In this article, you will get the Class 12 Geography Chapter 4 Question Answer. this can help you to excel in your exams. these questions are crafted by me on the basis of my experience of class 12 boards in 2025, where I scored 98 marks out of 100. Use this to improve your studies. The quality of the question can be judged by my marks. so you can trust us for sure. Also check out our YouTube channel.

Perfect 👍 I’ll now refine and enrich the answers for Chapter 4 – Primary Activities.
The answers will be:

• Point-wise (so they’re clear & easy for YouTube/notes)
• Detailed, exam-ready (not too short)
• High quality, written like a topper’s notes.

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Primary Activities Class 12 Geography Chapter 4 Question Answer

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Class 12 Geography Chapter 4 Question Answer 3 Marker

Q1. What are primary activities? Give examples.
Answer:

• Primary activities are those that directly depend on natural resources.
• They include extraction or production of raw materials from the earth.
• Examples: hunting, gathering, pastoralism, agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining.

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Q2. Define hunting and gathering. Where is it still practised?
Answer:

• It is the oldest economic activity of human beings.
• People depend on wild plants, roots, fruits, and hunt animals for food.
• Today, it is still practised by tribes in Amazon Basin (South America), Central Africa, Arctic (Eskimos), and interior Asia.

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Q3. What is pastoral nomadism? Give two examples.
Answer:

• A form of subsistence herding where people move with livestock in search of pastures.
• It is common in arid and semi-arid regions where farming is difficult.
• Examples: Masai of East Africa, Bedouins of Arabia, Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh.

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Q4. Explain the concept of transhumance with an example.
Answer:

• Transhumance is seasonal migration of people with livestock between mountains and plains.
• In summer, herders go to high meadows; in winter, they descend to valleys or plains.
• Examples: Gaddi shepherds of Himachal, Bakarwals of Jammu & Kashmir.

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Q5. What is shifting cultivation? Mention two local names.
Answer:

• Also called slash-and-burn agriculture.
• Farmers cut and burn forest, grow crops for a few years, then leave land fallow.
• Found in tropical forests.
• Local names: Jhumming (India), Milpa (Mexico), Ladang (Indonesia), Conuco (Venezuela).

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Q6. Why is intensive subsistence farming common in monsoon Asia?
Answer:

• High population pressure → need to maximise output.
• Fertile alluvial soils in river basins (Ganga, Mekong, Yangtze).
• Abundant water supply from monsoon rainfall and irrigation.
• Cheap labour → farming mostly manual.
• Rice and wheat are dominant crops.

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Q7. Differentiate between mixed farming and plantation farming.
Answer:

• Mixed farming:
  • Crop + livestock together.
  • Crops grown for food; animals for milk/meat.
  • Practised in Europe, North America.
• Plantation farming:
  • Single cash crop (monoculture).
  • Large estates, cheap labour, export-oriented.
  • Examples: Tea in India, Coffee in Brazil.

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Q8. What are the main features of Mediterranean agriculture?
Answer:

• Specialised commercial farming.
• Climate: hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
• Crops: citrus fruits, olives, figs, grapes, wheat (winter).
• Countries: Mediterranean Basin, California, Chile, South Africa, Australia.
• Importance: Famous for viticulture (wine) and export crops.

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Q9. State two characteristics of dairy farming.
Answer:

• Highly capital & labour intensive → requires refrigeration, fodder, veterinary care.
• Products: milk, butter, cheese supplied daily to urban markets.
• Major areas: Netherlands, Denmark, USA, New Zealand.

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Q10. Explain the importance of mining as a primary activity.
Answer:

• Mining provides raw materials for industries (coal, iron, petroleum).
• Generates employment and foreign exchange.
• Types: Open-cast (cheap), Underground (expensive, risky).
• Countries: South Africa (gold, diamonds), India (coal, iron ore), Russia (oil, gas).

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Class 12 Geography Chapter 3 Question Answer

Class 12 Geography Chapter 4 Question Answer – 5 Marker

Q1. Compare intensive subsistence farming with extensive commercial grain farming.
Answer:

• Intensive Subsistence Farming:
  • Practised in densely populated Asia (India, China).
  • Small farms, high labour, manual tools.
  • Crops: rice, wheat, pulses.
  • Aim: subsistence, high yield per area.
• Extensive Commercial Grain Farming:
  • Practised in temperate grasslands (Prairies, Pampas, Steppes).
  • Large farms, mechanisation, less labour.
  • Crops: wheat, maize, barley.
  • Aim: commercial sale, high total production.
    👉 Key difference: intensive = labour-intensive, extensive = machine-intensive.

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Q2. Describe the features of plantation agriculture with examples.
Answer:

• Introduced by European colonists in tropical countries.
• Features:
  1. Large estates (200+ hectares).
  2. Monoculture (single cash crop).
  3. High capital + cheap labour.
  4. Linked with processing industry (sugar mills, tea factories).
  5. Oriented to exports.
• Examples: Tea in Assam, Coffee in Brazil, Rubber in Malaysia, Sugarcane in West Indies.

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Q3. Explain the system of cooperative and collective farming.
Answer:

• Cooperative Farming (Denmark, India):
  • Farmers pool land/resources voluntarily.
  • Land remains individual property.
  • Inputs purchased collectively, profits shared.
  • Advantage: better bargaining, lower costs, higher income.
• Collective Farming (Russia – Kolkhoz):
  • Land owned by state.
  • Farmers work for wages + share of profit.
  • Production decisions taken collectively.
    👉 Cooperative = voluntary, democratic; Collective = state-controlled.

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Q4. Discuss the regional distribution and importance of Mediterranean agriculture.
Answer:

• Regions: Mediterranean Basin, California, Chile, South Africa, SW Australia.
• Climate: Dry summers, mild winters → irrigation needed in summer.
• Crops: Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), olives, figs, grapes, wheat.
• Importance:
  • Produces high-value crops.
  • Famous for wine industry (viticulture).
  • Supplies fresh fruits, olive oil to global markets.
    👉 One of the world’s most profitable farming systems.

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Q5. Analyse the significance and problems of mining as a primary activity.
Answer:

• Significance:
  1. Supplies raw materials (coal, iron, oil) for industries.
  2. Provides employment to millions.
  3. Contributes to GDP & exports.
  4. Led to growth of mining towns (Jharia, Johannesburg).
• Problems:
  1. Exhaustion of minerals (non-renewable).
  2. Environmental degradation (deforestation, pollution).
  3. Health hazards for miners.
  4. High cost of underground mining.
     👉 Mining is vital but must be done sustainably with environmental safeguards.

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