(a) Outline any four advantages of concentration of industries in urban areas. (b) Highlight any three disadvantages of concentration of industries in urban...

Answer Details

(a) Four advantages of concentrating industries in urban areas

• Availability of labour: large urban population supplies both skilled and unskilled workers.
• Good infrastructure: ready supply of electricity, water, roads, railways and ports serves the industries.
• Large market: the dense urban population and high purchasing power provide a ready market for goods.
• Availability of capital and services: banks, insurance and other financial and repair services are concentrated in towns, and firms benefit from linkages with one another (economies of agglomeration).

(b) Three disadvantages of concentrating industries in urban areas

• Pollution of air, water and land, and noise, harming health.
• Overcrowding, traffic congestion and pressure on housing and services (slums, high rents).
• Regional imbalance: rural areas are neglected and their people migrate to the towns; land and labour costs also rise.

(c) Three factors for the dominance of light industries in developing countries

• Low capital requirement: light industries (food processing, textiles, soap) need little capital, which suits countries short of investment funds.
• Use of local raw materials and simple technology: they process locally available agricultural raw materials and do not need advanced machinery or highly skilled labour.
• Ready local market and small scale: they produce consumer goods for the immediate local population and can operate on a small scale, matching low demand and limited power/energy supply.