Geography – Industries

Definition of Industry:
Industry refers to economic activities that involve the processing of raw materials into finished
goods or providing services.

Classification of Industries

Basis Type of Industry Description Examples

Raw Uses agricultural products as Cotton textile, Sugar, Jute, Food

Material Agro-based raw materials. processing

Iron and steel, Cement,

Mineral-based Uses minerals as raw materials. Aluminium, Machine tools

Uses products from the sea and Fishing, Fish oil, Seafood
Marine-based oceans. processing

Uses forest products as raw Paper, Furniture, Timber, Lac,

Forest-based materials. Rubber

Requires low capital and small Handicrafts, Toy-making, Cottage

Size Small-scale labor force. industries

Requires large investment, Automobile, Iron and steel,

Large-scale workforce, and machinery. Petrochemicals

Owned by individuals or
Ownership Private sector companies. Tata Steel, Reliance Industries

Public sector Owned by the government. BHEL, SAIL, ONGC

Owned jointly by the

Joint sector government and private sector. Maruti Suzuki, Oil India Limited

Cooperative Owned by a group of people or

sector cooperatives. Amul, Mother Dairy

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Factors Affecting the Location of Industries

The location of industries depends on various factors that influence their establishment and
growth. The major factors are:

1. Raw Material – Industries need easy and cheap access to raw materials for
production (e.g., iron and steel industries near mines).
2. Labour – Availability of skilled and unskilled labor at reasonable wages is essential
for industrial operations.
3. Power Supply – Continuous electricity and fuel supply (coal, petroleum) are crucial
for running machinery.
4. Market – Proximity to consumers helps in reducing transportation costs and
increasing sales.
5. Transport & Communication – Good roads, railways, ports, and communication
networks facilitate movement of goods and raw materials.
6. Capital – Investment is needed for setting up, running, and expanding industries.
7. Government Policies – Supportive policies, tax benefits, and infrastructure
development by the government attract industries.
8. Water Supply – Essential for industries like textiles, chemicals, and food processing.
9. Climate – Some industries, such as the cotton textile industry, require specific
climatic conditions.

Industrial System

An industrial system consists of three main components:

1. Inputs – Raw materials, labor, capital, land, power, and infrastructure needed for
production.
2. Processes – Activities like manufacturing, assembling, and refining that convert raw
materials into finished goods.
3. Outputs – Finished products, by-products, and waste generated from the industrial process.

Example of an Industrial System

 Textile Industry
o Inputs – Cotton, labor, machines, power
o Processes – Spinning, weaving, dyeing
o Outputs – Fabric, garments, and waste materials

Industrial Regions

Industrial regions are areas where a high concentration of industries is found due to favorable
factors such as raw materials, labor, transportation, and markets.

Major Industrial Regions of the World

1. North America – Great Lakes region (USA & Canada), Eastern USA
2. Europe – Ruhr (Germany), Midlands (UK), Po Valley (Italy)
3. Asia – Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan), Shanghai (China), Mumbai-Pune (India)
4. Russia – Moscow, St. Petersburg

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 Geography – Industries

5. Australia – Sydney, Melbourne

Major Industrial Regions of India

1. Mumbai-Pune Region – Textile, automobile, IT industries

2. Kolkata-Hooghly Region – Jute, engineering, iron & steel industries
3. Delhi-NCR Region – Electronics, IT, consumer goods industries
4. Bengaluru-Chennai Region – IT, automobile, aerospace industries
5. Gujarat Industrial Region – Petroleum, textile, chemicals
6. Chhota Nagpur Region – Coal, iron & steel industries

Distribution of Major Industries

Major Industries

┌──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┐

│ │ │

Iron & Steel Textile Information Technology

│ │ │

├──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤

│ │ │

Germany India Silicon Valley (USA)

USA Hong Kong Bangalore (India)

China South Korea

Japan Japan

Russia Taiwan

Iron and Steel Industry

The iron and steel industry is a mineral-based industry that produces steel, an essential material for
modern infrastructure.

Raw Materials (Inputs) -Iron ore, coal, limestone, labor, capital, infrastructure
1. Smelting: Iron ore, limestone, and coke are heated in a blast furnace.
Manufacturing
2. Refining: Impurities are removed. 3. Shaping: The molten iron is
Process
shaped into steel products.
Outputs Steel used for making ships, trains, vehicles, buildings, machinery,
(Products) pipelines, and tools.

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Steel is called the "backbone of modern industry" because it is used in

Importance
construction, machinery, transportation, and agriculture.
Major Countries Producing Steel Germany, USA, China, Japan, Russia
Jamshedpur (TISCO)

 First Steel Plant in India:

 Before 1947, Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) was the only iron and steel
plant in India.
 It was a privately owned company.

 Establishment and Location:

 Started in 1907 at Sakchi, later renamed Jamshedpur.

 Located in Jharkhand, near Subarnarekha and Kharkai Rivers.

 Reasons for Choosing Sakchi:

 Near railway: Only 32 km from Kalimati station on the Bengal-Nagpur railway

line.
 Close to raw materials:
o Iron ore: From Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
o Coal: From Jharia coalfields.
o Limestone, dolomite, and manganese: From Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
 Near Kolkata, providing a large market.
 Plenty of water from Kharkai and Subarnarekha Rivers.
 Government support provided capital for expansion.

 Other Industries in Jamshedpur:

 After TISCO, many industries developed, including:

o Chemicals
o Locomotive parts
o Agricultural equipment
o Machinery
o Tinplate
o Cable and wire

 Impact on India’s Industrial Growth:

 Boosted industrial development across the country.

 Iron and steel industry supports many sectors like construction, transportation, and
manufacturing.
 Consists of large steel plants, mini steel mills, rolling mills, and ancillary
industries.

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Pittsburgh (Steel City, USA)

 Importance:

 Pittsburgh is a major steel-producing city in the USA.

 It enjoys locational advantages for steel production.

 Availability of Raw Materials:

 Coal is available locally.

 Iron ore comes from Minnesota iron mines (about 1500 km away).
 Great Lakes waterway allows cheap ore transportation.
 Trains carry iron ore from the Great Lakes to Pittsburgh.

 Water Supply:

 Rivers providing water:

o Ohio River
o Monongahela River
o Allegheny River

 Location of Steel Mills:

 Earlier, many steel mills were inside Pittsburgh.

 Now, most mills are located:
o Above Pittsburgh (near Monongahela & Allegheny rivers).
o Below Pittsburgh (along the Ohio River).
 Finished steel is transported via land and water routes.

 Other Industries in Pittsburgh:

 Many factories use steel as raw material to produce:

o Railroad equipment
o Heavy machinery
o Rails

Cotton Textile Industry

1. Importance of the Cotton Textile Industry

 One of the oldest and largest industries in the world.

 Provides employment to millions of people.
 Major contributor to exports and economic growth.

2. Raw Materials

 Cotton is the primary raw material.

 Requires warm climate and moderate rainfall.
 Major cotton-producing countries: India, China, USA, Brazil, and Pakistan.

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Major Processes in the Cotton Textile Industry

Stage Process
Spinning Cotton fibers are twisted into yarn.
Weaving Yarn is made into fabric using looms.
Dyeing & Printing Fabrics are colored and designed.

Finishing Final touches to improve texture and durability.

Major Cotton Textile Industry Centers

Country Major Cities

India Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Surat, Kanpur

USA Texas, Georgia, North Carolina
China Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing
Pakistan Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore

UK Manchester (historically called “Cottonopolis”)

Factors Affecting the Cotton Textile Industry

 Availability of raw materials (cotton production).

 Climate (moderate humidity is ideal).
 Labor supply (skilled workers needed).
 Transportation & markets (easy access to customers).
 Power supply (electricity and water availability).

Challenges Faced by the Industry

 Competition from synthetic fiber industries.

 Fluctuating cotton prices affect costs.
 Environmental issues (water pollution from dyeing).
 Modernization needed to improve efficiency.

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Comparison of Cotton Textile Industry in Ahmedabad and Osaka

Factor Ahmedabad (India) Osaka (Japan)

Location Gujarat, India Honshu Island, Japan
Nicknamed
As "Manchester of India" "Manchester of Japan"
Hot and humid, suitable for cotton Humid climate, suitable for textile
Climate production manufacturing
Raw Locally available cotton from Imported cotton from Egypt, USA,
Material Gujarat and Maharashtra and India
Power Electricity from coal and Hydroelectric power from river
Supply hydroelectric plants sources
Labor Skilled and advanced technology-
Availability Large supply of cheap labor based workforce
Transport Well-connected by rail, road, and Advanced port and shipping
Facilities ports facilities
Large domestic market in India and International market focus, exports
Market exports worldwide

Competition from synthetic fibers, High labor costs and dependence

Challenges labor strikes, and power shortages on imported raw materials
Shifted focus to high-tech
Current Still a major textile hub, industries, textile production
Status modernizing with technology reduced

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) What is meant by the term ‘industry’?

Answer: Industry refers to an economic activity that is concerned with the production of goods
like the iron and steel industry, the extraction of minerals like the coal mining industry and the
provision of services like the tourism industry.

(ii) Which are the main factors which influence the location of an industry?

Answer: Setting up an industry leads to the development and growth of that location. The factors
that affect the location of industries are the easy availability of raw materials and land, adequate
supply of water and labour, access to power and transport, presence of markets and a good
amount of capital. Sometimes, the government also provides incentives like subsidised power,
lower transport cost and other infrastructural facilities. This is done to encourage industries to be
established in economically backward areas.

(iii) Which industry is often referred to as the backbone of the modern industry and why?

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Answer: Steel is called the backbone of modern industry because almost everything we use is
either made of steel or has been made with machinery or tools made out of steel. The steel
industry is basically the feeder industry, whose products are the raw materials for other
industries.

(iv) Why has the cotton textile industry rapidly expanded in Mumbai?

Answer: The warm and moist climate, proximity to the port, easy availability of raw materials and
skilled labour helped in the rapid expansion of the cotton textile industry in Mumbai.

3. Distinguish between the following.

(i) Agro-based and mineral-based industry

Answer: Agro-based industries use plant and animal-based products as their raw materials. It is
a source of employment for people in rural areas. Food processing, vegetable oil, cotton textile,
dairy products and leather industries are examples of agro-based industries, whereas mineral-
based industries are primary industries that use mineral ores as their raw materials. It is a source
of employment for both rural and urban populations. Steel and Iron Industries and Heavy
Machinery industries are examples of mineral-based industries.

(ii) Public sector and joint sector industry

Answer: Industries owned and operated by the government are public sector industries. Steel
Authority of India Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited are examples of Public sector
industries. On the other hand, joint sector industries are owned and operated by the state and
individuals or a group of individuals. Maruti Udyog Limited is an example of joint sector industry.

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