Question

“Generally land-use in a region is influenced by the nature of economic activities.” Support the statement with suitable examples.

Hint:

Land-use is dynamic; it changes as the economic structure of a society moves from agrarian to industrial and service-oriented.
Non-agricultural land-use is a key indicator of urbanization.

Answer 1

Concept:
• Land-use refers to the functional utilization of land for various purposes.
• The intensity and type of land-use are directly proportional to the stage of economic development and the nature of predominant economic activities in a region.
• As an economy shifts from primary to secondary and tertiary sectors, the demand for non-agricultural land increases.

Step 1: Influence of Primary Activities on Rural Land-use
In regions dominated by primary activities like agriculture, the vast majority of land is used for cultivation, pastures, and forests.
The land-use pattern is dictated by soil fertility and water availability.
For example, in the Indo-Gangetic plains, the high productivity of land keeps it under intensive crop cultivation.

Step 2: Shift to Non-agricultural Land-use due to Industrialization
As secondary and tertiary activities grow, land is diverted for building factories, warehouses, and offices.
Infrastructure like roads, railways, and airports requires large tracts of land that were previously used for agriculture or left as open spaces.
Example: The conversion of agricultural land into Industrial Estates in peripheral areas of large cities.

Step 3: Urban Land-use and Economic Specialization
In urban areas, land-use is highly specialized into residential, commercial, and administrative zones.
The high value of land in the Central Business District (CBD) leads to vertical expansion (high-rises) to maximize economic output per unit of land area.
This illustrates how high-value economic activities demand specific land-use patterns.

Step 4: Pressure on land due to Population and Economic Growth
With economic growth, the increasing population puts pressure on available land, leading to land reclamation and the conversion of 'culturable waste' into productive use.
Even marginal lands are brought under use for specialized economic activities like mining or solar power plants.