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Economic geography
Geography
Useful for: UPSC Civil Services, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, OSEPA Upper Primary — Arts, OSSC Geography, OSSSC Govt TGT Arts, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts
Overview
The syllabus asks for the distribution of key natural resources worldwide and the factors that locate primary, secondary and tertiary industries in India and the world.
Key points
- Oil reserves are concentrated in West Asia; coal is widely distributed (China, USA, India, Australia).
- Weber’s least-cost theory explains location by transport, labour and agglomeration.
- Iron and steel historically located near coal and iron ore (Ruhr, Jamshedpur).
- IT and services locate near skilled labour and connectivity (Bengaluru, Hyderabad).
- Industries shift with policy, costs and markets (e.g. textiles moving to lower-cost regions).
- The "resource curse" describes poor development despite resource wealth.
Explanation
- Footloose industries are not tied to raw materials.
- Special Economic Zones and industrial corridors influence location.
- Ports attract export industries.
- Renewable energy changes industrial location possibilities.
- Agglomeration creates clusters.
Step by step
- Identify the concept, law or fact asked.
- Recall the definition, formula, example or year.
- Apply it and eliminate mismatched options.
Examples
- Q: "Discuss factors for the location of the IT industry." → Labour, infrastructure, policy, agglomeration; examples.
- Q: "Why is the iron and steel industry located in eastern India?" → Raw materials, coal, transport; examples.
- Q: "Explain the resource curse with examples." → Concept; countries; avoiding it.
Traps and advanced points
- Trap: Only listing industries.
- Trap: Ignoring policy factors.
- Trap: No world examples.
Quick revision
- Weber least cost.
- Steel near raw materials; IT near talent.
- Resource curse.
Practice MCQs
From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Distribution of Resources & Industries is correct?
- Distribution of Resources & Industries has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
- Resource occurrence is controlled by geology, climate and ecosystems, while economic use depends on technology, price and infrastructure.
- Modern industry location is determined only by proximity to raw materials.
- Distribution of Resources & Industries is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
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Answer: (b) Resource occurrence is controlled by geology, climate and ecosystems, while economic use depends on technology, price and infrastructure.. Resource occurrence is controlled by geology, climate and ecosystems, while economic use depends on technology, price and infrastructure.
Consider the following statements on Distribution of Resources & Industries, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Resource occurrence is controlled by geology, climate and ecosystems, while economic use depends on technology, price and infrastructure. 2. Modern industry location is determined only by proximity to raw materials. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer: (a) 1 only. Statement 1 is correct; Statement 2 is a common misconception.
With reference to Distribution of Resources & Industries (definition and scope), consider the following statements: 1. UPSC answers should connect spatial distribution with economic, strategic and environmental consequences. 2. Industrial location reflects raw materials, energy, labour, capital, market, logistics, agglomeration and policy. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct.
The world’s largest oil reserves are concentrated in —
- Australia
- West Asia
- Europe
- South Asia
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Answer: (b) West Asia. Middle East.
Weber’s theory explains industrial location by least cost of transport, labour and —
- climate only
- religion
- language
- agglomeration
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Answer: (d) agglomeration. Least-cost theory.
Iron and steel plants historically located near —
- coal and iron ore
- ports only
- deserts
- forests
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Answer: (a) coal and iron ore. Raw materials are heavy.
Jamshedpur developed as a centre of —
- iron and steel
- IT
- tea
- textiles
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Answer: (a) iron and steel. Tata Steel.
IT industries locate mainly near —
- rivers only
- forests
- skilled labour and connectivity
- coal mines
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Answer: (c) skilled labour and connectivity. Bengaluru, Hyderabad.
The "resource curse" means —
- too few resources
- rich countries only
- a mining law
- poor development despite resource wealth
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Answer: (d) poor development despite resource wealth. Paradox of plenty.
The Ruhr region is famous for —
- cotton
- IT
- coal and steel
- tea
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Answer: (c) coal and steel. German industrial heartland.
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Notes and questions are written by Kundali IQ for practice. They are not official papers; always check the latest official notification for the syllabus and pattern.