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Geography LC > Irish Regions- The West > Flashcards

Irish Regions- The West Flashcards

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1
Q

Where is the peripheral region of Ireland?

A

Galway, Mayo and Roscommon

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2
Q

The West is a region of its own in the context of its:….

A

Unique landscape, poor economic development and cultural heritage

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3
Q

What can it’s lack of development be linked to?

A

The devastating impact of the Great Famine

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4
Q

What EU category does the Western region have?

A

Category One- which means it receives the maximum level of assistance through grants

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5
Q

What is the largest urban centre?

A

Galway city with a population of 75,500

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6
Q

What is the population density?

A

About half of the national average

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7
Q

Name four physical characteristics.

A
  1. Climate
  2. Drainage
  3. Relief
  4. Soils
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8
Q

Describe the climate.

A
  • Cool temperate oceanic climate
  • Weather influenced by Atlantic Ocean
  • Small temperature range 4-6 degrees in Winter and 15-17 degrees in Summer
  • Heavy precipitation- average rainfall 1000mm -1250mm
  • Relief rainfall due to mountains
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9
Q

Describe the drainage.

A
  • Much of the region is poorly drained
  • Prone to waterlogging
  • Due to impermeable boulder clay laid down in last ice age
  • Glacial meltwater unable to drain- led to marsh lakes
  • Main rivers= River Moy (Mayo), River Corrib (Galway) and River Shannon
  • Main lakes= Lough Corrib (Galway), Lough Mask (Mayo) and Lough Conn (Mayo)
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10
Q

Describe the relief.

A
  • Upland western section of the region is mountainous
  • Shale and quartzite formed during the Caledonian folding
  • Twelve Pins, Maumturk Mts, Croagh Patrick
  • Lowland eastern section
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11
Q

Describe the soils.

A
  • Wide variety of soils
  • Poorer quality of those in the GDA
  • Podzols- form due to heavy rain and leaching
  • Formation of hardpan means waterlogging is common
  • Blanket and Mountain Peat- upland areas of Galway and Mayo- Marshy, infertile and waterlogged
  • Lowland clays- form as a result of severe saturation of clay soils
  • Very little oxygen= very little vegetation
  • Acidic brown earths- usually fertile but in the West there is severe leaching from year-round rainfall
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12
Q

Name primary economic activities that take place the in the Western Region

A
  1. Agriculture
  2. Forestry
  3. Fishing
  4. Mineral Exploitation
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13
Q

What types of Agriculture are there?

A
  1. Pastoral Farming
  2. Rough grazing
  3. Tillage
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14
Q

Describe agriculture.

A
  • Vital to the Western economy
  • 14% of population
  • Subsistent and underdeveloped
  • Are dependent on less-profitable farming practices such as sheep and dry stock cattle rearing.
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15
Q

What factors affect agriculture?

A
  1. Physical factors

2. Human factors

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16
Q

Explain the physical factors affecting agriculture.

A
  • Climate= high precipitation (1500-2000mm annually)
  • Terrain- unfavourable relief and drainage
  • Infertile soils- peat, peaty-gleys and podzols
17
Q

Explain the human factors affecting agriculture.

A
  • Farms are small + unproductive
  • Average size 25 hectares (62 acres)
  • Farmers are old, 60% over 55
  • 50% of farmers are part-time
  • Out-migration= rural depopulation
  • Peripheral location isolated from the main Irish and EU markets
18
Q

Describe forestry.

A
  • At present 10% of Ireland covered in Forest
  • National development plan= increase this by 15%
  • Want this increase to occur in the West where marginal land could be used more profitably
  • EU + Irish governments have provided grants to farmers who have set aside their land for coniferous plantations
  • Coillte (Ireland’s semi-state forestry company) have planted 50,000 hectares of trees in the West
19
Q

Describe fishing.

A
  • Not as economically important as farming
  • Employs 2000 people
  • Indented coastline= sheltered harbours and fishing ports
  • North Atlantic Drift keeps coastline ice-free during winter
  • Wide shallow continental shelf= perfect breeding ground, low levels of pollution
  • West’s largest fishing port= Rossaveal Co. Galway
  • Aquaculture very important in places such as Clew Bay and Killary Harbour
  • Overfishing has reduced the prospect of the sector expanding any further
  • Ireland’s fish production through aquaculture is sixth highest in EU
20
Q

Describe mineral exploitation.

A
  • 1996 natural gas found 70 km of the coast of Mayo- Corrib Gas Field
  • Expected to produce gas for 18 years
  • Local opposition has halted development
21
Q

Name some problems facing the secondary sector in the West.

A
  • Poor infrastructure- lack of motorways, few national primary roads
  • Exception is Galway City
  • Geographic isolation- Fringe of Europe
  • Unskilled workforce with low standards of education- brain drain due to emigration to Dublin
  • Small market for manufactured good due to a low population density caused by out-migration
22
Q

Name some government solutions to secondary industry issues.

A
  • Two Irish government agencies were set up for the task of economic development
  • The IDA promote the country as a suitable location for industries
23
Q

Name the ranges of manufacturing.

A
  • Resource-based manufacturing
  • Traditional and consumer industries
  • Industrial estates
  • Foreign companies

Geography LC (19 decks)

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