Geography Test - 21

The year 2003 marked the launching of 'Haryali' with the objective of empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions both financially and administratively in the implementation of watershed development programme in the country.

Key Points

• Gaddis: -
  • The Gaddis are a tribal community primarily found in the Bharmaur region of Himachal Pradesh, India.
  • This community is known for its semi-nomadic lifestyle, primarily engaging in animal husbandry and agriculture.
  • They migrate to the lower Himalayan regions during the winter months and return to the higher pastures in the summer for grazing their livestock.
  • The unique cultural practices, traditional costumes, and festivals of the Gaddis are significant to the cultural heritage of the Bharmaur region.

Additional Information

• Gonds: -
  • ​The Gonds are one of the largest tribal communities in India, primarily residing in the central and southern parts of the country, such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
  • Their primary occupation includes agriculture, foraging, and hunting.
  • Given their geographical distribution, the Gonds do not inhabit the Bharmaur region, making this option incorrect.
• Bhils: -
  • The Bhils are another major tribal community in India, found mostly in the western and central parts of the country, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. -
  • They are known for their archery skills, cultural richness, and have a history of being great warriors.
  • The Bhils do not reside in the Bharmaur region, which is located in the northern part of India, making this option incorrect.
• Santhals: -
  • The Santhals are a major tribal community primarily found in the eastern part of India, including states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha
  • They are known for their rich cultural heritage, dance forms, music, and craftsmanship.
  • The geographical location of the Santhal community does not align with the Bharmaur region, hence this option is incorrect.

Key Points

• New Zealand:
  • In New Zealand, an innovative approach to dairy farming includes the supply of milk through pipelines directly from farms to factories.
  • This system enhances efficiency, reduces transportation costs, and minimizes the carbon footprint associated with dairy farming.
  • It represents a unique integration of agriculture and technology, streamlining the process from production to processing.

Additional Information

• Denmark:
  • Although Denmark is renowned for its advanced dairy farming techniques, milk is typically transported via tankers rather than pipelines.
  • The country focuses on sustainable farming practices and high-quality dairy production but does not utilize pipeline systems for milk transportation on a large scale.
• USA:
  • The United States has a vast and diverse dairy industry with farms ranging from small family operations to large-scale industrial farms.
  • While innovative in many aspects, the U.S. dairy sector primarily relies on traditional transportation methods, including trucks and tankers, for milk distribution.
• Australia:
  • Australia's dairy industry is significant and employs various modern farming techniques.
  • However, like in the USA and Denmark, the transportation of milk from farms to factories predominantly involves vehicular transport rather than pipelines.

In conclusion, the innovative practice of transporting milk directly from farms to factories via pipelines is notably utilized in New Zealand.

Key Points

• Coal:
  • Coal is considered a conventional source of energy because it has been used for centuries to produce electricity, heat, and power.
  • It is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals, accumulating over millions of years.
  • Despite its high carbon emissions when burned, coal's abundance and cost-effectiveness have made it a staple in energy production worldwide.

Additional Information

• Tidal energy:
  • Tidal energy is derived from the natural rise and fall of ocean tides. It is considered a renewable and sustainable source of power.
  • This form of energy is not conventional, as it has not been historically used on a large scale and relies on advanced technology for its harnessing.
• Solar energy:
  • Solar energy, obtained from the sun's rays, is renewable and has gained significant attention for its potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
  • It is not a conventional source of energy, as its widespread use is relatively recent compared to coal.
• Geo-Thermal energy:
  • Geo-thermal energy is derived from the Earth's internal heat. It is considered renewable and is used for heating and generating electricity in some parts of the world.
  • Though it has been used in some form for thousands of years, it is not classified as conventional due to its limited use and the specific geographical conditions required for its exploitation.

In conclusion, coal is identified as a conventional source of energy due to its long history of use for energy production, its role in the industrialization process, and its widespread availability and use despite the environmental concerns associated with its combustion.

Quinary activities are known as "Gold Collar Professionals. -Key Points

• Quinary Activities: -
  • Quinary activities refer to the highest level of decision-making and include top executives or officials in various fields.
  • They are involved in high-level decision making in organizations, governments, and industries. -
  • This sector is characterized by high-level decision-making roles in all types of organizations and includes CEOs, government officials, research scientists, and other high-level professionals. -
  • The term "Gold Collar Professionals" is used to describe individuals in quinary activities because they represent a small, elite segment of the workforce that possesses specialized knowledge or skills. -

Additional Information

• Quaternary Activities: -
  • These involve services such as information technology, financial planning, consulting, education, and other knowledge-based services.
  • While these roles are crucial for the functioning of the modern economy, they are not referred to as "Gold Collar Professionals".
• Tertiary Activities: -
  • This sector includes services like retail, entertainment, hospitality, and healthcare.
  • Workers in this sector provide essential services directly to consumers.
  • Although important, these roles do not typically involve the high-level decision-making characteristic of "Gold Collar Professionals".
• Outsourcing: -
  • Outsourcing is the business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed in-house by the company's own employees and staff.
  • It does not refer to a specific level of workers but rather to a business strategy.

Basic Needs Approach

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is known for focusing on labor standards, employment, and social protection. Among the options given, the ILO has prominently advocated for the Basic Needs Approach.

Key Points

• Basic Needs Approach
  • Focused on ensuring that all individuals have their basic needs met, such as food, shelter, and clothing, along with essential services like education and health care.
  • The Basic Needs Approach has been a framework in development discussions and policies, aiming at poverty alleviation and improvement of living conditions.
  • The ILO has supported this approach, particularly in relation to labor and employment, by emphasizing the importance of decent work and the provision of social protection to meet workers' basic needs.

Additional Information

• Capability Approach
  • Developed by Amartya Sen, this approach focuses on what individuals are able to do and be - their capabilities.
  • It moves beyond just considering the resources available to individuals and looks at their freedom to lead the kind of lives they value.
  • While this approach aligns with broad development goals and can intersect with labor issues, it is more directly associated with development economics and social justice, rather than being a specific focus of the ILO.
• Welfare Approach
  • The Welfare Approach in social policy aims at providing for the basic welfare and needs of the population through direct assistance.
  • It includes interventions in areas like health care, education, and housing.
  • While welfare policies can impact work and employment indirectly (for instance, through social security or unemployment benefits), the ILO’s work encompasses but is not limited to welfare, focusing broadly on promoting rights at work, encouraging decent employment opportunities, enhancing social protection, and strengthening dialogue on work-related issues.
• Income Approach
  • The Income Approach looks at generating and increasing income as a primary means to improve living standards and address poverty.
  • It can encompass strategies like improving wage conditions, creating job opportunities, and fostering economic growth.
  • While the ILO certainly supports initiatives to ensure fair wages and income for workers, its approach is more comprehensive, addressing a broader spectrum of labor issues beyond just income.

Over-time changes in the population composition due to changes in fertility and mortality rate are known as the demographic transition.

Important Points

Demographic transition is a model used to represent the movement of high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system.

• Stage 1: High Stationery: Birth and death rates are high and erratic, and population growth is modest.
• Stage 2: Early Expanding Stage: a high birth rate, a low mortality rate, and a fast population growth rate
• Stage 3: Later Expanding Stage: Declining birth and mortality rates, as well as a decline in the rate of population increase.
• Stage 4: Low Stationary Stage: Population growth is moderate due to low birth and mortality rates.

Hence, Stage 1 of demographic transition is the stage in which both fertility and mortality rates are high.

The correct answer is Japan.

Key Points

• Of all the countries in the world, Japan has the most rapidly aging population in the history of the world.
  • It has the largest population of people over the age of 65.
  • With the oldest population in the world, Japan’s population consists of 28.79 percent of people over age 65.
  • At the present moment, more than one in four people in the country are over the age of 65.
• One theorized reason for Japan’s large elderly population is the post-war baby boom that affected the nation between 1947 and 1949, a time which was followed by a long period of low fertility rates.
  • Japan’s life expectancy is also the highest in the OECD, at 84.7 years, major reason behind this is the country´s low rates of cerebrovascular diseases and its citizens tending to adhere to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
• It is predicted that nearly one-third of the Japanese people (32.2%) will be senior citizens by 2030.
• After Japan, comes Italy and Finland.

Key Points

East Asia:

• Approximately one-fourth of the world's population lives in the East Asia region comprising eastern parts of China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and the island of Taiwan. Five-sixths of the people in this region live in China.
• South Asia has the second-largest concentration of people. The region comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
• More than 20% 0f the world's population lives in South Asia and India, the world's second-most populous country contains more than three-fourths of the people in this region.
• The world's third-largest population cluster encompasses about two dozen countries that occupy much of Europe from the United Kingdom to western Russia. Approximately 15% of the world's people live in this cluster.

North America:

• The largest concentration of people in the Western Hemisphere is in the Northeastern United States and South-Eastern Canada.
• Approximately 150 million people live in this region and like the Europeans, most Americans are urban dwellers and fewer than 5% are farmers.

Additional Information

​​South-East Asia:

• A third Asian population cluster and the world's fourth-largest comprise a series of islands that lie between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• The largest concentration is on the island of Java (Indonesia) inhabited by more than 100 million people.
• Indonesia consists of more than 13,677 islands and is the fourth most populous country in the world. Included in this region is the Philippines.

The correct answer is Belgium.

Key Points

• Belgium
  • Belgium is known as the Cockpit of Europe. Hence, Option 3 is correct.
  • It has been the site of more European battles than any other country. For example, Oudenarde, Ramillies, Ligny, Quatre Bras, Waterloo.
  • Waterloo in Belgium is the war zone of Napoleon Bonaparte’s last battle, the Battle of Waterloo.
  • Belgium was the battleground of many European battles than any other country.
  • Scotland is known as the Land of Cakes.
  • Oxford is known as the City of Dreaming Spires.
  • New York is known as the City of Sky Scrapers.

Additional Information