(a) Describe lumbering in Zaire under the following headings (I) favourable factors (II) problems of exploitation (III) contributions to the economy.

Answer Details

Lumbering in Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo)

(I) Favourable factors

• Extensive tropical rainforest: The Congo Basin is covered by dense equatorial forest containing large quantities of valuable hardwoods such as mahogany, ebony and iroko.
• Hot, wet equatorial climate: High temperatures and heavy, well-distributed rainfall throughout the year encourage rapid and continuous tree growth.
• Presence of navigable rivers: The River Congo and its tributaries provide cheap water transport for floating logs to sawmills and ports.
• Availability of labour: A large local population supplies the labour needed for felling and hauling timber.

(II) Problems of exploitation

• Dense undergrowth and mixed forest: Valuable trees grow scattered among many useless species, making selective felling difficult and costly.
• Poor land transport: Few roads and railways, coupled with the swampy terrain, make it hard to move logs to processing centres.
• Heavy hardwoods: Many tropical hardwoods do not float easily, adding to transport difficulty.
• Pests, diseases and climate: The hot, humid climate breeds pests and diseases (such as those spread by the tsetse fly) that affect workers and hinder operations.
• Shortage of capital and skilled labour: Inadequate funds and few trained workers limit large-scale mechanised lumbering.

(III) Contributions to the economy

• Foreign exchange: The export of timber and wood products earns foreign currency.
• Employment: Felling, sawmilling and transport of timber provide jobs for many people.
• Raw materials: It supplies timber for construction and raw materials for furniture and paper industries.
• Development of infrastructure: Lumbering encourages the building of roads and the growth of towns in forest areas.
• Government revenue: Royalties and taxes on timber add to government income.