UPSC Geography: Human & Economic Geography

Human & Economic Geography

Human geography explains how population, settlements and economic activities are distributed across space. Economic geography connects resources, production, transport and markets.

Core Concepts

• Population distribution, density, growth, migration and demographic transition.
• Rural and urban settlements, urbanisation and metropolitan growth.
• Agriculture: factors of location, major crops, irrigation and cropping patterns.
• Industries: raw materials, labour, energy, markets and transport as location factors.
• Transport corridors, ports, trade routes and regional development.

India Focus

Study the relationship between physical conditions and economic activity: soil and crops, minerals and industry, rivers and settlements, ports and trade, and transport corridors and industrial clusters.

Mains Practice

Explain how geography influences regional inequality in India using resources, infrastructure, urbanisation and connectivity.