Rural landscapes

1. RURAL LANDSCAPES TYPES OF LANDSCAPES 1. ABIOTIC LANDSCAPES - Areas characterised by very litle presence of life.

- Example: deserts 2. MAN-MADE LANDSCAPES - Areas where humans have had an important impact.

- Example: cities 3. BIOTIC LANDSCAPES - Areas characterised by an abundance of living things and very little human activity.

- Example: tropical rainforest.

1. RURAL LANDSCAPES - There are two main factors which determine the type of rural landscapes: 1. Physical factors: Relief: slope and orientation of agrarian terrain Climate: temperature and precipitation.

Soil: salinity or acidity Water sources: surface and underground 2. Human factors: Demographics: Densely populated areas need more production to provide more food.

Technology: it transforms landscapes depending on the level ol technological development.

Economic structure: The organisation of land ownership into large or small plots Political decisions: They influence in the production model managed in each area.

1. RURAL LANDSCAPES ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN RURAL LANDSCAPES 1.

SECTORS OF EONOMY

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Three sectors: -

Primary sector -

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Secondary sector -

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It includes small industry and artisanl handicrafts.

Teriary sector -

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It is the main economic activity in rural areas It includes agriculture, livestck farming, fishing, mining, forestry and aquiculture.

It includes public services, commerce and tourism

NATURAL RESOURCES They are the elements provided by nature that humans need for their economic activity.

Two types: - Renewable resources: - They can be replenished in a short period of time - Non- renewable resources: - The sources from which we obtain most of our energy (oil, coal and natural gas) and metallic minerals (iron, copper and gold) take millions of years to replenish, so are considered nonreplenishable.

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We humans have heavily exploited all our natural resources.

This has produced serious environmental problems.