(a) (i) Name any three commodities of world trade. (ii) Identify three sea routes in the world. (b) Explain any four conditions that promote trade among cou...

Answer Details

(a)(i) Three commodities of world trade

• Crude petroleum (oil).
• Machinery and manufactured goods (vehicles, electronics).
• Agricultural products such as cocoa, coffee, wheat.

(a)(ii) Three sea routes in the world

• The North Atlantic route (between Western Europe and North America).
• The Suez Canal route (linking Europe with Asia via the Mediterranean and Red Sea).
• The Panama Canal route (linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans). (Also the Cape of Good Hope route.)

(b) Four conditions that promote trade among countries

• Differences in natural resources: countries exchange what they have in surplus for what they lack.
• Differences in climate and relief: allow production of different goods that can be exchanged.
• Differences in level of technology: industrial nations trade manufactured goods for raw materials.
• Good transport and communication: efficient shipping and ports ease the movement of goods.
• Peace, stable currencies and trade agreements between nations.

(c) Three reasons for the low volume of trade among African countries

• African countries produce similar raw materials, so they have little to exchange among themselves.
• Poor transport and communication links between the countries.
• Different currencies, languages and colonial ties that direct trade towards Europe rather than within Africa.
• Low level of industrialisation, so few manufactured goods are available to trade locally.