ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICA
A circular will be distributed with the annual themes at mid-year of the preceding year
Structure of the Economy
• economic sectors (primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary)
• contribution of various economic sectors to the South African economy
•...
Economic Geography
What is Economic Geography
The study of the spatial variation of human economic activities . A branch of geography that deals with the relation of
physical and economic conditions to the production and utilization of raw materials and their manufacture into finished
products.
Resources
An asset that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively and add value to the economy .
Renewable resource
● A natural resource that is unlimited or that is naturally replenished rather quickly, such as sunlight or water.
Non-renewable resource
● A natural resource that cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a quick enough pace to keep up with
consumption.
Primary Activities:
● The extraction of raw materials from the earth’s surface. For example, forestry, farming, mining, and fishing.
Secondary Activities:
● Involves the manufacturing and processing of goods obtained in the primary activities.
Tertiary Activities:
● Provision of services
Quaternary Activities:
● Involves research and technology
Agriculture
Importance of Agriculture to South Africa’s Economy
● Raw materials for industry
● Employment
● Contribution to the economy
Most important agricultural products
● Maize
● Chickens
● Mutton and wool
● Ostrich produce
● Fruit
Dual Agricultural Economy
● Small scale commercial farming and small scale subsistence farming
● Large scale commercial farming
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Factors Favouring Agriculture in South Africa
● Range of climates (warmer and wetter north-east and mild southwest with winter rain) allow a wide variety of
crops
● Long growing season with many frost-free days
● Large expanses of flat land
● Large river networks for irrigation, even in drier areas
● Climate research and prediction to assist farmers
● Plant research – hybrids can withstand drought and produce higher yields
Factors Hindering Agriculture in South Africa
● Only 7% of land is arable Insufficient rain over half of the country
● Unreliable rainfall and drought
● Poor soil quality with little humus in many regions
● Poor farming practices
● Soil erosion
Mining
Importance of Mining to South Africa
● Large contribution to the GDP
● Multiplier Effect: additional economic development in response to a new or expanding part of the economy
● Exports of processed and unprocessed mineral products
● Mines are a large source of employment
● Mining attracts foreign investment
● Improvement and construction of infrastructure
● Development of link industries (supplies materials or equipment to another industry, or is dependent on
another industry for materials and equipment)
● Growth of local industry
Factors Favouring Mining in South Africa
● Enormous reserves of minerals
● Rich geological history provides a wide variety of minerals
● Mineral seams are thick and continuous
● Most minerals are close to the surface
● Low thermal gradient: temperature does not increase rapidly with depth, therefore the cost of cooling the air
pumped into the mines in reduced
● Coal was available for electricity
● Availability of low-paid labour
Factors Hindering Mining in South Africa
● Fluctuation in exchange rates
● Dangerous underground water
● Labour costs have risen steeply
● Environmental damage
● Mines far inland – transport costs raise price of minerals making them less competitive against global
competition
● HIV / AIDS
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