 1990 and 2005 and this trend continues at a rate of 3% per year.
Causes of land degradation in Nepal:
Deforestation for fuelwood exposes soil to heavy monsoon rainfalls as there will be less vegetation to protect it, causing it to be washed away by extreme surface runoff. Besides, soil is not held together by tree roots, so it can be eroded by icewater runoff from melting glaciers.
Soil dries out in areas of low rainfall and strong winds can then remove the loose particles
Agricultural mismanagemnet: poor farming practises such as overcultivation and overgrazing (which deplete the soil’s nutrients) damage the ground vegetation
Soil pollution through excessive use of pesticides and herbicides
Solutions:
Crop rotation prevents depletion of nutrients and replenishes soil fertility
Contour ploughing rather than ploughing up and down the slopes to prevent rapid run-off
Fuelwood conservation: replacing trees where deforestation has taken place or is going to occur
Environmental education: restrict tourist visits and demand larger fee for use of heating and cooking facilities; environmental education in schools
High technology industry: Cambridge Science Park
Cambridge Science Park is a Europe’s largest centre for commercial research and development. It is located near Cambridge in the United Kindom, as Cambridge University provides a large supply of expert labour and allows for the sharing of technology. Besides, a large plot of land (152 acres/61.5 hectares) had been available for a low cost, as the facility is located outside of the urban area around London. Nevertheless, good transport facilities exist, including the M11 motorway link to London for the export of finished products and London Stansted International Airport which allows for worldwide trade.
Manufacturing industry: Pakistan’s Iron and Steel Industry
Location:
flat, cheap land available at Pipri, near Gharo Creek
near Port Qasim, which has a natural harbour to import raw materials and export steel
close to market: steel-using industries in Karachi, such as tool making
energy source from Pipri thermal power station and Karachi nuclear power station
availability of cheap labour from Karachi
along a railway: Karachi-Pipri-Kotri and metalled roads
economic assistance from USSR: technical expertise and capital
water required for making steel brought from Lake Haleji
Inputs:
iron ore
coke
limestone
scrap iron
Processes:
heating of ore to separate iron
burning coke
rolling into sheets and cutting into lenghts
Outputs:
cast iron and pig iron
slag
gases: sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrogen sulfide
Problems:
noise pollution from machinery disturbs wildlife
visual pollution due to large, ugly factory buildings
air pollution from burning iron ore, which releases carbon dioxide
water pollution from contaminated cooling water, ships supplying raw materials
depletion of freshwater supplies due to excessive requirement of water in production
risk of fire and explosions
MNC: MC Donald’s
MC Donald’s is a company at the forefront of globalisation, with more than 35,000 outlets in 121 countries world wide. Founded in the United States in 1940, the company began as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald. Mc Donald’s employes nearly 2 million people to sell fast food.
Benefits:
Each new store that is build creates jobs (eg. opening of Mc Donalds at Kennedybrücke in Vienna created 30 new jobs)
Mc Donalds is involved in youth sports, local charities, and other inspiring events by donating via its charities.
Disadvantages:
Salaries vary per country, and are generally low
Sometimes considered to have poor working conditions
Nike: A multinational company and its impact on less developed countries
Nike is a global sportswear company headquartered in Oregon in the United States. The company employs around 75.000 people around the world, with an additional 500.000 people working for companies to which Nike subcontracts most of its manufacturing in Eastern Asia.
Benefits for LEDCs:
Nike factories create new jobs in countries like China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, allowing poorer people to earn a wage. The standard of living for many people improves, increasing the ability to access food and quality housing.
Nike has invested in and promoted the development of transport infrastructure in the areas near the factories. Better roads make it easier for the population to get around, and this has a positive ripple effect on other economic activity.
Disadvantages:
Poor health and safety standards are a major threat to people employed in the factories.
Short-term contracts and payment below the national living wage also have a devastating impact on the local community. For example, in one Cambodian factory that produced apparel for Nike, several women collapsed after working 10 hour days, six days a week, and they reported feeling hungry and exhausted.
Natural resources such as oil are being overexploited, as they are required for manufacturing. This has a negative impact on the local environment.
Factories are often footloose. This means Nike could relocate to another less developed area if the local conditions or government policies are deemed unfavourable – with a devastating impact on employment and the local economy.