Theory question 109
Agriculture, Fishing and LumberingDescribe lumbering in Zaire under the following headings: (a) favourable factors; (b) problems of exploitation; (c) contribution to the economy.
Show the model answer
(a) Large area of equatorial rainforest in the Congo basin; valuable hardwoods (mahogany, limba, ebony, sapele); hot wet climate for fast growth; River Congo and tributaries to float logs; roads and ports (Matadi, Boma); cheap labour; local and foreign demand; foreign investment and concessions.
(b) Trees of one species are scattered; dense forest and swamps make access hard; hardwoods are heavy and many sink; rapids and falls on rivers; poor roads and long distances to the coast; inadequate capital; tropical diseases; political instability; depletion of forests.
(c) Government revenue; foreign exchange; employment (lumberjacks, sawmills); raw materials for sawmills, furniture, plywood and paper; timber for building, railways, bridges and boats; electric and telephone poles; growth of settlements.
Write points under all three headings.