Irish Regions- The West Flashcards
Where is the peripheral region of Ireland?
Galway, Mayo and Roscommon
The West is a region of its own in the context of its:….
Unique landscape, poor economic development and cultural heritage
What can it’s lack of development be linked to?
The devastating impact of the Great Famine
What EU category does the Western region have?
Category One- which means it receives the maximum level of assistance through grants
What is the largest urban centre?
Galway city with a population of 75,500
What is the population density?
About half of the national average
Name four physical characteristics.
- Climate
- Drainage
- Relief
- Soils
Describe the climate.
- 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
Describe the drainage.
- 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)
Describe the relief.
- 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
Describe the soils.
- 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
Name primary economic activities that take place the in the Western Region
- Agriculture
- Forestry
- Fishing
- Mineral Exploitation
What types of Agriculture are there?
- Pastoral Farming
- Rough grazing
- Tillage
Describe agriculture.
- 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.
What factors affect agriculture?
- Physical factors
2. Human factors
Explain the physical factors affecting agriculture.
- Climate= high precipitation (1500-2000mm annually)
- Terrain- unfavourable relief and drainage
- Infertile soils- peat, peaty-gleys and podzols
Explain the human factors affecting agriculture.
- 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
Describe forestry.
- 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
Describe fishing.
- 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
Describe mineral exploitation.
- 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
Name some problems facing the secondary sector in the West.
- 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
Name some government solutions to secondary industry issues.
- Two Irish government agencies were set up for the task of economic development
- The IDA promote the country as a suitable location for industries
Name the ranges of manufacturing.
- Resource-based manufacturing
- Traditional and consumer industries
- Industrial estates
- Foreign companies
