Global Industrial Regions and Industry Classification
Global Industrial Regions and Manufacturing Centers
The European Union: A Major Industrial Region
Origins:
- It began in England.
- Spread to Belgium, France, and Germany.
- It became the most industrialized region during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Features:
- Industrially diverse.
- Skilled workforce.
- Large infrastructure networks (transport, telecommunications).
- Large markets.
- Improving cutting-edge technology.
Areas:
The Blue Banana: Urban Industrial Corridor
This corridor runs from Northwest England to North Italy (including London, Frankfurt, and Milan), characterized by a high concentration of capital, people, and industry.
Secondary Industrial Areas
- Mediterranean area (North Italy to Northeast Spain).
- East of Germany.
Eastern Europe Industrial Landscape
Features:
- Less technologically developed than the countries in the European Union.
- Most Important Industries:
- The textile industry.
- Petrochemical industry.
- Wood industry.
- Metallurgical industry (iron and coal).
- Metallurgical processing industry.
Key Industrial Areas:
- Saint Petersburg
- Moscow
- West Siberia
- Ural Mountains
- North of the Black Sea
Industrial Powerhouses: USA and Canada
USA Features:
- The country with the highest industrial production rate in the world.
- Abundant energy and mineral resources.
- The most advanced technology and financial resources.
- Skilled workforce.
- Large and dynamic domestic market.
Industrial Areas:
Traditional Areas
- Atlantic Coast: Boston, Baltimore, New York (a major commercial and financial center).
- Gulf of Mexico: Dominated by the petrochemical industry.
- Northeast / Great Lakes: Chicago (heavy industry) and Detroit (automotive industry).
New Areas
- Southwest: Cutting-edge technologies in California.
- North Pacific: Aerospace industry.
- Canada.
Japan: A Key Global Industrial Region
Features:
- It is the third most important industrial region (after the USA and Europe).
- Main Industrial Center: The Tokyo–Yokohama megalopolis.
- Highly productive workforce.
- High level of competitiveness (electronics, IT, and automotive industries).
Main Problem: Lack of raw materials and energy sources.
China: Emerging Global Industrial Power
- It is the country with the largest population in the world.
- It has large mining resources.
- Industrial activity is concentrated in coastal regions.
- It became a strong industrial power since 1997, when Hong Kong was no longer a British Colony.
New Industrial Countries (NICs)
Multinationals transfer industries to these areas due to factors like tax reductions (“Free Zones”) and lax environmental legislation.
Main Areas:
- Asian Dragons: South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong.
- Other Countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand (focused on technology industries).
2. Types of Industry Classification
There are several types of industry, depending on the type of products made, the weight and volume of materials, and the target market.
Heavy Industry
In heavy industry, raw materials are transformed into semi-finished products that are then used in other industries. Heavy industries require large capital investments. They occupy large areas near energy sources and raw materials. Heavy industries include:
Heavy Chemical Industry
It uses many different raw materials (coal, hydrocarbons, sulfur, salts, etc.) to produce raw materials for other industries (fuels, fertilizers, acids, explosives, etc.).
Metallurgy
It transforms non-ferrous minerals into metals (e.g., aluminum and copper) and semi-finished products (e.g., laminates, shaped and molten metals) for other industries.
Ferrous Metallurgy
It transforms iron into steel to make machinery or rails, amongst other elements required by many other industries.
Energy Producers
All industries that produce energy using different sources, e.g., thermal power stations.
Capital Goods Industry
This industry uses products from heavy industry as raw materials to make the materials and machinery required by other industries. It also requires large industrial complexes, large investment, and a skilled workforce. These industries include:
The Metallurgical Processing Industry
It makes industrial machinery for light and heavy industry, and agricultural transportation, electrical and computer parts, etc.
Cargo Transportation Industry
It includes the aeronautics industry (airplanes, helicopters, etc.), the naval industry (ships), and the railway industry (carriages, rails, and train components).
Construction Industry
It makes materials for buildings and public works.
Aerospace Industry
It makes satellites and spacecraft.
Light Industry
This industry makes products for consumers, using raw materials or semi-finished products. It includes:
Textile and Clothing Industry
It converts raw materials of animal origin (wool, leather, etc.) or plant origin (cotton, linen, hemp, etc.) into fabric. The fabric is then used to make clothing. Synthetic or artificial fibers (acrylic, polyester, nylon, etc.) are also used.
Automotive Industry
It manufactures all types of vehicles: cars, lorries (trucks), and motorbikes. This industry is dominated by large multinationals; they share the different parts of the vehicle production process between facilities in several countries.
Food Industry
It transforms raw materials from fishing, crop, and livestock farming and prepares them for consumption.
Light Chemical Industry
It makes cosmetics, detergents, plastics, insecticides, paint, etc.
Electronics Industry
It manufactures high-tech products, such as computers, audiovisual equipment, and domestic appliances.
Other Industries
There are as many industries as there are products on the market (furniture industry, book and printing industry, etc.). The number of light industries is therefore very high.