PENNSVALLEY
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South Asia
Lesson65: (Cont.)
Natural Resources andEconomyof SouthAsia
Primary Industries –Mineral Resources
SouthAsia does not have an abundance of mineral resources.However, among the countries that
do, India has the greatest variety of mineral resources.
Coal, iron ore
, and
copper
can be found in
India andNepal. India is theworld’s third largest producer of coal.
Natural gas
can be found in India
and Pakistan. Pakistan has large reserves of oil. India has a major
diamond
processing industry.
Gems, such as
sapphires
, are processed inNepal andSri Lanka.
ACTIVITY 3:
Use the information above to answer the following questions.
1.Which country has large reserves of oil?
2.Which country has thegreatest variety ofmineral resources?
3.What gemstone is processed inNepal andSri Lanka?
4.Which country processes diamonds?
5.Which countries have large reserves of natural gas?
and
Secondary industries –Manufacturing
The rawmaterials frommany of the primary industries are used to create secondary industries.
Recall that these types of industry involve making, creating, or producing products. Most industry in
SouthAsia is centered on processing of agricultural products, such as tea, cotton, and cattle.
The notable exception is India. Although the population of India is 70 percent rural, the country is
more industrialized thanothers in the region.While Indiahas a large
foodprocessing
industry, it also
has heavy industry based in its larger cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. India produces
steel,
cars, computers
, and
chemicals
.
Tertiary Industries
Tertiary (service) industries are just beginning to develop in South Asia. Tourism is perhaps the
strongest tertiary industry. Due to climate and/or culture, India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have a
healthy
tourist
market.
India is the only country that has developed a tertiary base. India has a
rocket
and
space
program
. In addition, India has a
movie
industry that is larger than theUnited States film industry in
terms of movies made and tickets sold. India also has an extensive
railroad network
built by the
Britishwhen they ruled India.Most large cities are financial centers. A new emerging industry in India
is in the high-tech telecommunications field.
