Class 12 Geography – Chapter 7: Tertiary and Quaternary Activities
1. What are tertiary activities?
Answer:
Tertiary activities provide services instead of goods. These include trade, transport, communication, banking, insurance, tourism, and education—supporting production and improving quality of life.
2. How are tertiary activities different from primary and secondary activities?
Answer:
Unlike primary (resource extraction) and secondary (manufacturing), tertiary activities focus on providing services like information, support, and communication that connect and enhance all sectors.
3. What are the major types of tertiary activities?
Answer:
They include:
- Transport & Communication
- Trade & Commerce
- Tourism & Hospitality
- Banking & Insurance
- Education & Healthcare
4. What is the significance of transport?
Answer:
Transport connects production with consumption. It facilitates movement of goods, people, and ideas, supporting economic integration and regional development.
5. Name different types of transport.
Answer:
- Land transport: road, rail, pipeline
- Water transport: inland, ocean
- Air transport: domestic, international
- Pipeline transport: oil, gas, water
6. How does communication aid development?
Answer:
Modern communication like internet, mobile, and satellite links improve information flow, governance, trade, and disaster response, making societies more connected and efficient.
7. What is trade?
Answer:
Trade is the exchange of goods and services. It may be local, national, or international. It drives economic growth, employment, and global interdependence.
8. Differentiate between retail and wholesale trade.
Answer:
Retail involves selling directly to consumers in small quantities. Wholesale sells in bulk to retailers or other businesses, acting as an intermediary in the supply chain.
9. What is the role of services in a country’s economy?
Answer:
Services contribute to GDP, create employment, raise living standards, and support all sectors. In developed nations, the service sector dominates the economy.
10. Define quaternary activities.
Answer:
Quaternary activities involve knowledge-based services like IT, research, consultancy, and education. They require skilled professionals and focus on intellectual output and innovation.
11. What is the importance of the IT sector?
Answer:
It promotes global connectivity, automates processes, supports industries, and creates high-paying jobs. It has transformed business, education, and communication globally.
12. What are quinary activities?
Answer:
They are high-level decision-making roles like top executives, policymakers, and researchers. These individuals shape governance, economy, and society using specialized knowledge.
13. How do quaternary and quinary activities support economic growth?
Answer:
They boost innovation, planning, and efficient management—enhancing productivity across sectors and creating knowledge-driven economies.
14. Why is tourism considered a tertiary activity?
Answer:
Tourism provides services like lodging, transport, and recreation. It supports local economies, promotes culture, and creates employment, making it a vital service industry.
15. What factors influence the growth of tourism?
Answer:
Scenery, climate, infrastructure, culture, historical sites, safety, and affordability influence tourism. Marketing and digital platforms also boost its development.
16. How does banking help in economic activities?
Answer:
Banks offer credit, investment, savings, and payment systems—enabling businesses to grow and consumers to spend, driving economic activity.
17. What is digital divide in the service sector?
Answer:
It refers to unequal access to digital technology. Urban areas benefit more, while rural regions may lag due to lack of infrastructure and education.
18. How do services vary between developed and developing countries?
Answer:
Developed countries focus on advanced services (IT, finance), while developing ones often rely on basic services like retail, transport, and tourism for growth.
19. What is outsourcing?
Answer:
Outsourcing involves contracting services like IT, customer support, and manufacturing to external firms—often in other countries for cost efficiency.
20. Why is service sector growing rapidly?
Answer:
Due to globalization, urbanization, rising income, and technological advancements, services are in high demand and are key drivers of modern economies.