Economic geography of South Africa Flashcards
What are some characteristics of small-scale farmers?
operate on small land sizes
farm a variety of products
What leaves the poor undernourished?
food insecurity
What type of farming provides thousands of jobs for South Africans?
Dairy Farming
Why is maize of important to South Africa?
staple diet used in animal feed raw material for production of cooking oil, glucose and starch less seed per hectare than other cereals farming and processing provides employment foreign exchange support other industries indirectly provides employment in industry
What are some examples of primary economic activities?
farming fishing forestry hunting mining quarrying
What are IDZs?
zones of industrial development - close to harbours and airports
What are some are the factors that favoured the industrial development of the Durban-Pinetown area?
Durban is a port
Large skilled and unskilled source of labour
Agricultural raw materials are available for processing
Plentiful supply of water
flat coastal plain
relatively close to Gauteng
Easy access to Asian markets
Where are deciduous fruit mainly grown
Western Cape
What is sustainable agriculture?
when farms are able to produce food indefinitely without damaging natural resources and the ecosystem
What is beneficiation?
the processing of minerals which adds value and use to the raw material
What are some of South Africa’s rainfall patterns that hinder agriculture?
unreliable and inadequate rainfall in some parts of the country (often subject to drought)
Crop farming limited to wetter areas which forces livestock to be in drier areas
Crop farming in marginal areas require irrigation
Severe hail storms in summer rainfall areas destroy crops
What are the disadvantage associated with decentralisation?
markets are further away
industries do not benefit from proximity to one another
authorities need to expand and create additional transport links
electricity and water needs to be distributed
How does AMD occur?
AMD stands for Acid Mine Drainage
Spaces left behind after minerals have been extracted fill with water. Water reacts with oxygen and iron pyrites to form sulphuric acid. This pollutes underground water
What are the main manufactured goods that South Africa exports?
machinery and equipment
What are some examples of quaternary economic activities?
IT
Call centres
What are some post-apartheid industrial development strategies?
RDP (Reconstruction and Development Programme)
GEAR (Growth, Employment and Redistribution)
Manufacturing Development Programme
Small-Medium manufacturing Grant
What are the consequences of having a reduced home market for manufactured goods due to high poverty levels?
Goods made in SA are more expensive than similar goods made overseas and SA cannot compete on the world market
What are tertiary economic activities?
activities that are concerned with:
the distribution of products to the consumer the provision of services
What is horticulture?
flower farming
What are some factors relating to the vegetation and soil of South Africa that favour agriculture?
mixed grasses and shrubs - ideal for grazing
good leaf litter - humus in soil
Mixed grasses easily cleared for growing crops
Which countries does South Africa export grapes to?
Netherlands Indonesia UK Mexico China Germany
What is the 500mm isohyet area in SA?
The line drawn across SA separating NW areas of SA from the other wetter areas
The marginal areas are the areas found close to the 500mm isohyet.
Can organic farming practices increase yields?
yes. it has been shown that it does in some areas
What have economic activities in South Africa been influenced by?
available rain irrigation schemes discovery of minerals government policy on reform development
What is the most important industrial area in South Africa?
PWV
Usually, is a ubiquitous industry heavy or light?
light.
It uses local raw materials and processes low order goods
How has land ownership affected agriculture in South Africa?
Many disadvantage people were unable to own farmland during apartheid
Land reform is currently taking place
Many emerging farmer do not have the sufficient knowledge of farming commercially
Great deal of land is under communal land tenure - people continue subsistence farming in these areas
What factors benefit South Africa’s trade ?
Trade liberalisation policies
SADC (free trade area)
NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) - low tariffs and trade agreements
Where are raw-material-oriented industries located?
close to the source of the raw materials
What does food security mean?
The food supply is sufficient to support people’s daily needs
Mining’s contribution to the economy has ___ since the early 2000’s
declined
Where is maize commercially grown?
on the highveld
What does AgriBEE refer to?
Agricultural Black Economic Empowerment
Tries to secure contracts for emerging farmers.
Not effective - agribusinesses do not adhere to strict quotas
What does centralisation refer to?
the development of economic activities in a central location
Why is water scarcity in SA a concern of industry?
industries need water for most forms of processing.
Large inter-basin-transfer-schemes have been developed to ensure that the main industrial areas have enough water.
What does mixed farming mean?
combination of crop farming and rearing livestock
What is a primary economic activity?
activities that involve the expolitation of raw materials from the natural environment
Where is winter wheat grown?
Western Cape
What is an ubiquitous industry?
An industry that can be found anywhere in a region
What is a bridge industry?
An industry located between the raw material and the market
What are human and social factors that hinder agriculture in SA?
Rising cost of farming equipment
HIV / AIDS reduces productivity
What are some negative impacts of mining on people?
disrupted families (miners need to move away from home)
Spread of HIV/AIDS (relationships away from home)
Exposed to dangers inside of mine
Miners develop silicosis
Miners develop asbestosis
Price fluctuations - mines being closed down (and jobs lost)
Disagreement between management and workers
What are PGMs?
Platinum group metals
What is nearly half of South Africa’s water used for?
Agriculture
How does politics affect the location of industry?
Previously, during the Apartheid era, industries were encouraged to be near the homelands
Currently, IDZs and SDIs have been established which affect the location of industries
What are some of the factors that favoured the industrial development in the Southwestern Cape?
Historically significant area - legislative capital
important harbour
rich agricultural region - processable raw materials
highly urbanised area - supply of labour
good transport network
Mediterranean climate = ideal working conditions
dry summers assist in production of dried fruits
rich fishing area
Dams provide adequate water supplies
How do tertiary activities contribute to the economy?
tertiary activities contribute most to the country’s GDP
Value of contribution to GDP is on the rise
Tertiary activities provide services that other economic sectors require
Provide services to people of SA
Generate foreign exchange through tourism
Provides employment for South Africans
Where are sunflowers grown?
Free State
North West
Mpumalanga
Limpopo
What is one of the Millennium Development goals
to reduce food insecurity
Give some recommendations to combat food insecurity
regulate food prices
provide biofuels that do not compete for cropland and water
support small-scale farmers and finance them to develop intercropping systems
develop alternative animal feeds
improve infrastructure and reduce trade barriers
limit global warming
raise awareness of pressure of increasing population growth
What were some of the Apartheid industrial development strategies?
Border industries
NPDPs
What agricultural product does South Africa have the greatest share of in the world?
Ostrich products
What is a market-oriented industry?
When the finished product needs to be located close to the market.
What are some temperature factors that hinder agriculture in SA?
severe frosts that occur in valleys and high-lying exposed plateau areas
What are SDIs?
corridors in the rural areas that have been identified for economic development
Where is sugar cane grown?
Eastern Cape
KZN
Mpumalanga
What are quaternary economic activities?
activities that are concerned with:
scientific research
collection and processing of data
Where does manufacturing mostly take place? Where else can it take place?
Mostly occurs in factories
There is an increase in small home industries or cottage industries
What are the main industrial activities in Durban-Pinetown (eThekwini) area?
petrol refineries Huletts sugar food processing ship building motor manufacturing chemical industry paper and printing paint shoes
What is a growing agricultural activity that has large economic potential
Game farming
What is the GDP?
Gross domestic product
the value of goods and services produced in that country in one year
Does South Africa export beef?
No. SA doesn’t produce enough beef for its needs. Lots of beef is imported from neighbouring countries
What are sheep reared for?
mutton and wool
What water availability factors hinder farming in SA?
Periodic and episodic rivers west of 500mm isohyet dry up
In marginal areas, irrigation schemes have to be built
What industries are related to mining?
The steel and iron industries
What does decentralisation refer to?
the development of economic activities in an area away from the central location
What reduces the home market for many manufactured goods?
high poverty levels
How can malnourishment be prevented?
By a varied diet
What are some minerals that SA has very large supplies of?
manganese platinum gold diamonds coal chromite ore vanadium
What are some of the factors that favoured the industrial development in the PE-Uitenhage area?
Harbour facilities for containerisation and for the export of vehicles
Deep-water harbour at Coega
Goods easily exported (well situated between W &E)
High unemployment rate (relatively cheap labour)
Supplied with water from the Orange River Project
What does increasing poverty result in?
an increase in food insecurity in urban areas leaving to undernourishment and malnourishment
What four types of economic activities are there?
primary
secondary
tertiary
quaternary
What are some factors that hinder mining in SA?
Great distance between mines and harbours
Accidents and silicosis can cause injury.
Fluctuation in price of minerals can mean that mines are closed down
Mining strikes disrupt the economy
Excessive use of water can cause water shortages
Output from a mine declines as reserves are depleted
Costs to rehabilitate mining areas are great.