Federal Agency of Railway Transport
Siberian State Transport University
Department: “Customs Affairs”
Discipline: “Economic geography and regional studies of the world”
Topic: “Land resources of Africa”
Completed:
Rakhman Tatyana
Group: TD-111
Checked:
Associate Professor of the Department of Customs Affairs, Ph.D.
Kalmykov S. P.
Novosibirsk 2012
Introduction……………………………………………………………………….....3
1. Characteristics of African land resources……………………..……….4
2. Properties of land resources……………………………………….……...5
3. Distribution of African land resources……………………..……..…….5
4. Distribution of African land resources between countries of the world......6
Conclusion…………………………………………………………….……11
List of used literature and sources………….……………..…12
Introduction
Centuries-old practice testifies that the main sources of viability and prosperity of any state are those belonging to it land resources and the population living on them. At the same time, land resources should be understood not only as the territory (space) of the state, but also everything that is “above” and “below” this space. The country's provision of land resources is the most important economic and political factor in the development of social production. The availability of land resources provides wide scope for the economic development of regions of the world.
Land resources - earth's surface, suitable for human habitation and for any species economic activity. Land resources are characterized by the size of the territory and its quality: relief, soil cover and a complex of other natural conditions.
Characteristics of African land resources
Africa has the largest land fund - 30 million sq. km.
The composition of land in Africa is dominated by pastures. With a relatively high share of pasture land (approximately 20% of land is used), the area under cultivation is very low (about 10%). Indicators of specific provision of arable land are at an average level and amount to 0.3 hectares. Field agricultural landscapes are common on the northern and southern edges of Africa and in Ethiopia. Due to the presence of the tsetse fly in equatorial Africa, watersheds were primarily developed, and the valleys, the refuge of the tsetse fly, are almost deserted and occupied by gallery forests. Huge areas in Africa are classified as other lands (44%), which are deserts.
Africa has quite large land resources, but soil erosion has become catastrophic due to improper cultivation.
Inappropriate and uncontrolled land use is the main cause of land degradation and depletion in Africa. Current land use practices often do not take into account the actual potential, productivity and constraints on the use of land resources, as well as their spatial diversity. In many regions, poverty and malnutrition have already become a chronic problem. One of the main threats is the destruction and degradation of agricultural and environmental resources. Although methods for increasing production and conserving land and water resources have been developed, they are not widely or systematically applied. A systematic approach is needed to identify land uses and production systems that are sustainable for each specific soil type and climate zone, including the creation of economic, social and institutional mechanisms for their implementation.
Properties of land resources
In Africa, with a relatively high share of pasture land (approximately 20% of land is used), the area under cultivation is very low (about 10%). Indicators of specific provision of arable land are at an average level and amount to 0.3 hectares. In Africa, the northern and southern outskirts of the continent are most plowed.
Due to the arid climate in Africa, grasslands predominate, which are less suitable for cultivation.
Africa's land resources make it possible to provide food for the population of foreign countries, since many different crops (corn, cotton, wheat, etc.) grown in African countries are exported.
Africa's land productivity varies widely. For example, almost all soils in Nigeria are acidic. In a number of areas in the east of the country, intensive leaching of soils formed on sandstones has led to the formation of so-called “acid sands,” which are easy to cultivate but quickly depleted. The soils of the far north were formed from desert sands and are easily destroyed. They differ sharply from the fertile soils that formed on the heavy loams of many river floodplains, in the cocoa belt and in the Niger Delta. In some densely populated areas, intensive farming and grazing have caused soil erosion. And if we turn to the Republic of South Africa, it will be noticeable that, although it does not have such large areas of land suitable for agriculture, it uses them as productively as possible, and this is done in such a way that the soil is not subject to erosion.
The area of agricultural land in individual countries is determined by the level of development of the country's population, the level of technologies available to them for the development and use of land resources. Therefore, some undeveloped African states, without using the available lands, sell them to China and European countries for insignificant sums.
Distribution of African land resources
Natural resources distributed unevenly in Africa. Across African countries, the ratio of arable land to pastures in agricultural land is different. On the continent as a whole, the land fund makes up 21% of all land resources, arable land accounts for 15%, meadows and pastures are located on 24% of the territory, 18% are forests and 22% are other lands (deserts).
Let's look at the percentage distribution of land resources in some African countries. In South Africa, 12.1% is occupied by arable land, 0.79% is occupied by perennial plantings, other lands account for 87.11% (2011), in Ethiopia, respectively, 10.01%; 0.65%; 89.34%. In Namibia, arable land makes up 0.99% of the territory, perennial plantings 0.01%, other lands 99%, in Libya 98.78% of other lands and only 1.22% perennial plantings and arable land. The situation is similar in the Central African Republic, the situation is excellent in Uganda, where almost 30.5% of the state’s territory is occupied by arable land and perennial crops.
Thus, we see that arable lands and pastures are located mainly in countries located on the outskirts of the continent, its northern part is mainly occupied by desert, and forests are located in the central part.
Distribution of African land resources between countries of the world
The crisis engulfing Europe has given rise to concerns that such a negative impact on the economy could lead to food shortages. And, basically, this threat is real for states that depend on imports of agricultural products. As it turned out, the solution to the problem is very simple: starting in 2009, some states in the Asian region began to buy land outside their borders. Something similar could be observed before, but now such actions have become truly widespread.
Africa is considered the most attractive in terms of low-cost transactions for the sale of land. And the reason for this is low prices, the lack of land legislation that protects the rights and interests of the local population, as well as low production costs, which so attract potential buyers. For example, back in 2009, one of the Ethiopian companies bought large areas of land in Africa at a price of less than 1.5 US dollars. However, soon the cost of land increased to approximately 7 US dollars. And this is at a time when in Brazil 1 hectare of land costs about 5-6 thousand US dollars.
Moreover, according to local land agents, you can even negotiate with some representatives of a particular tribe for a bottle of “fire water.”
Since 2009, research by the Auckland Institute estimates that the total area of land bought or leased in Africa by foreign companies is more than 60 million hectares - far larger than the area of individual countries. And if we take into account that the area of land sold previously did not exceed 4 million hectares, then it becomes obvious that the rumors about a new stage in the “scramble for Africa” are reliable. But, if until the end of the twentieth century only European states, and later also the United States, then at this stage this list looks much more impressive, and the states of the Asian region set the tone for the entire struggle.
Among the Middle East countries taking part in the division of the African land market, we can highlight Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Due to their specific geographical location, their agricultural areas are quite small. However, greater financial opportunities contribute to solving this problem beyond their borders. So, for example, the government of Saudi Arabia even made the purchase of foreign land part of the state program. Moreover, companies involved in the purchase of land are provided with all possible support, provided, of course, that a significant part of the harvest from them will be transported to Saudi Arabia.
A striking example of the benefits of buying cheap land is the activity of Sheikh Mohammed al-Amoudi, whose company has already bought or leased for a long period several thousand hectares of land on which rice, wheat, flowers and vegetables are grown. Over time, the company plans to increase the number of purchased lands.
And the results were not long in coming: already in the early spring of 2009, a magnificent celebration was organized in Riyadh to mark the harvest of the first wheat and rice harvest collected on Ethiopian plantations. The cost of this agricultural project is estimated at US$100 million.
Representatives of other countries in the Asian region are no less active in purchasing land. The most active is China, which continues to strengthen its position in Africa in all areas. Such a program also found support from the official authorities, and this is understandable. The fact is that about 20 percent of the total population of our planet lives in China, while there are only 7 percent of agricultural land suitable for growing agricultural products. Moreover, a significant part of them are in extremely poor condition due to excessive anthropogenic influence, and, as a result, they cannot produce enough crops for the country. That is why the policy of buying large areas of land abroad has become common. In the Congo alone, the PRC owns about 3 million hectares of land that were acquired for the production of palm oil. For a similar purpose, 2 million hectares were purchased in Zambia. And almost 1 million hectares were acquired for rice cultivation in Mozambique and Tanzania.
More than 100 agricultural companies in India are engaged in buying land, which over the past few years have bought several hundred thousand hectares in Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Senegal and other countries of the African continent. In these areas, rice, corn, sugar cane, lentils are mainly grown, as well as the fastest growing crop - flowers. The leading Indian company operating in Africa is Karaturi Global, which is also the world's largest rose growing company. This company owns about 1 million hectares of land in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Western companies are also not lagging behind. Their main activity is related to investment funds. Among them, companies from Sweden and Great Britain are most active. Swedish companies own 100 thousand hectares of land in Mozambique. They grow products intended for the production of biofuels. British companies own plantations in Tanzania for similar purposes.
The unprecedented activity in the purchase of African lands, which has been observed in the last three years, has already been called a new stage in the colonization of the Dark Continent. But representatives of companies involved in the purchase of African territories fundamentally disagree with such statements. They claim that with their multibillion-dollar financial investments they contribute to the development of agriculture poorest continent. They create new businesses and purchase the latest equipment, thus creating a large number of jobs. Foreign investors are fully supported by the leaders of African states, noting that only those lands that are not used and are not owned by farmers are available for sale.
But in reality the situation looks a little different. So, for example, in Ethiopia alone, where representatives of Indian companies are active, about 300 thousand local people were resettled, and only 20 thousand of them were able to get work in new farms. And they are considered to be very lucky, since even the small money they receive as wages exceeds the average income in the country.
It is not surprising that residents of some states are trying to resist such large-scale purchases of land by foreigners, but no results have yet been observed.
In total, foreigners have already occupied about 50 million hectares of land in Africa, and by 2030 this figure will grow to 100 million hectares.
Considering the fact that the most common problem in local conflicts is the struggle for access to a source of water and a small plot of land that can feed oneself, it is scary to even imagine what a new redistribution of land in Africa could turn out to be. Analysts predict that the result could be food insecurity so severe that it would be worse than terrorism.
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….....3
1. Characteristics of African land resources……………………..……….4
2. Properties of land resources……………………………………….……...5
3. Distribution of African land resources……………………..……..…….5
4. Distribution of African land resources between countries of the world......6
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….……11
List of used literature and sources………….……………..…12
The African continent is richest different types natural resources. Some people believe that you can have a good rest here by going on a safari, while others believe that they make money from mineral and forest resources. Development of the mainland is carried out comprehensively, so all types of natural benefits are valued here.
Water resources
Despite the fact that a significant part of Africa is covered by deserts, many rivers flow here, the largest of which are the Nile and Orange River, Niger and Congo, Zambezi and Limpopo. Some of them flow in deserts and are fed only by rainwater. The most famous lakes of the continent are Victoria, Chad, Tanganyika and Nyasa. In general, the continent has small reserves of water resources and is poorly supplied with water, so it is in this part of the world that people die not only from numerous diseases, hunger, but also from dehydration. If a person finds himself in the desert without water supplies, he will most likely die. The exception would be if he was lucky enough to find an oasis.
Soil and forest resources
Land resources on the hottest continent are quite large. Of the total amount of soil available here, only a fifth is cultivated. This is due to the fact that a huge part is subject to desertification and erosion, so the land here is infertile. Many territories are occupied tropical forests Therefore, it is impossible to engage in farming here.
In turn, forests are of great value in Africa. The eastern and southern parts are covered with dry tropical forests, while wet ones cover the center and west of the mainland. What is worth noting is that the forest here is not valued and is cut down irrationally. In turn, this leads not only to forest and soil degradation, but also to the destruction of ecosystems and the emergence of environmental refugees, both among animals and people.
Minerals
A significant part of Africa's natural resources are minerals:
fuel – oil, natural gas, coal;
metals - gold, lead, cobalt, zinc, silver, iron and manganese ores;
non-metallic – talc, gypsum, limestone;
precious stones - diamonds, emeralds, alexandrites, pyropes, amethysts.
Thus, Africa is home to the world's vast wealth of natural resources. These include not only fossils, but also timber, as well as world-famous landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and lakes. The only thing that threatens the depletion of these benefits is anthropogenic influence.
The second largest continent on the planet. Second in terms of population. A continent with truly colossal reserves of minerals and other natural resources. The birthplace of humanity. Africa.
Third part of the world
In the minds of the ancient Greeks, there were only two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. In those days, Africa was known as Libya and belonged to one or the other. Only the ancient Romans, after the conquest of Carthage, began to call their province in what is now Northeast Africa by this name. Other known territories southern continent bore the names of Libya and Ethiopia, but later only one remained. Then Africa became the third part of the world. Europeans and then Arabs developed only the lands of the north of the continent; the more southern parts were separated by the grandiose Sahara desert, the largest in the world.
After the start of the European colonial takeover of the rest of the world, Africa became the main supplier of slaves. Colonies on the territory of the mainland itself did not develop, but served only as assembly points.
The beginning of independence
The situation began to change a little since the nineteenth century, when slavery was abolished in many countries. Europeans turned their attention to their possessions on the continent of Africa. The natural resources of the controlled lands exceeded the potential of the colonial states themselves. True, development took place in the most populated areas of the Northern and South Africa. The remaining territories of almost virgin nature were considered as an opportunity for an exotic holiday. The largest-scale safaris were organized on this continent, which caused the mass extinction of large predators, rhinoceroses and elephants. After World War II, almost all African countries achieved their independence and began to fully exploit their potential. But this did not always lead to positive consequences; sometimes the natural conditions and resources of Africa deteriorated significantly due to their irrational use by humans.
The abundance and scarcity of water resources
The largest rivers in Africa are located in the center and west of the continent. These rivers - Congo, Niger, Zambezi - are among the deepest and largest rivers peace. The northern part of the continent is almost completely deserted and the drying up rivers there are filled with water only during the rainy season. The longest river in the world, the Nile, is unique. It begins in the central part of the continent and crosses the largest desert in the world - the Sahara, without losing its fullness. Africa is considered the least affluent continent water resources. This definition applies to the entire continent, being an average indicator. After all, the central part of Africa, having an equatorial and subequatorial climate, is endowed with water in abundance. And the northern desert lands suffer from an acute lack of moisture. After gaining independence in African countries A boom in hydraulic engineering began, with thousands of dams and reservoirs being built. In general, Africa's natural water resources rank second in the world after Asia.
African lands
The situation with African land resources is similar to water resources. On the one hand (northern) side it is a practically uninhabited and uncultivated desert. On the other hand, fertile and well-moistened soils. True, the presence of huge areas of tropical forests, the territories of which are not used for agriculture, also makes its own adjustments. But that's Africa. Natural land resources here are very significant. In terms of the ratio of cultivated land to population, Africa is twice as large as Asia and Latin America. Although only twenty percent of the continent's entire territory is used for agriculture. As already noted, Africa's natural resources are not always used rationally. and subsequent soil erosion threaten the advance of desert into the still fertile lands. Countries in the central part of the continent should be especially concerned.
Forest spaces
The location of Africa means that it has large forest areas. Seventeen percent of the world's forests are located on the African continent. The eastern and southern lands are rich in dry tropical forests, while the central and western lands are rich in humid forests. But the use of such enormous reserves leaves much to be desired. Forests are being cut down without being restored. This is due to the presence of valuable tree species and, the saddest thing, for their use as firewood. Almost eighty percent of the energy in countries in western and central Africa comes from burning trees.
General characteristics of mineral resources
South Africa
The richest country on the continent and one of the richest in the world is considered South Africa. Coal mining is traditionally developed here. Its deposits are almost superficial, so the cost of production is very low. Eighty percent of the electricity generated at local thermal power plants uses this cheap coal. The country's wealth is provided by deposits of platinum, gold, diamonds, manganese, chromites and other minerals. Oil is probably one of the few minerals that South Africa is not rich in. The natural resources of the center of the continent and especially its north, on the contrary, are endowed with significant reserves of hydrocarbons.
Natural resources of North Africa
The sedimentary rocks of the north of the continent are rich in oil and gas deposits. Libya, for example, has about three percent of the world's reserves. In Morocco, Northern Algeria and Libya there are zones of phosphorite deposits. These deposits are so rich that more than fifty percent of all the world's phosphorites are mined here. Also in the Atlas Mountains region there are large reserves of zinc, lead, as well as cobalt and molybdenum.
Africa has the richest and most diverse natural resource potential.
First of all, Africa stands out for its large reserves minerals . Among other continents, Africa ranks first in reserves of diamonds, gold, platinum, manganese, chromites, bauxites and phosphorites. There are large reserves of coal, oil and natural gas, copper, iron, uranium, and cobalt ores. In addition, African minerals are often of high quality and low production costs. The richest country in Africa, South Africa has almost the full range of known fossil resources, with the exception of oil, natural gas, and bauxite.
However, mineral reserves are unevenly distributed. Among the countries in the region, there are countries that are very resource poor (Chad, Central African Republic, Sudan, etc.), which significantly complicates their development.
Agroclimatic resources , like mineral ones, are characterized by large reserves, diversity, but uneven distribution, which significantly complicates the development of agriculture.
Africa's significant land reserves are due to the predominance of flat terrain (the Atlas, Fouta Djallon, Cape and Drakensberg mountains are located only on the outskirts of the continent), as well as the presence of fertile soils (red-yellow, black, brown soils of equatorial forests, brown soils of the subtropics, alluvial soils of river valleys), vast natural pastures (regions of savannas, steppes and semi-deserts occupy about half the area of Africa) favorable for various types of agricultural activities.
A favorable condition is a high supply of thermal resources (the sum of active temperatures is 6,000-10,000 °C).
However, moisture conditions significantly limit the possibilities for agricultural development in this region. In almost 2/3 of Africa, sustainable agriculture is only possible with land reclamation. In the equatorial region of Africa, where the amount of precipitation is 1500 mm or more per year, there is an excess of moisture; in the semi-deserts and deserts of the northern and southern hemispheres (Sahara, Namib, Kalahari), on the contrary, there is a lack of it. The most favorable natural conditions for agriculture are the windward slopes of the Atlas and Cape Mountains, the Mediterranean regions, and the eastern outlying regions of South Africa, where precipitation amounts to 800-1000 mm per year.
Africa has significant forest resources . In terms of total forest area, it is second only to Latin America and Russia. But its average forest cover is significantly lower. In addition, in lately Deforestation has taken on alarming proportions due to increased tree felling.
Africa has certain recreational resources. On the one hand, these are resorts on the sea coast (primarily the coast of the Mediterranean and Red Seas), on the other, monuments of world culture (North Africa - the cradle of ancient Egyptian civilization). Egypt stands out in this regard. In addition, Africa is creating national parks, in which you can see a wide variety of flora and fauna. First of all, this applies to Kenya, where international tourism in terms of income is second only to coffee exports.
Ticket number 19№1
Geographical features of the natural resource potential of African countries
Natural resource potential territories (PRP)- this is the totality of its natural resources that can be used in economic activities, taking into account scientific and technological progress. The PRP is characterized by its size and structure, which includes mineral resources, land, water and other private potentials.
Africa is a continent of great economic opportunity, characterized by a variety of natural conditions, rich mineral reserves, and the presence of significant land, water, plant and other resources. Unfortunately, they are distributed unevenly throughout the region. Africa is characterized by a slight dissection of the relief, which contributes to economic activity - the development of agriculture, industry, and transport. The location of most of the continent in the equatorial belt largely determined the presence of huge tracts of moist equatorial forests. Africa accounts for 10% of the world's forest area, representing 17% of the world's timber reserves - one of Africa's main exports. The largest desert in the world - the Sahara - contains huge reserves of fresh water, and large river systems are characterized by gigantic volumes of flow and energy resources. Africa is rich in minerals, which are resources for the development of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical industry. Thanks to new discoveries, Africa's share of the world's proven energy reserves is increasing. There are more reserves of phosphorites, chromites, titanium, and tantalum here than in any part of the world. Reserves of bauxite, copper, manganese, cobalt, uranium ores, diamonds, rare earth metals, gold, etc.
Africa's share in the global mining industry is 1\4. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa in economic terms. developed countries, which makes its economy more dependent on the world market. In total, there are seven main mining regions in Africa.
1. The Atlas Mountains region is distinguished by reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, and phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).
2.The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron and titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.
3. The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by the largest oil and gas reserves.
4. Western Guinea region - rich in oil, gas, and metal ores.
6. Zaire-Zambian region - on its territory there is a unique “Copper Belt” with deposits of high-quality copper, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, and silver. Zaire is the world's leading producer and exporter of cobalt.
7. The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of oil, gases and bauxite.
Africa's land resources are significant. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This in turn exacerbates the urban problem, which is very relevant in Africa.
The agroclimatic resources of Africa are determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent and lies entirely within the average annual isotherm of +20"C.
Water resources of Africa. In terms of their volume, Africa is significantly inferior to Asia and South America. The hydrographic network is distributed extremely unevenly. Forest resources Africa's importance is second only to its resources Latin America and Russia. But its average forest cover is significantly lower, and, moreover, as a result of deforestation that exceeds natural growth, deforestation has assumed alarming proportions.
The labor market and its features. Forming factors wages.
The opportunity to sell your work is only in market economy. A person must be personally free to sell his work. IN traditional system people are doing the same thing as their parents. In a command economy, the authorities, the government, and the state decide who should do what.
The value of supply in the labor market is equal to the size of the economically active population - the total number of people who are self-employed (including in their own enterprise) and unemployed, job seekers.
The quantity of labor supply is influenced by the following factors:
Demographic (fertility and age composition of the population)
Social (primarily the share of working women and pensioners)
Factors that determine the amount of labor demand - economic growth/recession.
The price on the labor market is the wage rate, i.e. its value for a certain unit of time.
Factors influencing the formation of wages:
State minimum wage
Performance Level
Skill level
Work experience
Intensity
Difficulty of work
Quality and urgency
Dynamics of prices for consumer goods and services
Features of the labor market:
Heterogeneous goods - the labor of different workers of different specialties in different areas is offered (but in macroeconomics, we, nevertheless, consider the labor market, unemployment and employment on the scale of the entire economy as a whole).
The wage rate is less flexible than the prices of other goods. The living conditions of most citizens directly depend on the price.
But everything is different for labor sellers. Typically, labor is the only thing they can sell.
The usual market competition between sellers and buyers (the former want to sell at a higher price, the latter want to buy at a lower price) in the labor market reaches the level of acute contradictions.
Concluding a contract to hire labor has an important difference from purchasing a service.