Q5. Give geographical reasons-
1. Availability of water is a major factor affecting settlements.
2. West flowing rivers are not found in Brazil.
3. The north eastern part of Brazilian highlands receives very less rainfall.
4. Population is an important resource.
5. The northern part of Brazil is covered by dense forests.
6. Waterways are not developed in Brazil.
7. Eco tourism is being developed in Brazil.
8. In Brazil, majority of population is found in eastern coastal areas.
9. Brazil’s population density is very less.
10. There are dissimilarities between the eastern and western coast of India.
11. Snowfall doesn’t always occur in Brazil.
12. Vegetation is scarce in the high altitudes of Himalayas.
13. There are fewer natural ports on the eastern coast of India.
14. A dense network of railways has developed in the North Indian plains.
15. A wide variety of species of insects is found in Brazil.
16. India’s population density is high.
17. Convectional type of rainfall is not prominent in India.
18. Wildlife in India is decreasing day by day.
19. Development of transportation is useful for overall development of country.
20. Tropical cyclones occur rarely in Brazil.
21. Urbanization is increasing rapidly in India.
22. Settlements are sparse in north eastern Brazil.
23. Except Delhi and Chandigarh, urbanization is low in other parts of India.
24. The density of population is sparse in Amazon basin.
25. There is not much difference in the range of temperature in Manaus.
26. Like India, there is need of conservation of forests in Brazil too.
27. The rain forests of Brazil are known as ‘lungs of the world’.
28. Population density is high in the Ganga plains.
29. As compared to Amazon, pollution in river Ganga will affect human life greatly.
30. India receives precipitation from the north east monsoon winds too.
31. There is mixed economy in Brazil and India.
32. We rely on the sea route for international trade.
33. Per capita land availability is more in Brazil as compared to India.
1. Availability of water is a major factor affecting settlements.
Ans:
(1) All living beings require water for their survival. They need water for drinking as well as for other purposes.
(2) Water is required for cultivation, for cattle and for several occupations including industries.
(3) Since ancient times, civilizations and human settlements have developed in the river basin. For e.g.: Settlements developed in Varanasi, Harappa, Mohenjodaro in ancient times.
It can be hence said that, human civilizations will prosper when there is abundance of water. Thus, availability of water is a major factor affecting settlements.
2. West flowing rivers are not found in Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Even a cursory look at the map will make one realise that there is North Atlantic and South Atlantic Ocean to the northern and eastern coasts of Brazil respectively.
(2) The southern Brazil is occupied by an extensive plateau. The height (altitude) decreases gradually to its north. A number of rivers take off from the terminal portion of the highlands and flow northwards to meet Atlantic Ocean. The only major river Sao Francisco flows towards the north for a distance and then takes a sharp eastward turn to enter the coastal strip along the Atlantic Ocean.
(3) Moreover, Amazon which is the longest river in Brazil, originates from the eastern slopes of Andes Mountains in Peru, flows eastward and meet North Atlantic ocean.
(4) Likewise, Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay originate from southern slopes of the Highlands and flows through the south-western part of Brazil.
Therefore, there are no west flowing rivers in Brazil.
3. The north eastern part of Brazilian highlands receives very less rainfall.
Ans:
i. Brazil receives rainfall from the South- East Trade winds as well as the North- East Trade winds.
ii. Some parts of the Highlands extend upto the northern coast.
iii. The escarpments act as an obstruction to the South-East trade winds coming from the sea. This causes orographic type of rainfall in the coastal areas.
iv. Beyond the highlands, as the effect of these winds gets reduced, the region receives less rainfall.
Due to all these reasons, the north-eastern part of Brazilian Highlands receives very less rainfall and is called as a rain shadow region or a ‘Drought Quadrilateral’.
4. Population is an important resource.
Ans:
(1) The economic and social development of a country is dependent on its population and its quality.
(2) In other words, the progress of a country depends on the form of its population. For e.g.: In India, working population is more.
(3) If a country’s population is literate and healthy, then such population is an economic and social asset to the nation and not a sheer liability.
5. The northern part of Brazil is covered by dense forests.
Ans:
(1) Amazon River flows in the northern part of Brazil and nearly two-third part of Brazil is covered by this river.
(2) Also the equator passes through this region, hence the climate is hot and it rains throughout the year. It receives convectional type of rainfall. These environmental conditions are favourable for the growth of trees.
(3) However, this climate, heavy rainfall, dense forests, etc. acts as a barrier to the development of human settlement. Hence, the interior in the Amazon Basin is very sparsely populated.
Thus, due to the Amazon River, heavy rainfall, ample sunlight, hot and humid climate and very few human settlements which indicate negligible interference of human, the northern part of Brazil is covered by dense forests.
6. Waterways are not developed in Brazil.
Ans.
(1) Brazil has the potential to be the country using waterways as an important means of transportation.
(2) Sea transportation is mostly used in Brazil, and the inland river transportation is not highly utilised.
(3) Inland river transportation network is only 13% of the total transportation network of Brazil.
(4) The waterways are not highly developed especially in the interior regions because of the occurrence of many waterfalls and the difficulty in navigation in these areas having strong currents.
(5) Also, these areas are far from the other major centers making its development highly uneconomical.
Thus waterways are not developed in Brazil.
7. Eco tourism is being developed in Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Brazil has clean, white sand beaches, attractive seacoast, beautiful islands, etc.
(2) It also has beautiful orchards, deep dense forests of Amazon which attract foreign tourists.
(3) The states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, which have attractive beaches, are important tourist attractions from eco-tourism perspective.
Hence, eco-tourism is being developed in Brazil, in order to promote tourism while conserving the environment of the tourist places.
8. In Brazil, majority of population is found in eastern coastal areas.
Ans:
(1) The eastern coast of Brazil has fertile soil and is most suitable for the cultivation of coffee.
(2) Also, this region is rich in minerals and has regular power supply. There is also excellent transport facility in this region.
(3) There is hot and humid climate, regular water supply and fertile soil for cultivation in this region. Due to all the above reasons, majority of population is found in the eastern coastal areas of Brazil.
9. Brazil’s population density is very less.
Ans:
(1) Brazil is the fifth largest country of the world in terms of area. According to 2010 Census, Brazil had a population of 19 crores and was the fifth most populated country in the world.
(2) Brazil occupies 5.6% of the world’s total area and contributes to 2.78% of the world’s population.
(3) Also, the population growth rate of Brazil is declining as it is trying to control population growth. Due to the above reasons, the population density of Brazil is very less which is 23 persons per sq. km. as per 2010 census.
10. There are dissimilarities between the eastern and western coast of India.
Ans: There are dissimilarities between the eastern and western coasts of India because:
(1) The western coast borders the Arabian Sea whereas the Eastern coast borders the Bay of Bengal.
(2) On the western coast, spurs taking off from the Western Ghats extend right up to the coast. It’s width is also less and it is a rocky coast. On the other hand, the eastern cost has been formed due to the depositional work of rivers.
(3) As rivers which originate from the Western Ghats are short & swift, they form estuaries and not deltas whereas as the Eastern Ghats have gentle slope, the speed of the rivers is less and so they deposit the sediments brought with them at the coast, resulting in the formation of deltas.
11. Snowfall doesn’t always occur in Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Brazil is a tropical country.
(2) Since Brazil has vast latitudinal extent it experiences a great range of climatic changes. It is very hot as well as cold in Brazil.
(3) The average temperature of Brazil is between 18°C to 28°C throughout the year. This kind of temperature is not suitable for snowfall.
Thus, snowfall doesn’t always occur in Brazil.
12. Vegetation is scarce in the high altitudes of Himalayas.
Ans:
(1) The climate is very cold in the high altitudes of Himalayas.
(2) During winters, in Jammu & Kashmir and parts of mountainous regions of Himalayas, the temperatures drop to -40° C. There is heavy snowfall.
(3) Due to this, land which is covered with snow becomes unsuitable for vegetation. Hence, seasonally flowering trees are found here.
Therefore, due to very cold temperature, vegetation is scarce in the high altitudes of Himalayas.
13. There are fewer natural ports on the eastern coast of India.
Ans: There are fewer natural ports on the eastern coast of India due to the following reasons:
(1) The Eastern Coast of India borders the Bay of Bengal and has formed as a result of depositional work of rivers.
(2) Due to the gentle slope of the land, east flowing rivers flow at lower velocities and deposit the sediments at the coast. As a result, deltas are found along this coast and make the coast shallow.
(3) A natural port can only develop where there is a deep sea and an indent coast line.
14. A dense network of railways has developed in the North Indian plains.
Ans:
(1) Railways is an easy and convenient mode of transport. It is a suitable for transportation of people as well as goods.
(2) The railway network is dense in North Indian Plains and in areas where the slopes are gentle.
(3) Also, this area has high population and well developed agriculture and industries.
This has lead to increased urbanisation in these regions, as a result of which a dense network of railways has developed in the north Indian plains.
15. A wide variety of species of insects is found in Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Due to the vast-extent of Amazon River, hot and humid climate and heavy rainfall throughout the year; the northern part of Brazil is covered by dense forests.
(2) Pantanal is formed due to the Paraguay river and is a region of swamps and marshes which is the largest swampy land in Brazil.
(3) Thus, heavy rainfall, hot and humid climate, frequent flooding of rivers, swampy land, sunlight unable to reach the ground due to dense forests; create favourable climate for the insects to survive.
Hence, a wide variety of species of insects are found in Brazil.
16. India’s population density is high.
Ans:
(1) As per 2011 Census, the population of India was 121 crores. India is the second most populated country in the world.
(2) The reason the country being so populous is its favourable climate.
(3) India occupies 2.41% of the earth’s area but it has 17.5% of the world’s population.
Due to the above reasons, the population density of India is high, i.e. 382 persons per sq.km, as per 2011 census.
17. Convectional type of rainfall is not prominent in India.
Ans:
(1) Convectional type of rainfall is experienced in the equatorial region.
(2) Air near the equatorial region is heated more due to high intensity solar radiation. It expands, becomes lighter and moves in the upward direction in the form of convectional currents. The rising air cools down. Relative humidity increases and condensation begins. Clouds are formed and everyday in the evening, the equatorial regions get convectional type of rainfall.
(3) India is not equatorial country and the topography of India is the main reason of orographic rainfall in India.
Therefore, convectional type of rainfall is not prominent in India.
18. Wildlife in India is decreasing day by day.
Ans:
(1) The population of India is increasing rapidly. To keep up with unsustainable human population growth, more and more land is required. Cities are expanding at an alarming rate and stretching beyond their original borders. Housing developments infringe upon plant and animal homes by constructing buildings. This habitat degradation has led to the loss of wildlife.
(2) Moreover, due to shifting agriculture, deforestation tears down trees and large plants thus, leaving animals without shelter and food.
(3) Smuggling of wild animals, poaching endangered species, overfishing in rivers and oceans has led to loss in wildlife biodiversity in India.
(4) Pollution is another major reason for the decrease in wildlife in India. For e.g. Pesticides sprayed on crops kills other plant species.
Thus, due to human encroachment in the natural habitat of wild animals, deforestation, smuggling, poaching, overfishing and pollution, wildlife in India is decreasing day-by-day.
19. Development of transportation is useful for overall development of country.
Ans:
(1) A well developed transport system is essential for financial, social and cultural development of a country.
(2) Apart from people, goods also require efficient transportation facilities. This is important for the progress of the country.
(3) Road transport can have dense network of roads connecting even the remotest places.
(4) Also although, waterways are comparatively cheap modes of transport, they are important for carrying out business and trade.
(5) Airways ensure international connectivity of a country and also give impetus to trade as well as communication.
(6) It can be said that, the goods that are exported from the country and the foreign currency derived from it is possible only due to a well developed transport system.
Hence, a good transport system can bring about a turnaround in the economy and the development of the country.
20. Tropical cyclones occur rarely in Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Due to the vast latitudinal extent of Brazil, it experiences wide range of difference in climate. For e.g. near the equator, it is hot while near Tropic of Capricorn there is temperate type of climate.
(2) In the coastal regions near the Equator as the sun’s rays are perpendicular, there is not much difference in the temperature of the country throughout the year. Moreover, the winds move in the vertical direction in this region.
(3) Also the convergence zone of the trade winds near the coastal areas is extremely weak. As a result, cyclones are not formed.
Therefore, tropical cyclones occur rarely in Brazil.
21. Urbanisation is increasing rapidly in India.
Ans:
(1) The availability of facilities like water, electricity supply, etc. in cities led to the growth of industries.
(2) Availability of jobs and work in cities, made people to migrate from villages to the cities.
(3) In India, the urban population is increasing expansion of the urban centers. Due to this, urbanisation in India grows and new cities develop.
22. Settlements are sparse in north eastern Brazil.
Ans:
(1) Proper climate, adequate water supply, availability of resources and fertile soil are the reasons for growth of urbanisation in a particular region.
(2) The north-eastern part of Brazilian highlands is a rain-shadow region, due to the escarpment fonned by the eastern side of the Highlands.
(3) The region to the north of this area is known as ‘Drought Quadrilateral’ as it receives very less rainfall. Due to this, it becomes difficult to practice agriculture and so it is not well-developed in this region.
Therefore settlement are sparse in north-eastern Brazil.
23. Except Delhi and Chandigarh, urbanisation is low in other parts of India.
Ans:
(1) Both Delhi and Chandigarh which lie in the northern plains are Union Territories.
(2) Due to the easy availability of water and fertile soil because of rivers like Yamuna, etc., Delhi has an ancient history of urbanisation. Also, Chandigarh is a well planned city.
(3) Delhi and Chandigarh both places have developed good infrastructure and there are better scope of employment as compared to the other cities of North India.
Therefore, except Delhi and Chandigarh, urbanisation is low in other parts of India.
24. The density of population is sparse in Amazon basin.
Ans:
(1) The Amazon basin has Equatorial type of climate. This region experiences high temperatures and heavy rainfall throughout the year.
(2) Also, this region has difficult and swampy terrain and dense forests.
(3) Moreover, the climatic condition of this area is not suitable or accessable for the growth and development of human population.
Due to the above reasons, the density of population is sparse in Amazon basin.
25. There is not much difference in the range of temperature in Manaus.
Ans:
(1) Manaus is located to the north of Brazil. The equator passes through the northern part of Brazil which means that the sun’s rays arc perpendicular in this region throughout the year. Hence, the temperature here is hot.
(2) Moreover, as it falls under the equatorial region, this region receives Convectional type of rainfall. So, the temperature here is humid.
(3) Thus, throughout the year this region experiences hot and humid climate.
Therefore, there is not much difference in the range of climatic temperature in Manaus.
26. Like India, there is need of conservation of forests in Brazil too.
Ans:
(1) Due to urbanisation, deforestation and other reasons, the forests in India were in danger. Hence, the Government of India, for the protection of forests in India has set up a number of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, etc. Similarly, there is a need of conservation of forests in Brazil too.
(2) Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and occupies 5.6 percent of the world’s total land. Due to its vast size and favourable vegetation & climate, it has the largest number of vegetation species in the world. Moreover, it has greater diversity in wildlife than any other country in the world.
(3) However, degradation of environment is taking place in Brazil due to slash and bum agriculture (Roca), deforestation, pollution, etc. These issues have a bad impact on the wildlife of Brazil. Many endemic species are on the verge of getting extinct because of these issues.
Hence, in order to conserve the biodiversity of Brazil; like India, there is a need of conservation of forests in Brazil too.
27. The rain forests of Brazil are known as iungs of the world’.
Ans:
(1) Evergreen forests are found in the regions where there is heavy rainfall throughout the year.
(2) Due to the evergreen rainforests in Brazil, large amount of oxygen is released in the environment.
(3) This reduces the carbon dioxide levels in the environment.
Therefore, Evergreen rainforests in Brazil are called the ‘lungs of the world’.
28. Population density is high in the Ganga plains.
Ans:
(1) Natural features, favourable climate and availability of facilities help in the growth of human settlements in a certain location.
(2) The Ganga plains in the north of India have fertile soil, favourable climate and abundance of water.
(3) There is growth in agriculture as well as industries in this area.
Due to these reasons, population density in Ganga plains is high.
29. As compared to Amazon, pollution in river Ganga will affect human life greatly.
Ans:
(1) Amazon basin lies to the north of Brazil. Amazon River receives huge discharge of about 2 lakhs cubic m/s. On the other hand, in North Indian Plains, due to gentle slope, the speed (velocity) of River Ganga is less.
(2) The region near the Amazon Basin is covered by thick dense equatorial rainforests, hence, it is unfit for human settlement. However, the Ganga river basin is a very fertile region and agriculture is carried out here on a large scale. Moreover, due to the availability of water, this region is densely populated.
(3) Due to the throwing of industrial waste in rivers, the river water has become polluted which has an adverse effect on the human life.
Therefore, as compared to Amazon, pollution in river Ganga will affect human life greatly.
30. India receives precipitation from the north-east monsoon winds too.
Ans:
(1) Generally, by October there is a season of retreating monsoon in India.
(2) The South-west monsoon winds return from the Himalayan ranges. While retreating from the northeast across the Bay of Bengal, it picks up a significant amount of moisture.
(3) While blowing from the north-east towards the Indian Ocean the winds cross the eastern coasts of India and cause heavy & widespread rain to some parts of the Peninsula.
Thus, India receives precipitation from the North-east monsoon winds too.
31. There is mixed economy in Brazil and India.
Ans:
(1) In a mixed economy, there is a co-existence of both, private and public sector.
(2) The various sectors such as banking, railways, airways, electricity production, iron and steel industry, health, education, telecommunications etc. are owned by public as well as private sector in mixed economies.
(3) Its main goal is to strike a balance between profit and social welfare.
All these characteristics of mixed economy are present in Brazil and India. Therefore, there is mixed economy in both countries.
32. We rely on the sea route for international trade.
Ans:
(1) Waterways are natural mode of transportation and do not require any expense for its maintenance.
(2) Countries having access to coastal areas can import and export goods through sea routes. For example, approximately 95 percent of India’s foreign trade moves through ocean routes.
(3) Waterways connect the countries directly. Countries which are located far off from each other can send cumbersome goods from one country to another through waterways.
Thus, people having trade relations with other countries are dependent on waterways.
33. Per capita land availability is more in Brazil as compared to India.
Ans:
(1) India occupies only 2.41 per cent of the land area of the world whereas it supports 17.5 per cent of the world’s population. On the other hand, Brazil occupies 5.6 per cent world’s total land and has 2.78 per cent of world’s total population.
(2) The average density of population in India is 382 persons per sq. km. as per 2011 census. While the density of population in Brazil as the 2010 census around 23 persons per sq. km.
(3) This means that the per person availability of land in India is lesser than that of Brazil. Moreover, the population of India is also higher than that of Brazil.
Due to these reasons, the per capita land availability is more in Brazil as compared to India.