Human Activities
Fundamentals of Human Geography, Unit III. Covers Primary activities; Secondary activities; Tertiary activities; Quaternary activities.
About this unit
This unit classifies human economic activities into primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary (with quinary as a top layer). It explains how people obtain resources directly from nature, turn them into goods, and provide services and knowledge. These activities shape the economy, the occupation of people and the landscape of a region.
Key ideas
- Primary activities depend directly on the environment: gathering, hunting, pastoralism, fishing, forestry, agriculture and mining.
- Secondary activities add value to natural resources by manufacturing and processing.
- Tertiary activities provide services such as trade, transport, communication and personal and professional services.
- Quaternary activities are knowledge-based: research, information, data processing.
- Quinary activities involve top-level decision-making by senior executives and policy makers.
- Types of agriculture vary from primitive subsistence to plantation, commercial grain, mixed, dairy and Mediterranean farming.
How to prepare
Make a chart of agriculture types with their main regions and crops. Learn the factors of industrial location and the classification of industries. Practise case-based questions where you must identify the sector of an activity.
Topics in this chapter
Primary activities
Gathering, pastoralism, mining, subsistence and modern agriculture.
5 questionsSecondary activities
Manufacturing, agro-processing, and household, small-scale and large-scale industries.
5 questionsTertiary activities
Trade, transport, communication and services.
5 questionsQuaternary activities
Knowledge-based industries and people engaged in them.
5 questions