Resources and Land Use
Natural Resources
Materials in the natural environment that people value and use to satisfy their needs.
Give some examples of natural resources you use on a daily basis.
Geographers Study:
1. The ways that people use world resources.
2. Where resources are located. 3. How resources are distributed. 4. How the use of resources affect the
earth.
Renewable Resources
Regenerated or replaced by the environment Soil Water Sun Wind
Renewable energy sources Water Power: energy from falling water to power
machines to generate electricity Geothermal Energy: produced from the earth’s
internal heat Solar Energy: produced from the sun’s radiation Wind Power: conversion of wind energy to
generate electricity
Nonrenewable Resource
Cannot be replaced once used Minerals Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) Iron, copper, aluminum, uranium, gold
Energy Sources
Fossil Fuels: formed by ancient plant and animal remains (over millions of years) Unevenly spread around the world Limited amount/Likely to run out Causes pollution/hurts the environment
Global Gas Prices
Netherlands $6.48 Norway $6.27 Italy $5.96 Denmark $5.93 Sweden $5.80 London $5.79 Germany $5.57 France $5.54 Saudi Arabia $0.91 Kuwait $0.78 Egypt $0.65 Nigeria $0.38 Venezuela $0.12
As of 2005
Cost of a Tank
Crude Oil + Refining Process
+ Retail Sales/Distribution + Taxes
= Gas Price
69%
6%
10%
15%
23.46
2.04
3.04
5.1
34.00
The earth’s resources are not evenly distributed around the world
Affects: where people live, economic activities, trade, etc.
How do you get what you want and need?
Economic Activities
Economic Activities: what people do in order to acquire the things they need and the luxuries they desire
4 categories Primary Secondary Tertiary Quaternary
Economic Activities
1. Primary Economic Activities: rely directly on natural resources Examples: fishing, forestry, mining, farming,
hunting/gathering, herding
Subsistence Farming VS Commercial Farming
Economic Activities
2. Secondary Economic Activities: people use raw materials to produce new products of greater value Examples: pressing wheat to make flour,
manufacturing
Cottage Industry VS Commercial Industry
Economic Activities
3. Tertiary Economic Activities: do not directly gather or process raw materials – instead they pursue activities that serve others Examples: doctors, salespeople, truck
drivers, firefighters, police
Economic Activities
4. Quaternary Economic Activities: acquisition, processing, and sharing of information Examples: education, government, information
processing, research, Lawyers
Global Trade Patterns
Exports: goods sent out of the country Imports: goods brought into the country
Governments attempt to maintain a balance
Deficit = domestic businesses lose profits/fail, unemployment rises, nation’s debt to other countries rises
Economic Systems
Traditional Economy – families produce what they need - (personal use/little trade)
Market Economy – (Free enterprise) – Capitalism Private individuals/groups decide what to produce, how much to produce, and at what price
Law of supply and demand
Economic Systems
Command Economy – controlled by a single, central government
Economic decisions made by government leaders (what and how much to produce at what price)
Decisions made to achieve social or political goals (Communism)
Economic Systems
Mixed Economy – mixture of all three
SocialismGovernment should run some
industriesGovernment should provide some
goods and servicesTo pay for services, usually impose
high taxes
Economic Development
Developed: Modern industrial societies High standard of living, higher education
levels, live longer Digital technologies, communications,
transportation
Economic Development
Underdeveloped: lower levels of prosperity
Lack adequate industries and modern technology
Depend on developed countries for manufactured goods
Economic Development
Developing: show evidence of political, economic, and social progress
One measure – per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Total value of goods and services produced in
a country in a year/total population
Quiz (18 points)
1. Why has the world’s population increased rapidly over time?
2. How is population density calculated? 3. List the 4 economic activities and give an
example of each. 4. List and describe 3 economic systems used
in the world. 5. What is wrong with having a deficit when it
comes to importing and exporting?