resources

Question 1

define ‘resources’:

Answer 1

things we find useful or valuable, the three most important are food, water and energy.

Question 2

describe the distribution of resources:

Answer 2

• not evenly distributed around the world.
• some countries have lots of natural resources (water, oil, iron ore). others don’t have much.
• this leads to inequalities between countries - HICs and LICs.
• countries with lots of natural resources can use them to become more developed - e.g. Brazil have traded the resources of the Amazon Rainforest in order to become more developed.
• countries with fewer resources often struggle to develop their economy and improve quality of life for their people.
• as the world’s population grows, resources like water and land will become more scarce; HICs can afford to import the resources they lack and so can be supplied by other countries.

Question 3

why are LICs still disadvantaged in terms of resources?

Answer 3

global trade of food, water and energy attempts to equalise supply and demand but primarily benefits wealthier nations that can afford imports, leaving many LICs, especially in Africa, less advantaged in resource distribution.

Question 4

how well off is the UK in terms of food?

Answer 4

• moderate climate, influenced by Atlantic Ocean, supporting plenty of rainfall and mild temperatures.
• the UK is one of the world’s most efficient food producers, due to generally fertile soils, gentle relief in the south and east and advanced technology.

Question 5

how well off is the UK in terms of water?

Answer 5

the west of the country is typically wetter than the east. however, water can be transferred from areas of deficit to areas of surplus. so despite this imbalance of supply and demand, water supply is rarely an issue.

Question 6

how well off is the UK in terms of energy?

Answer 6

• considerable fossil fuels resources.
• in the past, coal was the main energy source, however oil and gas are now more widely used.
• considerable reserves of oil and natural gas beneath the north sea.
• the UK has several nuclear power plants, which use imported uranium.
• also has significant potential for renewable energy - considerable investments in off-shore windfarms.
• has around 35% of global offshore wind capacity installed and seven of the world’s largest ten offshore wind farms.