Page 107 - Journeys Through Society-7

industry, etc. Industrialisation and urbanisation in
some parts of this basin has opened ways for a whole
range of economic activities for the people and helped
in the development of the communities.

Ganga-Brahmaputra basin: Physical features
Most of the population here is engaged in agriculture
due to the availability of enough water from the
perennial rivers which are fed by the melting snow of
the Himalayas. These rivers also deposit fertile alluvial
soil on the river banks. This soil is ideal for crop Textile industry
cultivation. Irrigation facilities have made agricultural Introduction of modern agricultural methods such as
activities more widespread in this basin. The tropical use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, intensive
monsoon climate is well-suited for growing a variety irrigation, and the use of high yielding variety (HYV)
of food crops in this basin such as rice, wheat, maize, crops have led to soil degradation.
sorghum, pulses, oilseeds, etc. Cash crops grown here All the four ways of transport are well developed in the
include sugarcane, cotton, jute, an important food
Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. In the plain area the
crop and tea. Rice is an important food crop grown in roadways and railways transport the people from one
the Ganga-Brahmputra basin.
pace to another. The waterways, is an effective means
Intensive subsistence agriculture is practised in small of transport particularly along the rivers. Kolkata is an
farms in order to meet the food requirements of the important port on the River Hooghly. The plain area
dense population. Most of the farmers are poor with also has a large number of airports.
small landholdings. Since irrigation is largely
dependent on the monsoon, most small farmers AI Fact
suffer great loss due to its uncertain nature. Technology Literacy
AI is being used to provide farmers with accurate
This region has several agro-based industries, such as operations and reduce the risk of crop failure.
textile industry, jute industry, food processing

Revision Notes

• The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
• It lies in the equatorial belt.
• The tribal people of Amazon rainforests still practise the ‘jhoom’ or 'slash and burn' method of
farming.

• The Ganga-Brahmaputra basin is one of the most fertile regions of the world.

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