Revision: Fundamentals of Human Geography >> Secondary Activities Geography Commerce (English Medium) Class 12 CBSE

Secondary activities involve transforming the raw material (primary products) into finished goods of higher value. They are converted with manufacturing, processing, and construction (infrastructure industries).

• Secondary Activities – These activities add value to raw materials by converting them into finished goods. They include manufacturing, processing and construction.
• Meaning of Manufacturing – Manufacturing means transforming raw materials into finished goods using power, machines and specialised labour. It may range from handicrafts to large factories.
• Features of Modern Large-Scale Manufacturing – It includes specialisation of labour, mechanisation, automation, technological innovation and complex organisational structure.
• Uneven Distribution – Manufacturing is concentrated in a few developed regions of the world due to better infrastructure, capital and markets.
• Factors Affecting Industrial Location – Important factors include access to market, raw materials, labour, energy, transport, communication and government policy.
• Agglomeration & Footloose Industries – Industries often cluster together to reduce costs (agglomeration). Footloose industries are not tied to raw materials and can be located anywhere with good transport.
• Classification of Industries – Industries are classified on the basis of size (cottage, small-scale, large-scale), raw materials, products and ownership.

• Industries are classified on the basis of raw materials used into agro-based, mineral-based, chemical-based, forest-based, and animal-based industries.
• Agro-based industries use products from farms and fields, such as food processing, sugar, cotton, jute, silk, rubber, tea, coffee, spices, oils, etc.
• Mineral-based industries use minerals as raw materials. These include ferrous industries (iron and steel), non-ferrous industries (aluminium, copper, jewellery), and non-metallic industries (cement, pottery).
• Chemical-based industries use natural chemical minerals like petroleum, salts, sulphur, potash, and also materials from coal and wood. Examples: plastic and synthetic fibre industries.
• Forest-based and animal-based industries depend on natural resources like timber, bamboo, paper, lac (forest-based) and leather, wool, ivory (animal-based).

• Public Sector Industries are owned and managed by the government. In India, they are called PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings).
• Private Sector Industries are owned by individual investors and are managed by private organisations, mainly found in capitalist countries.
• Joint Sector Industries are managed by joint stock companies or are set up together by public and private sectors.
• High-Technology (High-Tech) Industry depends on intensive research and development (R&D) and produces advanced scientific and engineering products like robotics, CAD, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
• Technopolies are high-tech industrial areas that are highly specialised and regionally concentrated, such as Silicon Valley (San Francisco) and Silicon Forest (Seattle).

• Household/Cottage Industry – Smallest unit of production; goods are made at home using local raw materials and simple tools, mainly by family members.
• Products of Cottage Industry – Includes food items, fabrics, pottery, bricks, wooden items, leather goods, bamboo crafts and jewellery; mainly for local use or small markets.
• Small-Scale Manufacturing – Done in workshops outside homes; uses simple machines, local raw materials and semi-skilled labour; generates employment and boosts local income.
• Large-Scale Manufacturing – Involves heavy capital, advanced technology, large labour force, mass production and wide markets.
• Industrial Regions – Large-scale industries are found in traditional developed regions (U.K., U.S.A., Europe) and also in modern high-technology regions that have spread to developing countries.