Class 12 Geography – Chapter 6: Secondary Activities
1. What are secondary activities?
Answer:
Secondary activities involve transforming raw materials into finished goods. They include manufacturing, construction, and processing industries like steel production, textile manufacturing, and food processing.
2. How are secondary activities classified?
Answer:
They are classified into:
- Small-scale vs. Large-scale
- Cottage industries
- Heavy vs. Light industries
- Basic vs. Consumer goods industries
3. What is the role of manufacturing in development?
Answer:
Manufacturing boosts economic growth, employment, exports, urbanization, and technology use—transforming economies from agriculture-based to industrial and service-based.
4. How are industries classified based on ownership?
Answer:
Industries are:
- Private: owned by individuals (e.g., Reliance)
- Public: owned by the government (e.g., SAIL)
- Joint: shared ownership
- Cooperative: run by worker groups
5. What is the importance of the iron and steel industry?
Answer:
It is the backbone of modern industry, supplying material to construction, automobiles, defense, and other sectors—essential for industrialization.
6. Name major factors influencing industrial location.
Answer:
Raw materials, power supply, water, labor, transport, capital, market proximity, and government policies determine where industries are set up.
7. What is an industrial region?
Answer:
It’s a geographical area with a concentration of industries, e.g., Ruhr (Germany), Mumbai-Pune (India), and Great Lakes (USA), usually due to favorable conditions.
8. Describe the Ruhr Industrial Region.
Answer:
Located in Germany, it developed around coal and iron resources. It’s a hub for steel, machinery, and chemicals but now transforming into a high-tech economy.
9. What is the role of technology in secondary activities?
Answer:
Technology improves production efficiency, quality, and innovation. It reduces labor dependence, raises competitiveness, and enables sustainable industrial practices.
10. How does globalization affect manufacturing?
Answer:
It increases competition, promotes foreign investment, relocates industries to low-cost areas, and encourages global trade, but may cause job losses in high-wage countries.
11. What is footloose industry?
Answer:
It doesn’t depend on raw material location. These industries (e.g., electronics, software) can operate anywhere with good connectivity and skilled labor.
12. Explain the textile industry’s role in India.
Answer:
As one of the oldest and largest industries, it supports exports, rural employment, and heritage. It includes handlooms, mills, and garment manufacturing.
13. What are high-tech industries?
Answer:
They use advanced tech and R&D. Found in urban areas, they include software, electronics, and biotech, often near universities or airports.
14. Why are industrial regions often located near cities?
Answer:
Cities provide infrastructure, skilled labor, market access, banking, and transport—all needed for efficient industrial operation and growth.
15. What are the environmental impacts of industries?
Answer:
Industries cause air and water pollution, deforestation, waste generation, and resource depletion—requiring regulation and sustainable practices to minimize harm.
16. What is the role of cottage industries?
Answer:
Small, labor-intensive industries using traditional methods. They support rural economies and preserve cultural crafts—e.g., pottery, handloom weaving, and embroidery.
17. How does industry promote urbanization?
Answer:
Industries attract workers, boost services, and lead to the growth of towns and cities around them—creating new urban centers.
18. Describe sustainable industrial practices.
Answer:
Using clean energy, recycling, reducing emissions, efficient technologies, and eco-friendly policies ensures that industries grow without harming future generations.
19. How can industrial pollution be controlled?
Answer:
By installing pollution control devices, following environmental laws, treating waste, using clean fuels, and encouraging green certification of industries.
20. What is the significance of the IT industry in modern economies?
Answer:
IT drives innovation, productivity, and globalization. It connects markets, supports automation, and provides high-income jobs, especially in countries like India, the USA, and Ireland.