Economic Geography

Farming Manufacturing

Service Technology

Economic Geography

• Economic Geography is the study of how people earn their living• How livelihood systems vary by

region• How economic activities are spatially

interrelated and linked

Factors Determining Economic Geography

1. Physical Environment: • What can be grown in a region• What minerals in the region2. Cultural Considerations:Culturally base food preference

Factors Determining Economic Geography

3. Technological Developments:Technology changed how a region produces

goods.4. Political Decisions:What governments think is important to grow or

produce.5. Economic Factors:Demand for goods

Categories of Economic Activities

• Primary Economic Activities: People that harvest or extract something from the Earth

• Secondary Economic Activities: The manufacturing or processing of materials

• Tertiary Economic Activities: Providing a service to or for someone else

• Quaternary Economic Activities: People working in activities that take more education and skills than in a tertiary activity.

Primary Economic Activity

• Working directly with the Earth. Examples are Farming, mining, herding, hunting and gathering and forestry

Agriculture

Subsistence Farming: growing just enough food to survive, not to sell

Commercial Farming: Large farms run for profit growing mostly one or two crops

Grazing/Livestock

Subsistence raising of livestock Commercial raising of

livestock

Mining and Forestry

Mining: Working directly with the Earth Resources

Forestry: Cutting down of trees for wood

Secondary Economic Activities

Manufacturing: Creating a product

Steel Processing: Using natural resources to create a product steel

Tertiary Economic Activity

Office workers: Provide a service in a business

Store clerk: Providing a service not producing a product

Quaternary Economic Activity

Computer Technician: A person with a degree in computers providing a service

Lawyers providing legal service

Developed countries:

Developed Countries have•Good educational systems• Access to good health care service•Manufacturing, service, technological industries in country•Most people live in cities•Few people work in agriculture•Access to modern telecommunication networks•Population growth rates low

Developing Countries:

Developing Countries have• Good educational system, but not available to all people • Countries becoming more industrialized, but with lower

wages• More people involved in agriculture• Access to good health care for most people• Most people live in cities• Access to modern telecommunication network for most

people.• A slowing down population growth rate

Less Developed Countries

Less Developed Countries have• Poor access to good health care• Limited access to good education• Little if any industry found in the country• Most people involved in agriculture• Limited access to modern telecommunication

network• High population growth rate

Economic Geography Questions1. What is the definition of economic geography?2. What do geographers study when studying

economic geography?3. Describe the factors determining economic

geography?4. Describe the 4 categories of Economic Activity

and give an example of each5. Describe the 3 categories of Economic

development? Give an example of a country that fits into each category

Economic Geography Questions

6. What is the difference between subsistence farming and commercial farming?