Page 106 - SST Class 08
P. 106
Classification Based on the Stage of Economic development of a country depends on
Development the following factors:
Depending upon the stage of development, 1. Availability of various resources in the region.
resources can be classified as actual or potential 2. Requirements and goals of the people living in
resources.
the region.
Actual Resources 3. Technology and skills possessed by the
The resources which have been fully surveyed, people.
quantified or developed for actual use are called Since distribution of resources varies not only
actual resources. Technology and the cost of
from country to country, but also from region to
production determine the development of actual region within a country, it leads to great contrasts
resources. An example of actual resource is iron.
in the levels of development of different countries
The part of the actual reserve which can be and regions.
developed profitably with the available means and
Info Bits
technology is known as reserve resource. In India, Info Bits
we have a large reserve of coal, but all of it cannot
be fully exploited due to several limitations, so Coal, petroleum etc. are called fossil fuels because
this is not a reserve resource. they are the decayed remains of dead plants and
animals that were buried in the earth over
Potential Resources
thousands of years. They were the most important
Potential resources are those which are available factors in bringing about the Industrial Revolution
at a place but they have not been used properly in Europe.
and fully due to lack of technology or means;
however, there is a possibility of their being used Resources : Their Use and Sustainable
Development
in the future. Water in Indian rivers is a good
example of a potential resource because it has not The development which takes place without
been tapped fully at present, but there is every damaging the environment for future use is called
possibility of it being used in the future for sustainable development. It does not affect the
irrigation and generation of electricity. requirements of the future generations.
Sustainable development includes economic and
Activity
social development along with environment
List any ten resources from your surroundings and protection.
classify them under different categories.
Resources have to be used properly in order to
RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT sustain development. For this, the following
methods have to be observed :
Different types of resources play an important role
1. Efficient technology should be developed and
in effecting social, cultural, economic and
industrial development of a country. The amount utilised for the optimal application of
of development of a country can be gauged from resources.
the following factors: 2. Resources should be conserved. Overuse of a
resource can result in its depletion in the
1. The extent by which people enjoy consumer
goods, food and lifespan. future.
3. Law and order situation is important for
2. The extent by which they consume resources
development. When there is peace in a
and influence demand for resources.
country, the people feel free enough to
3. The extent to which they possess technology concentrate on positive activities.
and use their resources.
Contemporary Social Science-8
106
