Hildebrant, Human Geography for the AP® Course 1e - Module 54

economic sectors

Groupings of industries based on what is produced and the activities of the workforce

primary sector

Industries that extract natural resources from the environment

secondary sector

Industries that process the raw materials extracted by primary industries, transforming them into finished, usable forms

tertiary sector

Industries that provide services to businesses and consumers, including all the different types of work necessary to transport and deliver goods and resources

quaternary sector

The portion of the economy dedicated to intellectual and informational services, such as scientific research and development

quinary sector

The portion of the economy where the highest-level management decisions are made in the areas of business, government, education, and science

base industry

An industry of disproportionate economic importance and on whose existence other industries and employment sectors depend

semi-periphery

Countries or regions whose economies have elements of both the core and the periphery

break-of-bulk point

A location where cargo is transferred from one mode of transportation to another

shipping containers

Standardized, stackable, intermodal metal boxes used to transport goods by ship, railroad, or truck

containerization

The system of intermodal freight transport using shipping containers

least-cost theory

Alfred Weber's theory that transportation costs and labor costs play a strong role in determining the location of manufacturing facilities