Monday, September 13, 2010

Limited supply of land


Land makes up only 30 percent of the Earth's surface. Of this, not all are readily available for use.


Areas like swamps, marshes and low-lying coastal areas are constantly waterlogged or flooded with water, while deserts are too dry to be of much use to us. Land can also be damaged through mining or poor farming practices. These types of land are of little use to us if left in their original state.

Even where land is suitable for human use,not all of it is available to us as they may be reserved for certain uses, such as water catchment areas. These are usually areas of forests that collect and channel  rainwater into reservoirs. Land is also set aside for military purposes -- such as training areas and water catchment areas take up more than half of the total land. That leaves a limited area of land for others purposes such as industry and housing. 

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Reasons for Land Constraint

 Development of transport systems
As a country develops, more roads and railways have to be built. A good transport network is important for the movement of goods and raw materials, as well as to enable workers to travel between their homes and workplaces. In some cities, over 20 percent of the total land area is set aside for transport facilities such as roads, railways and car parks.

Increasing demand for recreational spaces
With more people, more recreational spaces will have to be provided. Land is needed for a wide range of facilities, ranging from swimming pools to public golf courses and theatres. Some land also has to be set aside as parks and nature reserves for people to enjoy and relax in.
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sources;

http://www.etsi.org/WebSite/document/Technologies/ETSI-ITS.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2065/2401322209_48fb7d0f50_o.jpg

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Reasons for Land Constraint.

There are 2 main reasons for land constraint : Rising demand for land and limited supply of land.

Increasing demand for arable land.
To produce food to feed their increasing populations,countries have to look for more arable land . Arable land is land which is suitable for the growing of crops. However, arable land is in short supply. Over four-fifth of the Earth's land surface is unsuitable for growing crops as it either too hot, too cold, too dry or infertile.

Population growth.
As a result of rapid populatio groth in the last few decades, more land is for human activities. However, all areas have a carrying capacity, which is the maximum number of people that an are can support comfortablely without straining its supply of resources for future use.
As shown above, when the number of people increases, the available resources would have to be shared among more people, which adds pressure to the land.

Increasing demand for housing.
A growing population will lead to an increase in demand for housing. Thus, more land will have to be used to build houses for people. In Singapore, for example, new housing estates have been developed in areas like Punggol and Sengkang to meet the increasing demand for housing.

Growth of industries.
The need to provide jobs for a growing population is an important concern for countries worldwide. One way to do so is by developing more manufacturing industries and businesses.
For example, in Singapore, manufacturing industries currently take up over 10 percent of Singapore's total land area. To expand these industries, more land is needed.
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sources ;
http://www.movewithusinternational.com/img/argentina/greengold-2.jpg
http://www.streetdirectory.com/img/graphic/HDB_in_singapore.jpg
http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/imgcache/98e1dfc655d469b0c92729981db3f06b484422259_e9d00ed9901.jpg