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SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BHUBANESWAR.

                               Class VIII: SOCIAL STUDIES – GEOGRAPHY

                 CHAPTER - 2- LAND, SOIL, WATER, NATURAL VEGETATION AND
                                             WILDLIFE RESOURCES
                                               (VIRTUAL CLASSES)

           NOTES FOR CHAPTER-2- Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation &Wildlife Resources

        SUBTOPIC- LAND and LAND USE- INTRODUCTION.


        INTRODUCTION-Land, water and soil which are abiotic resources are the most important
        resources. The type and quality of soil which a region has, amount of water availability there
        has enormously influenced the life style of the people of that region.


        Land:
              is the part of the earth’s surface that is not covered by water
              Land is one of the most important natural resources and covers about 30% of the total
               area of the earth’s surface.
              70% of land is either sparsely populated or uninhabited and the rest 30% is occupied by
               90% of the world population.
              Land is unevenly inhabited due to various factors like topography of land, climate,
               availability of water and fertility of soil, mineral richness, etc.
              Areas that are uninhabited or have very few or no population are areas that
                   o  have rugged terrain, steep slopes
                   o  are low-lying areas that are susceptible to water logging
                   o  are desert areas or thick forests
              The densely populated areas of the world are plains and river valleys as they have
               suitable land for agriculture and moderate climatic conditions.
              The availability of rich and fertile land makes it suitable for living.

              Land uses: Land use refers to the use of land for different purpose such as agriculture,
               forestry, mining, construction, roads and setting up of industries.


              Depends on various factors like topography, soil, climatic conditions, presence of
               mineral reserves and the availability of drinking water.


              Factors affecting land use are
                     Physical factor-includes topography, soil, climate and availability of water.
                     Human factor- includes population and technology
              On the basis of ownership, land can be classified
                            Private land- is owned by an individual or family member and is used for
                              personal purposes like house is a private land
                            Community land- are also called common property resources; is
                              owned by the community for common uses and can be used by anyone in
                              the society like collection of fodder, fruits, nuts or medical herbs

        IMPORTANT LINKS



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