Page 46 - SST Class 05

With a fertile land, mechanised farming methods and government support, the farmers
are rich, so they lead a comfortable life with all types of modern facilities. At present,
this region is one of the most developed regions of the world. Villages are connected

by good quality roads.
The land in the western prairies is somewhat hilly and rocky, which is not so fertile,
where short grass grows. This area is not very suitable for farming. So, people rear
livestock, and it has become the main occupation in this region. Cattle are reared on
big and open grasslands, called ranches . Cattle are mainly reared for meat, which is the

staple food of the Americans. Chicago is one of the main slaughtering centres. All
types of machines are used in cattle farming.

Dairy farming is also practised on a large scale. Advanced technology and modern
machines are used for all operations, including bathing, feeding and milking of cattle.
People lead a clean and hygienic lifestyle. They regularly disinfect cattle to keep them
healthy. For this, they dip cattle in large pots of disinfectants, called vats .

This region is also rich in some minerals, like iron ore, coal, mineral oil and
manganese. So, industrial development has also taken place here. At present, it is a
highly industrialised area.

Means of Transport
The prairies are extensive plains, so a vast network of roads and railways has been

developed here. Good quality roads link even small villages, and work as a lifeline for
the economy. The freeways are very broad highways which allow transports to move
at a very high speed. All these facilities have made the prairies a very developed
region of the world.

prairie : a grassland in North America.
herbivore : an animal that eats grass and plants.
carnivore : an animal that eats meat.
livestock : farm animals like cows, sheep etc.
ranch : a large farm for rearing cows, horses, sheep etc.
vat : a large pot of disinfectant used to bath cattle.
freeway : a broad, good quality road for long travel.

Facts

• Grasslands are found in places where it rains moderately.
• The prairies are vast grasslands, located in the central part of North America.
• The climate in prairies is extreme type.
• The prairies can be divided into ‘tallgrass’, ‘mixed’ and ‘shortgrass’ regions.

46 Contemporary Social Science-5