NAME : SONALI RAVJI AROTE STD: SYBCOM SUB: FOUNDTION COURSE ROLL NO: 15 DIV: A SEAT NO: 5007

DISTRIBUTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS

INTRODUCTION Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Natural resources are derived from the environment. Some of them are essential for our survival while most are used for satisfying our wants. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air, as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, oil, and most forms of energy.

Natural Resources: Definition and Classification

Natural resources are naturally occurring substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified (natural) form. A natural resources value rests in the amount of the material available and the demand for it. The latter is determined by its usefulness to production. Acommodity is generally considered a natural resource when the primary activities associated with it are extraction and purification Thus, mining, petroleum extraction, fishing, hunting, and forestryare generally considered natural-resource industries, while agriculture is not. The term was introduced to a broad audience by E.F. Schumacher in his 1970s book Small is Beautiful.

Classification of natural resources

Natural resources are mostly classified into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources:Renewable resources are generally living resources (fish, reindeer, coffee, and forests, for example), which can restock (renew) themselves if they are not over-harvested but used sustainably. Once renewable resources are consumed at a rate that exceeds their natural rate of replacement, the standing stock (see renewable energy) will diminish and eventually run out. The rate of sustainable use of a renewable resource is determined by the replacement rate and amount of standing stock of that particular resource. Non-living renewable natural resources include soil and water. Flow renewable resources include renewable energy sources such as the following renewable power sources: solar, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, tides and wind.

Resources can also be classified on the basis of their origin as biotic and abiotic. Biotic resources are derived from living organisms. Abiotic resources are derived from the non-living world e.g., land, water, and air. Mineral and power resources are also abiotic resources some of which are derived from nature.

Non-renewable resources:A non-renewable resource is a natural resource that exists in a fixed amount that cannot be re-made, re-grown or regenerated as fast as it is consumed and used up. Some non-renewable resources can be renewable but take an extremely long time to renew. Fossil fuels, for example, take millions of years to form and so are not practically considered renewable. Many environmentalists proposed to tax on consumption of non renewable resources.

Difference between urban and rural

What is urban? The term urban refers to town and city areas where development may have reached a quite significant stage. Urban areas have been established as a consequence of urbanization and as a result, urban areas are well planned and structured in order to provide more room for more residential space. The main focus of urban areas are its many improved social facilities such as transport, business prospects, educational facilities and social interaction which pave the way for better standards of living. An urban area benefits rather largely from the advancements of development. In fact, the lives and occupations of the urban population depends upon it. Urban areas are usually classified according to the

density of population and also the use of land. In certain countries such as Australia, in order for a certain area to be termed as urban, it requires to have at least a thousand residents with more than two hundred people per square kilometer while two urban areas with less than two kilometers in between are considered one urban zone.

What is rural? The term rural usually refers to villages or hamlets where development and technology has not yet been felt to a great extent. Rural areas and its population basically depend upon agriculture and natural resources as a living and the living conditions in such areas cannot be termed as excessively comfortable. The facilities in these areas are pretty much basic, answering only to the very basic needs of human beings.

What is the difference between rural and urban?

Many differences exist between rural and urban areas. For starters, the term urban refers to town or city areas which are well populated whereas the term rural refers to village areas or hamlets with a lesser amount of population. Another difference between the two is that urban areas depend much on the social facilities such as business prospects, transportation, education facilities, etc whereas rural areas are mainly dependant on natural resources and agriculture as a form of living. Development is in its full swing at urban areas and technology is at its best within these premises as well. And yet, rural areas have not seen the likeness ofdevelopment much yet and is quite under developed with regards to technology

as well. The life in rural areas is quite hard because of the lack of facilities. While the lifestyle in urban areas is of a higher standard. Rural areas have only very basic facilities which may not even be sufficient to fulfill the most basic of all human needs. With regards to education, urban population tends to be more educated or education oriented than the rural population. The reason for this is that the education facilities in urban areas are much more developed than the educational facilities in rural areas and it is essential that one has a good education in order to gain a good employment in urban areas. And yet, one may not be that interested in education in rural areas, as agriculture being the main occupation of its people, one needs not have higher levels of education to engage in such an activity. Rural areas are rich in culture and nature whereas urban areas might be rather busy in terms of lifestyle and they may not have sufficient time for engaging in cultural activities. Another factor which differentiates the two is that while urban areas may be excessively subjected to pollution, there is no or minimum amount of pollution existing in rural areas which are thus considered as rather conducive to health.

DISTRIBUTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

A. Natural Resources: The foundation of livelihoods for the poor, natural resources provide fundamental life support in the form of both consumptive and public good services. Ecological processes maintain soil productivity ,nutrient recycling , the cleansing of air and water and climatic cycles. Soils are foundation of agriculture , which in turn is the basic building block in the livelihoods of all people. I. II. III. Increasing Urbanisation Consumption and Sustanibility Effects of piecemeal approach to resource management

B. Land: Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures and settlements. Crop lands ,forest lands ,grazing lands ,are critical to our economy. Lands are either government owned ,privately or are part of common property resources. I. II. III. IV. V. The urban Scenario The rural Scenario Changing land use and impact on rural life Land administration and policy Protection of land rights of tribal people

C. Water: Situation the world over: water is one of the most important natural resources and is at the same time becoming and increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world. In 1990, 28 countries with a total population of about 335 million experienced water stress. I. II. III. IV. V. Situation in India Deteriorating condition of water resources Urban water crisis Wrong unsustainable use Safe drinking water and sanitation

D. Forests: Grassland, wetlands and forests provide resources directly to billions of poor people living in rural areas, including timber, fuel wood, fibre, medicine and food. Forest and wetlands also regulate foods by absorbing rain and recharging aquifers. I. II. III. IV. Forest estimates Changing Scenario of forests Inadequacy Social forestry