Geography Chapter: Resource Distribution

Resources and Their Distribution

• Resources are materials found in the environment that humans use for food, fuel, clothing, and shelter, including water, soil, minerals, vegetation, animals, air, and sunlight.
• People require resources to survive and thrive.

Factors Affecting Resource Distribution

• Low latitudes (near the equator) receive more sunlight and precipitation, while higher latitudes (near the poles) receive less sunlight and too little precipitation.
• Temperate deciduous forest biomes provide a moderate climate, fertile soil, timber, and abundant wildlife.
• Plains offer flat landscapes and fertile soil for growing crops, while steep mountains and dry deserts are more challenging.
• Metallic minerals are abundant in areas with strong tectonic activity, while fossil fuels are found in sedimentary rocks.

Consequences of Uneven Resource Distribution

• Resources are distributed unevenly across the globe.
• Human settlement and population distribution are influenced by geographic factors such as water, soil, vegetation, climate, and landscape.
• Areas with fewer geographic advantages, such as South America, Africa, and Australia, have smaller populations than North America, Europe, and Asia.

Human Migration and Economic Activities

• Large groups of people often migrate to places with abundant resources and away from places lacking resources.
• Examples of historical migrations include the Trail of Tears, Westward Movement, and the Gold Rush.
• Economic activities, such as farming, fishing, and mining, are directly related to the resources in a region.

Trade and Its Impact

• Countries may not have the resources they need, but trade enables them to acquire them from other places.
• Japan is an example of a country with limited natural resources that has achieved wealth through trade.

Conflict, Wealth, and Quality of Life

• Historical and present-day conflicts often involve nations trying to control resource-rich territories.
• The standard of living, measured by the quality and quantity of goods and services available, is influenced by the availability of natural resources.
• Wealth and prosperity do not solely depend on the presence or lack of natural resources within a country.