Primary Sector, Energy Sources, and Industry Types

The primary or agricultural sector consists of economic activities related to the processing of natural resources into unprocessed primary products.

Traditional Energy Sources

Coal

Coal is a mineral fuel. Its advantage is abundance; its drawbacks are that it is a nonrenewable resource and highly polluting.

Producing countries: China, USA, India, and Russia.

Oil

Oil is a mineral composed of a blend of hydrocarbons. It is used after a refining process. Its advantages are easy extraction and transport; its inconveniences are that it is a nonrenewable resource and highly polluting.

Producing countries: Saudi Arabia, United States, Russia, Iraq, Mexico.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Its origin is the same as that of oil. It has been known since antiquity. Its advantages are high calorific power and low cost. It is less polluting than coal and oil.

Producing countries: Russia, United States, and Canada.

Nuclear Fission Energy

It is currently obtained from the separation or fission of atoms of heavy radioactive minerals. It is used to obtain electricity in nuclear plants, in medicine, and in the chemical industry. The advantage is great energetic power; the drawbacks are the risk of accidents and the high cost of construction and decommissioning of nuclear plants.

Producing countries: United States, France, and Japan.

Hydroelectric Power

Obtained from water stored in a dam reservoir or artificial barrier situated on river courses. The benefits are that it is instant, inexhaustible, and clean. Its inconveniences are the inundation of villages and farmland and altered river flows.

Producing countries: Canada, USA, Brazil, and China.

Alternative Energy Sources

• Solar energy: Comes from the light and heat of the sun.
• Wind energy: Comes from wind.
• Biomass energy: Proceeds from agricultural waste.
• Tidal energy: Comes from the force of the seas and waves.
• Geothermal energy: Proceeds from the Earth's internal heat.
• Nuclear fusion energy: Proceeds from the union of atoms.

Traditional Craft Industry

• The work was done by hand.
• The workplace was small workshops.
• The mode of production was based on the realization of the entire product by skilled artisans.
• The resulting production was unique.
• Localization is scattered all over the territory.

Modern Industry

Arises from the Industrial Revolution.

• Work is done with machines and requires large amounts of energy.
• The workplace is factories, which require large capital investments.

Types of Modern Industry

• Base industry: Makes preforms which are then processed by other industries.
• Equipment goods industries: Manufacture products necessary for the operation of other industries and for transportation.
• Use and consumption industries: Manufacture products intended directly for consumers.