Geographic division of labor. Economic regionalization of Russia The geographical division of labor is characterized by specialization

1. Highlight on the map the main industrial and agricultural regions of the country. Compare their placement with the location of the Main Resettlement Strip.

The main industrial (Central, North-West, Ural, Volga region) and agricultural regions (Central Black earth, North Caucasus, Volga region) generally coincide with the main zone of settlement of the country's population.

2. Expand the content of the concept of "territorial (geographic) division of labor", highlight its constituent parts.

The territorial division of labor is a key concept in economic geography; it explains the process of regional formation, the nature of production-territorial ties arising between regions.

The territorial division of labor is spatial differentiation labor activity, expressed in the consolidation of individual industries in certain areas of the national market, in the specialization of areas in the production of one product.

The territorial division of labor is due to the economic, social, natural, national and historical characteristics of various territories of the country and their economic and geographical position.

The constituent parts of the territorial division of labor are specialization and the exchange of goods.

3. Which specialization, in your opinion, is more profitable for the territory - narrow or broad? Why?

There is a general rule of the theory of systems-themes: the more diverse the system, the more stable it is. Consequently, the wider the specialization of the territory, the more stable and advantageous its position.

4. Explain the significance of the geographical division of labor: a) for individual territories; b) for the country as a whole.

For individual territories, the geographical division of labor makes it possible to acquire and use resources that are absent in this territory.

For the country as a whole, the division of labor makes it possible to function more efficiently.

5. What is the economic specialization of your region? What conditions determined it? Is it promising in modern conditions? Is there an opportunity to deepen it? Imagine your project of participation of your region in the regional geographic division of labor.

Remember what products are produced in your region, what exactly is supplied to other regions of the country. How can you explain the specialization of your area in the production of this particular product? Consider how the specialization of the economy was influenced by the country's transition to market economy.

When developing a project for the participation of your region in the regional division of labor, factors such as the presence natural resources, qualification level labor resources, the competitiveness of new products in the conditions of the modern market.

6. Explain in your own words the meanings of the following concepts: household; branch of the economy; structure of the economy; zoning; zonal specialization Agriculture; agro-industrial complex; timber industry complex; fuel and energy complex; Unified energy system; specialization and cooperation; information infrastructure; recreational economy; service sector; territorial (geographic) division of labor.

The economy unites all spheres of production and consumption of various goods, goods and services.

The structure (from Lat. Structura - structure, location, order) of the economy is the totality of all industries and sectors that closely interact with each other.

Zoning is the process of dividing a territory into parts.

Zonal specialization of agriculture is the cultivation within natural zones of certain types of cultivated plants and animals that are most adapted to these agro-climatic conditions.

Agro-industrial complex - interconnected sectors of the economy involved in the production, processing and storage of agricultural products, as well as providing agriculture with the means of production.

Timber industry complex - territorially closely located and production interconnected enterprises of all three stages of wood processing: harvesting, mechanical and chemical processing.

Fuel and energy complex - a set of enterprises engaged in the extraction, processing and delivery of fuel to consumers.

Unified energy system - power plants of different types united by power transmission lines.

Specialization is a form of organization of production associated with the concentration of production of certain types of products at certain enterprises.

Cooperation is a form of production ties between specialized enterprises that jointly manufacture certain products.

Information infrastructure is a set of systems and services that ensure the functioning of the branches of material production and the conditions for the life of society with the necessary information.

Recreational economy is a branch of the economy that provides recreation for the population, the restoration of forces expended in the labor process.

The service sector is a set of sectors of the economy that do not produce material goods, but provide the population with services necessary for life.

Territorial (geographical) division of labor - the specialization of areas in the production of certain products. Material from the site

7. You know that the economy of the country distinguishes the primary, secondary, tertiary sectors of the economy. Think about what other factors, besides the degree of dependence on nature, underlie such a division.

In addition to dependence on nature, information saturation, the role of science and the human factor change from the first to the fourth sector.

8. Why in the modern period priority development in the economy is given to the service sector, science, finance, management?

The most important thing in the development of the economy is the invention of a new one and the implementation of this invention in life. In addition, in a society that has achieved material well-being, more and more attention is paid to a person, his physical and moral comfort, therefore, in the modern period, science, finance and the service sector have become priorities.

9. What production facilities or individual enterprises in your city, region are the only ones of their kind? What is the history of their origin, economic relationships?

Even if there are many enterprises in your region, you can easily distinguish from their number unique (that is, one-of-a-kind). The history of their origin can be found in the materials of the local press or stories from adults.

Think about what made these businesses unique.

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On this page material on topics:

definition of territorial division of labor
examples of the geographical division of labor in Russia
explain the significance of the geographical division of labor
territorial division of labor is
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How does the territorial division of labor arise?

When studying the branches of the economy, you noticed that a number of regions are characterized by the development of one or another production. Let us remember that the North of the European part of Russia was associated with one of the main regions of the timber industry, whose products (timber, paper, cardboard) are exported to other regions of the country.

Gas and oil flows through pipelines to the regions of consumption from Western Siberia - the main fuel base of Russia; central Russia, The North-West, the Volga region, the Urals act as regions for the production of complex industrial products, the North Caucasus is one of the main regions of grain farming and industrial crops. Thus, on the territory of the country, the main regions of the mining and manufacturing industries, the development of agriculture and recreation, trade and financial activities, and others can be distinguished. In other words, the districts specialize in different industries.

Rice. 52. Diversity of the economy of the regions of Russia

Nikolai Nikolaevich Baransky (1881 -1963). One of the founders of domestic economic geography, the creator of the doctrine of the geographical division of labor and the theory of economic and geographical location. He considered the task of geography to be a comprehensive study of the territory - "from geology to ideology", and not just for its description, but also for transformation. Geography, according to Baransky, should be a constructive science.

It is very important that the regions not only produce certain products, but also conduct an active, profitable exchange of goods and services, successfully working for each other to create interdistrict, interregional exchange, and the geographical division of labor.

The geographical, or territorial, division of labor is expressed in the economic specialization of individual territories and in their exchange of goods and services with each other.

What conditions allow the territorial division of labor to develop successfully?

The territorial division of labor appeared at a time when the economy ceased to be natural (that is, producing absolutely everything necessary for life) and became a commodity (producing something in excess of its needs, for sale).

Initially, such a division of labor took place in small areas: artisans work in the city, and peasants in the surrounding villages. But with the development of the economy, with the advent of cheap transport, the division of labor began to cover large territories - already entire districts and regions specialized in the production of one or another product.

The division of labor can be "rigidly" dictated by nature - its conditions and resources. For example, in Russia the only explored and developed group of large diamond deposits is in Yakutia. And along the entire vast coastline of the Arctic Ocean, the only non-freezing area is the northern coast of the Kola Peninsula. And no matter how much we want to mine diamonds in Central area or to build a large year-round port at the mouth of the Lena - nothing will succeed.

But much more often the restrictions imposed by nature are less severe. And for the manufacturing industry or for the service sector, there are practically none at all. In this case, the territorial division of labor arises if two conditions are simultaneously met:

it is cheaper to produce specific products in a given area;
this product can be transported to another region (to the consumer) so that it remains competitive, that is, does not rise in price too much due to transportation costs.

How is the territorial division of labor changing?

The emergence of new types of production, new technologies in transport, the development of new regions, the changing needs of society - all this constantly changes the existing picture of the division of labor.

For example, in the 1930s. the development of deposits of the Moscow Region coal basin began (mainly on the territory of the modern Tula region). This coal was the main fuel for thermal power plants of the Central Region and a raw material for the chemical industry. But since the 1960s, when oil production increased sharply, and especially in the 1980s, when cheap gas from Western Siberia came to the Center, coal mining became unprofitable. As a result, it is cheaper to extract gas several thousand kilometers away and pump it through pipes than mining low-quality coal underground. Therefore, the power plants of the Center were mainly converted to gas and fuel oil, and the chemical industry also switched to gas.

The division of labor between regions is changing for many reasons: the depletion of natural resources, the rise in the cost (or cheaper) of transport, changes in world market prices, etc.

These changes can contribute to both the flourishing of certain areas and their degradation and decline. Areas with a wide range of industries of specialization are located in relatively favorable conditions, which, however, is general rule: the more diverse the system, the more stable it is.

Imagine what will happen to the cities - centers of the diamond industry in Yakutia if the price of diamonds on the world market drops sharply. It will be a disaster for them. A Big City with many enterprises always has a wider range of possibilities. It is no coincidence that the unemployment rate in our country is minimal precisely in large cities.

conclusions

The geographical division of labor is one of the laws of the development of society. Previously "closed" countries and regions begin to exchange the products of their labor, and as a result, the efficiency of the entire economy increases, people's lives become richer and more diverse.

The division of labor between regions of our country is complicated by the enormous distances. In the last decade, the transition to a market economy has largely changed the usual picture. How to adapt production to new conditions, what to produce and consume locally, what to export, what to import — all these issues must be resolved in relation to each specific region. For this (including) economic geography is needed!

Questions and tasks

Highlight the main industrial and agricultural regions of the country on the map. Compare their placement with the location of the Main Resettlement Strip.
Expand the content of the concept of "territorial (geographical) division of labor", highlight its component parts.
Which specialization, in your opinion, is more advantageous for the territory - narrow or broad? Why?
Explain the significance of the geographical division of labor: a) for individual territories and b) for the country as a whole.
What is the economic specialization of your region? What conditions determined it? Is it promising in modern conditions? Are there opportunities to deepen it? Suggest your project for the participation of your region in the district, regional geographical division of labor and at the federal level.
With which modern production do you associate the names of individual cities or districts? Give examples.

Questions and tasks for the generalization of knowledge on the section "Economy of Russia"

Explain in your own words the meaning of the following concepts: economy; branch of the economy; farm structure; zoning; Unified energy system; specialization and cooperation; information infrastructure; service sector; territorial (geographical) division of labor.
You know that the country's economy is divided into primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy. Think about what other factors, besides the degree of dependence on nature, underlie this division.
Why in the modern period priority development in the economy is given to the service sector, science, finance, management?
The Russian economy has gone through several stages in its development. What are the features of the stages of economic development in your region?
What industries or individual enterprises in your city, region are unique (unique)? What is the history of their origin, economic relationships?

By the geographical division of labor, we mean the spatial form of the social division of labor. Necessary condition the geographical division of labor is to different countries(or regions) worked for each other, so that the result of labor was transported from one place to another, so that there was, thus, a gap between the place of production and the place of consumption.

In the conditions of a commodity society, the geographical division of labor necessarily presupposes the transfer of products from economy to economy, i.e. exchange, trade, but exchange is in these conditions only a sign for the "identification" of the presence of a geographical division of labor, but not its "essence".

Sometimes the geographical division of labor is understood only as the international division of labor, but such a narrowing of this concept is wrong. Any international division of labor is at the same time a geographical division of labor, but not vice versa.

In the geographical division of labor, two cases can be distinguished:

1. (absolute) - A country (or region) imports a product from another country (or region) because, due to natural conditions, it cannot produce it

2. (relative) - A product is imported that could have been produced at home, but would have cost more

Development of the geographical division of labor in breadth and depth

In ancient times, the sphere of the geographical division of labor was limited to a small area within the Old World, covering mainly the countries of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the Middle Ages, the northern seas (within Europe), routes through France and Italy were captured in the sphere of the geographical division of labor. Along with this, England, the Scandinavian countries, Poland, Novgorod and the Moscow state are being drawn into this sphere.

As the Arab Caliphate expanded, Arab merchants reached Indochina, Madagascar and the Spice Islands.

In the era of great discoveries, the sphere of the geographical division of labor spreads to the Atlantic Ocean, from Europe to India, etc. railway transport ties spread inland.

The strongest development of the sphere of the geographical division of labor over the past 400 years is associated with the discovery of new lands and the improvement of transport. This development played a major role in replacing feudal with capitalist orders in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. ...

As a result of the same progress in transport technology, the division of labor between town and country was reproduced on a global scale.

Economic benefit as a driving moment in the development of the geographical division of labor.

The driving moment in the gigantic development of the geographical division of labor, which we observe in the course of history, was the economic benefit obtained from the implementation of the geographical division of labor.

The geographical division of labor is carried out all the more conveniently, the greater the difference between points in prices per weight unit of goods, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the lower the transport costs.

Influence of transport on the development of the geographical division of labor

The reduction in transport costs resulting from the technical improvement of transport is one of the main factors in the development of the geographical division of labor.

The development of transport increases the geographical division of labor in depth and breadth.

The influence of the geographical division of labor on the growth of labor productivity

The growth of labor productivity is associated mainly with the development of technology and, above all, with mechanization, and the geographical division of labor in the form general rule increases productivity social labor no worse than the development of technology.

The geographical division of labor, if it does not create, then in any case enhances the possibilities of mechanization, for the spatial concentration of production is a necessary prerequisite for its production concentration, and without the latter there is no place for the growth of technology.

With the geographical division of labor, not only old needs grow, but new ones are also created, accompanied by the emergence of new industries using a variety of raw materials collected from different parts of the world.

Geographic division of labor and the process of formation and specialization of economic regions

If we understand the economic region as a specialized part of its whole, then the process of the geographical division of labor will have to be considered a process identical to the process of formation and differentiation of regions.

The establishment within a certain territory of relations of the geographical division of labor inevitably leads to the fact that each of the parts of this territory begins to select for itself those branches of production for which within it there is a more favorable combination of natural and socio-historical conditions; the lowest cost is obtained, and therefore the highest profit.

The specialization of one region in one direction is inevitably accompanied by the specialization of a number of other regions in some other directions.

Impact of customs duties on the geographical division of labor

Initially, when they appeared, customs duties had the main, if not the only, purpose of increasing treasury revenues at the expense of trade profits arising from the appropriation of benefits provided by the geographical division of labor.

When transporting goods abroad, the exporter has to increase his transport costs by the entire value of the customs duty, thereby making the conditions for the geographical division of labor between countries more difficult.

The concept of the geographical division of labor in the system of economic geography

The geographical division of labor is a process that distinguishes from economic production activities Agriculture and industry.

Transport and trade, closely associated with it, are also generated by the geographical division of labor and develop continuously with it.

Economic regions formed, differentiated and maintained in constant interaction with each other by the same process of the geographical division of labor.

Economic and geographical location also turns out to be closely related to the geographical division of labor.

Thus, the geographical division of labor is the basic concept of economic geography, which most closely connects it with political economy; a concept from which the economist-geographer cannot break away in any topic he studies.

By the geographical division of labor, we mean the spatial form of the social division of labor. A necessary condition for the geographical division of labor is that different countries (or regions) work for each other, so that the result of labor is transported from one place to another, so that there is, thus, a gap between the place of production and the place of consumption.

In the geographical division of labor, two cases can be distinguished:

1. (absolute) - A country (or region) imports a product from another country (or region) because, due to natural conditions, it cannot produce it

2. (relative) - A product is imported that could have been produced at home, but would have cost more.

Development of the geographical division of labor in breadth and depth

In ancient times, the sphere of the geographical division of labor was limited to a small area within the Old World, covering mainly the countries of the Mediterranean Sea.

As the Arab Caliphate expanded, Arab merchants reached Indochina, Madagascar and the Spice Islands.

In the era of great discoveries, the sphere of the geographical division of labor spreads to the Atlantic Ocean, from Europe to India, etc. With the introduction of railway transport, communications spread inland.

As a result of the same progress in transport technology, the division of labor between town and country was reproduced on a global scale.

Economic benefit as a driving force in the development of the geographical division of labor

Influence of transport on the development of the geographical division of labor The reduction in transport costs resulting from the technical improvement of transport is one of the main factors in the development of the geographical division of labor.

The development of transport increases the geographical division of labor in depth and breadth.

The influence of the geographical division of labor on the growth of labor productivity The growth of labor productivity is associated mainly with the development of technology and, above all, with mechanization, and the geographical division of labor in the form of a general rule increases the productivity of social labor no worse than the development of technology.

Geographic division of labor and the process of formation and specialization of economic regions

The specialization of one region in one direction is inevitably accompanied by the specialization of a number of other regions in some other directions.

The Impact of Customs Duties on the Geographic Division of Labor Customs duties, when they first appeared, had the main, if not the only, purpose of increasing treasury revenues from trade profits arising from the appropriation of benefits generated by the geographic division of labor.

The concept of the geographical division of labor in the system of economic geography The geographical division of labor is a process that distinguishes agriculture and industry from economic production activities.

Transport and trade, closely connected with it, are also generated by the geographical division of labor and develop continuously with it.

Economic regions are formed, differentiated and maintained in constant interaction with each other by the same process of geographical division of labor.

The economic and geographical position is also closely related to the geographical division of labor.

27. Transport is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any country. it important system in the complex mechanism of the world economy, which provides industrial ties, carries out the transportation of goods and passengers. When characterizing the operation of the transport system, such indicators are used as the volume of transported goods, freight turnover (taking into account both the weight and the distance of transportation of goods), passenger traffic, the density of the transport infrastructure, and many others.
The ratio of modes of transport in the transport systems of regions and individual countries of the world is different. So, the transport system is industrially developed countries has a complex structure and is represented by all types of transport, including electronic. Japan, the USA, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Great Britain and others are distinguished by a particularly high level of development of the transport infrastructure. It is the developed countries that account for about 85% of the turnover of world inland transport (excluding long-distance sea voyages). Moreover, in the countries of the West. In Europe, 25% of freight turnover falls on railway transport, 40% - on road transport, and the remaining 35% - on inland waterways, sea (near) cabotage and pipeline modes of transport.
In the United States and Canada, the shares of rail and road transport in the transportation of goods have almost equalized. In the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS, railways are still leading in the transportation of goods, but the importance of road transport is constantly growing.
Sea and river transport. Of all types of world transport, the cheapest is sea transport. It provides more than 75% of traffic between countries (the total volume of cargo is about 3.6 billion tons per year), realizing the possibilities of the international geographical division of labor with the increasing internationalization of the world economy.
The leading countries of the world merchant fleet (in terms of tonnage of ships) are Liberia, Panama, Japan, Greece, USA, Cyprus, China. Vessels flying "cheap" flags (Liberia, Panama, Singapore, Cyprus, etc.) provide 3 times lower transportation costs, significant tax and other benefits to their owners.
The first place in sea freight transportation is occupied by oil and oil products. Especially large freight flows are formed in the Persian Gulf, and they are directed to the West. Europe, Japan and the USA. The transportation of coal, which ranks first among bulk dry cargo, is still significant. The largest coal exporters are Australia, USA, South Africa. Also of note is the transportation of iron ore (main flows from Brazil and Australia). The world's largest ore export port (Tubaran in Brazil) has a cargo turnover of 70 million tons per year. In the world transportation of ore, ultra-long-distance freight flows, such as Brazil-Japan, Australia-West, are increasing. Europe, Australia-Japan. A large volume in the world transportation by sea transport is occupied by the transportation of grain crops. The largest exporters are the USA (the leader in the world grain export), Canada, Australia, Argentina. More than half of the grain traffic is now directed to developing countries.
The world's largest ports (in terms of cargo turnover) include: Rotterdam (Netherlands), Singapore, Shanghai (China), Nagoya, Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan), New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco (USA), Antwerp ( Belgium), Le Havre, Marseille (France), London, etc.
For many countries of the world, in addition to sea transport, river transport is also important, which uses navigable rivers, canals and inland waters. The largest navigable canals and waterways in the world are the Coastal Canal (USA), the Great Canal (China), the Volga-Kama waterway (Russia), the Rhine - Main - Danube waterway in Europe. River transport mainly serves the internal needs of individual states, but sometimes it also carries out international transport (for example, along the Rhine, Danube rivers in Europe, etc.).
The largest river and lake fleet in the United States. China, Russia, Germany and Canada should also be noted among the world's leading countries in terms of the volume of cargo turnover of inland waterway transport.
Railway transport. The length of the world railway network is about 1.2 million km. The longest railways are in the USA (about 240 thousand km), Canada (90 thousand km), Russia (86 thousand km), India (61 thousand km), China (53 thousand km), Germany. However, the highest density of the railway network (density) is noted in the countries of the West. Europe (in Belgium - 100 km of tracks per 100 km2 of territory). In Russia, this figure is quite high in the European part of the country and very low in Siberia. In terms of the length of electrified railways, Russia occupies the first place in the world. In the USA, such roads are not widely used: more than 90% of all work is performed by diesel locomotives. In Japan and Western European countries, the share of electric traction in railway transport is about 50% (in Switzerland almost 100%, in France and Spain - about 30%).
Automobile transport. The total length of the road network in the world has exceeded 23 million km, with almost a third of it concentrated in the North. America and a quarter - in Zap. Europe.
Currently, transcontinental highways play an important role in the transportation of goods and passengers. The most famous are the highways, stretching, for example, through the Sahara Desert in Africa, through the entire territory of the United States - from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, as well as between Canada and the United States and further through the countries of Latin America. This Pan American Highway, which runs through North and South America, is connected to the Trans-Amazonian Highway.
In the USA and Germany, road transport accounts for 25%, and in the UK - up to 80% of cargo transportation within the country. In Russia, railway transport dominates in freight and passenger traffic (up to 50%), but in last years the role of cars is growing.
Pipeline transport. The global network of oil pipelines currently has a length of more than 400 thousand km, the network (there are still more main gas pipelines - 900 thousand km. The cost of transportation through pipelines is three times lower than along railroad... They provide stable transportation, less pollution environment.
All in. In America, pipelines run from oil and gas production areas to industrial consumption centers in the east of the continent. In Zap. In Europe, they run from seaports to industrial centers in the interior of the continent. In Russia, oil and gas pipelines have been laid from the districts of Zap. Siberia and the Volga region to the European part of the country and further to the East. and Zap. Europe. The length of the Druzhba oil pipeline is 5.5 thousand km, and the Urengoy-Western Europe gas pipeline is about 4.5 thousand km.
Air transport plays a very important role in international passenger traffic, provides connections with hard-to-reach areas.
In the most developed countries a dense network of airlines has developed. The largest air fleet (aircraft) is concentrated in the United States, significant in Canada, France, Australia, and the Federal Republic of Germany. More than 1,000 airports participate in international air traffic (there are about 400 in Europe alone).
The largest airports in the world: in the USA - Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York (Kennedy), San Francisco; Great Britain - London (Heathrow); Japan - Tokyo, as well as Germany - Frankfurt am Main, France - Paris, etc.

28. The small countries of Central Europe are located in different parts of the region. Belgium and the Netherlands have access to the North Sea. Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland and the dwarf country Liechtenstein occupy an internal position, Ireland is an island country. All countries border highly developed countries Western Europe, which contributes to close economic ties with them.

In terms of state structure, constitutional monarchies prevail (Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands). Austria, Switzerland and Ireland are republics.

Natural resource potential of the small countries of Central Europe insignificant. Only the Netherlands has its own natural gas fields. Austria and Switzerland have significant hydropower resources. Sufficient reserves of iron ore are available only in Austria, while reserves of non-ferrous metals are insignificant in all countries and are generally absent in the Netherlands.

According to the ethnic composition of the population, all countries, except Belgium and Switzerland, are of the same nationality. The natural increase is very low; the countries are characterized by the import of cheap labor. The level of urbanization is very high. Officially, in Switzerland and Austria, 62% and 58% of the population live in cities, respectively, but even in countryside the urban way of life reigns.

The cities of the small countries of Central Europe are old and are historical and architectural monuments. Among European countries, the Netherlands and Belgium are populated more densely, the average density is respectively 371 people per 1 km2 and 338 people per 1 km2.

Economy of Central Europe... All countries are highly developed, only Ireland is a moderately developed state. A successful choice of specialization, wide participation in the international division of labor, the accumulated experience of industrial development and its constant enrichment, as well as the advanced development of scientific, technical and technological achievements provide them with a fairly strong position in the economy of Western Europe. Only Ireland is characterized by significantly more low level economic development, but at the end of XX century. the pace of its development was the highest in the euro area.

Industry- the main branch of the economy of the countries.

The fuel and energy complex of small countries of Central Europe (with the exception of the Netherlands) is guided by imported energy resources. In Austria and Switzerland, hydropower is dominant in electricity generation. There are nuclear power plants in Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Metallurgical complex of the countries of Central Europe is going through a crisis due to the lack of its own raw materials and fuel. Ferrous metallurgy uses 2/3 ores from Africa, Australia and America. Belgium and Luxembourg are among the largest steel exporters in Western Europe. Highly developed ferrous metallurgy is also in the Netherlands. In non-ferrous metallurgy, the most developed aluminum industry is based on imported bauxite (Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium). In addition, copper, cobalt and lead are smelted. Belgium is one of the largest exporters of non-ferrous metals in Western Europe.

Mechanical engineering of the countries of Central Europe is a leading industry. Electrical engineering is a complex diversified complex engaged in the production of electronic, radio and telephone equipment, and power equipment. It received the greatest development in the Netherlands (televisions, radios, computers, electronic medical and telecommunications equipment). This industry is highly developed in other countries as well. Heavy engineering is well developed in Austria and Switzerland. Switzerland occupies one of the first places in Europe for the production of watches, 95% of which are exported. Shipbuilding is developed in the Netherlands.

Petrochemical industry countries of Central Europe developed in the Netherlands and Belgium. Switzerland is specialized in the production of pharmaceutical products.

The food industry reached its highest development in the Netherlands (1/4 of world exports of butter, cheese, 2/3 of condensed milk) and Switzerland (cheese, chocolate, food concentrates).

Agriculture of Central Europe- also a developed industry has high productivity. The agrarian policy of the countries of the region is aimed at preserving the natural environment and obtaining environmentally friendly products.

V sectoral structure dairy and meat cattle breeding prevails, only in Belgium and Austria it has a dairy and meat direction. In terms of the export of livestock and meat, Ireland is one of the first in Europe and the world.

The most important agricultural crops are fodder crops (wheat, oats). Busy under them large areas than under food crops. Sugar beets, corn and potatoes are also grown. In Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg they are engaged in viticulture, in the Netherlands - in floriculture.

Fisheries in Central Europe are most developed in Ireland.

Transport plays an important role in the development of the economy of the small countries of Central Europe. In Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland on external relations the leading role is played by the sea (ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp) and aviation. River transport is used for internal and external transport of goods in Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria. The most important waterways are the Rhine and Danube. In Switzerland and Austria, road and rail transport are of the greatest importance. Automobile transport is developed in all countries.

Foreign economic activity of the countries of Central Europe is very diverse. Of the export items, products of mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical and food industries prevail. In imports - raw materials, energy carriers and semi-finished products. Countries maintain very close economic ties among themselves, as well as with Germany and Great Britain. Switzerland and Luxembourg provide lending and financial services. Tourism is one of the leading links in the income of all countries. In Austria and Switzerland, tourism income is the highest in the world per capita. Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland are EU members, and the Benelux countries (the common name for Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) are NATO members.

29. Norway, Sweden, Finland form a single territorial array, occupying the Scandinavian Peninsula. Denmark is located on the European mainland. It includes Greenland as an island. Iceland is an island state.

According to the state structure, Norway, Denmark and Sweden are constitutional monarchies, the rest of the countries are republics.

The Nordic countries have significant natural resource potential. Iron ore deposits are located in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In addition, there are significant reserves of copper (Finland), chromite ores, vanadium, molybdenum, titanium, zinc, sulfur, apatite. The countries in the region are worse off with fuel resources. Norway and Denmark produce oil and gas in the North and Norwegian Seas, bituminous coal is in the Svalbard archipelago (Norway), brown coal is in Finland and Denmark. Norway and Sweden have significant hydro resources.

National the composition of the population of the Nordic countries is mono-national. Through the harsh natural conditions the population density is the lowest in Europe and does not exceed 22 people per square kilometer, and in Iceland - 3 people per square kilometer. The population is located mainly in the southern regions of the country. Denmark is the most evenly populated. The level of urbanization is high. The urban population ranges from 2/3 to 4/5 and is concentrated mainly in metropolitan areas. Natural population growth is very low and ranges from 2-4%.

Economy of Northern Europe... In the second half of the XX century. the industries of international specialization in Finland were the production of paper and cellulose, Norway - non-ferrous metallurgy and the production of cellulose, Sweden - ferrous metallurgy, Denmark - processing of agricultural raw materials. Iceland, as before, specializes in fishing (herring and cod fishing). Mechanical engineering is developing rapidly in all countries, except Iceland.

Fuel and energy complex of the Nordic countries, apart from Norway and Denmark, focuses on imported fuel resources - oil, gas and coal. Hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants play an important role in the energy sector of the Scandinavian countries. Iceland uses thermal resources to generate electricity.

Mechanical engineering in Northern Europe represented by electrical engineering and shipbuilding. In addition, Norway produces equipment for oil fields, Sweden produces machinery and construction equipment, automobiles, Finland produces equipment for the pulp and paper industry, and Denmark develops precision engineering.

The sectoral composition of the chemical industry is dominated by wood chemistry and basic chemistry. At the end of the XX century. in the countries of the region, the oil refining industry began to develop rapidly.
In the structure of agriculture in Northern Europe, meat and dairy cattle breeding prevails, in Iceland - meat and dairy sheep breeding. Agriculture is represented by the cultivation of fodder (wheat, rye, barley) and industrial (potatoes, sugar beet) crops. Fishing is traditionally developed in all countries.
The most important mode of transport in the region is sea; air transport plays an important role in passenger transportation. The pipeline network is being developed.

In foreign economic activity the main trading partners of the Nordic countries are other Western European countries and the USA. Finland, Sweden, Denmark are EU members, and Denmark, Norway and Iceland are NATO members.

The export structure is dominated by mechanical engineering products, paper, cellulose, timber, ores and metal products. 3/4 of Iceland's exports are fish products.

The geographical division of labor makes it possible for countries to develop individual branches of production, while not experiencing problems with the lack of goods for which there is demand, but which are impossible or economically unprofitable to produce on their territories. The system of exchange of products between countries originated in antiquity, and with the development of technology and transport, it only intensifies.

Definition

The geographical division of labor is a certain spatial form that implies social division labor. An important condition is the presence of a gap between the place where the product is produced and the place where it is consumed. In other words, different countries work for each other - this is the geographical division of labor.

In the understanding of the term, erroneous judgments also occur. Some experts include the term geographical division in the concept of the world geographical division of labor. However, this is not entirely true, since rather every world division of labor is part of the concept of a general geographical division.

Division of Labor

There are two cases of division of labor:

Absolute. In this case, the country imports any product from another state due to the impossibility of producing it on its own territory for geographic, technical or other reasons.
Relative. The country imports the product, but it can also produce it on its own territory. In most cases, the reason is the economic disadvantage of production on its own territory.

History of the geographical division of labor

In ancient times, the concept of the geographical division of labor resources was understood as the division between small territories, in most cases, which covered the Mediterranean.

Further, already in the Middle Ages, the sphere of the geographical division of labor is not only European territories, such as France, Italy and England, but the territory of the Moscow state, as well as Indochina and Madagascar.

With the creation of railway transport, labor relations entered the interior of the continents. The economic benefits received by the participants have had and still have a high impact on the geographical division of labor.

Factors influencing the geographical division of labor

Important factors development of the geographical division of labor between the two countries is the high difference between unit prices and low transport costs. Every year, the improvement of transport leads to a decrease in the cost of transporting goods, and thus increases the volume of trade between the two countries. In this case, the geographical division of labor develops both in depth and breadth.

Advantages

With the development of the geographical division of labor, its productivity also increases. Countries, focusing on their own capabilities and conditions, select several industries in which they can succeed. The development of several industries most favorable to the state leads to higher productivity and lower unit costs. The decrease in cost is directly proportional to the increase in profit.

With the development of the territorial division of labor, consumers increase their own needs, as well as create new ones, which is also the engine in the relationship between supply and demand.

The geographical division of labor is an opportunity for development and transport technology. As well as the economy of individual states as a whole.

International geographical division of labor

MGRT is understood as a narrow focus in the production of goods and services of individual countries and the subsequent exchange of them. It is a branch of international specialization for each individual country. In other words, each country is characterized by a certain branch of production, which is more focused on the export of a certain type of product.

There are a number of conditions for the emergence of such international specialization:

the presence of a number of advantages for the production of certain products (these can be geographic or other conditions);
it is necessary to have separate countries that do not have the ability to produce goods in this industry, but are in dire need of them;
transport costs must be acceptable to the exporting country;
the volume of products produced in this industry must exceed the demand in the domestic market.

Examples of

Examples of the geographical division of labor:

Japan's international specialization is automobiles, robots and electronics;

the international specialization of Canada is the timber industry;
the international specialization of Bulgaria is the agro-industrial complex;
The United States is actively exporting medicines.

Role of Russia

Russia in the international geographical division of labor is far from the last position. The country's international specialization is mainly the extraction of natural resources: oil, gas, diamonds. Russia's participation in the geographical division of labor is also observed in such areas as the extraction of aluminum and nickel.

Most of the country's exports are unprocessed raw materials. Main importers Russian products are the countries of the European continent as well as America. A large share of imports in the country is accounted for by cars, medicines and equipment. In addition, the share of imported food products is also high.