Human Geography

Industrial Giant: China

Government Legislation

• China's policy was changed in 1977, foreign investment encouraged
• Special economic zones in 1980- 1994
• Tax incentives, increasingly wealthy population
• Wages 95% lower than USA

The Olympics Factor

• 2008 Beijing Olympics
• Showcase nation- opening ceremony- convery China as open and friendly
• Image portrayed helped stimulate further investment

The Three Gorges Dam

• 2/3 of China's energy is from coal, 7% in 2006 from HEP 
• Biggest dam in world, 22 500 mW capacity when fully operation

Increasing Food Production: Flower Growing in Kenya

Facts and Advantages

• Water is supplied from surrounding lakes 
• Cheap labour is available for picking and packaging 
• There's a lack of laws linked to work and health and safety
• Warm, dry climate is perfect as cash crops can grow all year- fertile soil (but used for flowers NOT FOOD)
• Increase in wealth for the area, income to generate development 
• Fasting growing industry in Kenya, continual growth since 1970s 
• Increase in number of fair trade companies, 500 000 people depend on the industry
• There are good transport links to ship the flowers to Europe

Disadvantages

• Poor wages mean the income is small, some workers live on £1 a day 
• Removal of water supply means there may be drought for some, Maasai are struggling to the E and N of Mt Kenya
• Workers are using banned chemicals- cause rashes and chest problems 
• Fertilisers pollute wildlife and water supply, Kenya Flower Council now monitoring industry 

Small Industrial Region, Global Connections: Motorsport Valley

Location 

• Central in the UK, Silverstone is in the middle of Motorsport Valley 
• Near major motorways- M40 and M1 
• 6 nearby airports including East Midlands 
• Centre of an engineering cluster, has a multiplier effect

Numbers

• 10% of people from Northamptonshire work there 
• 38 500 jobs, 25 000 engineers
• 4500 companies, turnover of £6 billion

Types of Industry 

• 200 different firms connected to Motorsport
• Performance engineering, road and racing vehicles, production of components, research

TNC: Toyota

Background

• Largest car manufacturer in the world
• Head office in Japan, plants in every continent

Reasons for locating in rich countries

• Richer markets, lucrative (great deal of profit) trading blocks such as EU
• Government incentives, research and development by good design teams 

Reasons for locating in poor countries 

• Land is cheaper to buy 
• Government incentives 
• Health and safety not as strict- cheaper
• Cheaper workforce, flexible, long hours 
• Unions are weak 

UK Wind Power

• Strong reliable winds needed, average of 5km a second 
• High landscape or site exposed to prevailing winds, 10% less windy means 20% less power
• In the UK, sites tend to be on exposed coasts or upland areas (West of Britain)
• 176 wind farms in 2008
• Government aims to generate 10% of electricity from renewable sources

Advantages

• Renewable, non-polluting, low carbon footprint
• Relatively cheap source after setting up fees 
• Farmers can rent land 

Disadvantages

• Noise of blades can disturb locals, affect visual landscape therefore property prices 
• Only areas with a lot of wind are suitable
• Large numbers of turbines needed to produce sufficient electricity (minimum of 20 turbines in wind farms)

Transmigration

• Indonesia comprises 17 500 islands, population of 240 million, 4th most populous country 
• 1950s and 60s saw rapid population growth- Java, Bali and Madura in danger of becoming overpopulated
• 1969: transmigration from Java to West Papua, chance to escape poverty and earn money farming
• Between 1979 and 1984, more than 2.5 million involved- over 1 million settled in West Papua alone 
• Financed by World Bank and Asian Development Bank, recent financial difficulties scaled it down 
• 2006: 20 000 families... By 2010: 250 000 families wanted to move 

Effects

• Economic: didn't reduce poverty, redistributed it- many new migrants lack farming skills- settlements poorly planned with few facilities- resettlement was expensive, $7000 per family in 1980s
• Environmental: accelerating deforestation, over cultivation led to soil erosion 
• Social: Clashes between migrants and indigenous people (2001: hundreds died- traditional land rights ignored- religion clashes between Islamist migrants and Christian locals 
• Political: some suggest it was encouraged to increase national security and control indigenous people

Ageing Population: France

• Pro-natal policy encouraging people to have children to produce a more favourable age structure and dependency ratio 
• Couples given a range of incentives 
• Three years paid parental leave, used by mothers or fathers
• Full time schooling starts at 3, fully paid by the government 
• Day care for those under 3 is subsidised by the government 
• The more children a women has, the earlier she can retire on full pension 

Migration in EU: Poland to UK

• Since 2004, 1.5 million Eastern Europeans entered UK, 2/3 of whom are Polish 
• Most found formal jobs with better pay than they'd receive back home 
• Earn on average 5x more, cost of UK living only 2x as much 
• Most migrants pay tax, contributes to economy 
• Some work in informal economy- working and not paying tax
• Use UK health and education services- adding to government cost 
• Overall, UK has benefitted from influx of Polish migrants 
• 545 000 Polish passport holders living in the UK, compared with 75 000 in 2003, the year before they joined the EU 

Migation outside the EU: Africa to Europe

• Main departure points: West Coast of Africa, Northern Morocco, Tunisia, Libya
• Closest European country: Spain 
• Once detained, they can be expelled, sent back or sent to mainland Spain
• The authorities doubled the size of border fences in 2005 when many attempted to scale them 
• Tightening security in one place seems to move it elsewhere
• Majority of African migrants are in Europe, with 4.6 million in 2007 
• In the US there were only around 890 000 
• 2/3 of Africans in Europe are from North Africa
• Many send money home each year

Safari: Kenya

Attractions 

• Climate- tropical, sun all year, hot and humid at coast 
• Natural beauty- Mt Kenya, Kilimanjaro, Lake Victoria, 6000km Great American Rift Valley
• Wildlife- National parks including 'Big 5'
• Cultural- local tribes such as Maasai-  and Coastal holidays- SE of Kenya, fine sands and coral reefs, marine life

Advantages 

• Money and jobs- Kenya's biggest earner for foreign exchange, multiplier effect
• Infrastructure- encourages building on new roads and better communications
• Conservation- National Parks created, encourage people to protect environment

Disadvantages

• Leakage: a lot of money paid never reaches Kenya
• Bad for animals and erosion (disturbances and Jeeps) loss of culture (Maasai forced out National Parks) 
• Coral reefs ruined, social problems such as drugs and crime

Coastal Resort: Eastbourne

• South coast between Brighton and Hastings
• Tourism started when train and pier was built around 1870 
• Major tourist resort from 1900-1960, people had more time and money, consolidation period
• 1960-2000, tourism declined, hotels became run down and closed, stagnant period 
• 2000 onwards, started to rejuvenate
• Events such as Eastbourne Extreme, Airbourne, Bonfire society, Tennis
• Chain hotels such as the Travel Inn and boutique hotels added variety  

Ecotourism: Belize

• Caribbean side of Central America
• Longest living Barrier Reef in the world, well looked after 
• Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary- only jaguar reserve 
• Big tropical rainforest, 25% employed in tourism 
• Over 42% of land protected in national parks, nature reserves, or wildlife sanctuaries 

Ecotourism

• Small groups taken around island, pay more and do less damage
• Manatee are endangered, less than 1000 left in Belize, boats must turn off engine and paddle
• Public meetings happen before any tourist development- locals can have their say 
• Conservation tax- £3 per person- improvements of infrastructure + reduces risk of env. damage
• Drinking and washing water comes from cisterns that trap rainwater 
• Local communities benefit as there is less leakage