How Geography Affects Our Economy

Geography, or where we are in the world, plays a big role in how different countries make money. The main ways people make a living include farming, mining, forestry, and fishing. Let's look at some simple reasons why geography matters for these activities.

1. Natural Resources:

• Areas with lots of natural resources often focus on those resources for their economy.
• For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are many minerals to mine. This mining makes up about 25% of the country's economy.
• In the Midwest USA, the land is very good for farming. Here, farmers grow crops like corn and soybeans, which together bring in over $200 billion every year.

2. Climate:

• The weather and climate also play a big role in what kinds of crops can be grown.
• In warm, tropical places with plenty of rain, farmers can grow things like sugarcane and coffee. Brazil is an excellent example—it's the top producer of sugar in the world, making about 36% of all sugar thanks to its perfect climate.
• In cooler areas with different seasons, like Canada, farmers often grow wheat. Canada produces around 30 million tons of wheat each year.

3. Topography:

• The shape of the land affects what activities can happen there.
• For instance, in mountainous areas, it can be tough to farm, but these regions are great for forestry and tourism. The Appalachian Mountains in the USA are known for their timber, which helps the local economy.
• On the other hand, flat areas like the Pampas in Argentina are ideal for large-scale farming and raising cattle, producing about 50 million tons of beef each year.

4. Accessibility:

• Being close to markets and having good roads and ports is important for economic activities.
• Places near the coast, like parts of West Africa, are great for fishing. In this region, fish provides more than 50% of the protein people eat.
• However, areas that are landlocked, like Mali, can have a hard time because they don’t have easy access to trade routes or fishing, which can limit their economy.

Conclusion: Where we live—our geography—affects how we make money through natural resources, climate, the shape of the land, and access to markets. Understanding these facts is important for planning how to grow economies and develop in a smart and sustainable way.