Tourism in Brazil and India
In holidays we go to see a beach, a fort or hills. When people travel like this for recreation and knowledge it is called tourism, and local people get jobs from it.
Tourism is the travel of people outside their usual place of residence for recreation, knowledge, health or business. It is a tertiary (service) activity and is called an ‘invisible trade’ because services, not goods, are sold.
Key idea 1 : Tourism in Brazil — Clean white sand beaches, attractive seacoast, beautiful islands, orchards, the dense forests of the Amazon and various birds and animals attract international tourists. The new capital Brasilia is also an attraction; large cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo draw tourists. As Brazil’s natural resources are sensitive, ecotourism is growing fast there.
Key idea 2 : Tourism in India — The number of international tourists visiting India is constantly growing; the increase appears larger after 2010. Foreign tourists come for heritage, adventure, culture, health and business and ecotourism is also being promoted. Ajanta Caves and the Gateway of India are examples. Considering India’s heritage there is great scope for tourism in many parts of the country.
Key idea 3 : Tourism and economy — As per the graph in the textbook the number of international tourists visiting India in 2015 was more than Brazil. Still the share of tourism in India’s GDP appears less than Brazil’s, and the proportion of population engaged in tourism is higher in India. The reason is the size of the population and GDP of the two countries; as India’s population and GDP are both larger, the share of tourism appears smaller in percentage.
- Easy : Ajanta Caves belong to which tourism? — Heritage / cultural.
- Medium : Amazon forest for which tourism? — Ecotourism.
- Exam-type : Why is tourism an invisible trade? — Services are sold, not goods.
In the figure: Types of tourism.
Nature, heritage, eco, health.
More tourists does not mean larger share in GDP; the size of the economy must also be seen.
Memory clue: Tourism = service = invisible trade. Memory clue: "Service sold, not goods".
Spot the difference
| Point | India | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Attractions | Heritage, culture, hills | Beaches, Amazon, cities |
| Tourists (2015, as per book) | More | Fewer |
| Share in GDP | Appears less | Appears more |
Practice questions
- 1What is tourism?
- 2State reasons for tourists being attracted to Brazil.
- 3Write the types of tourism in India.
- 4Why is tourism called an invisible trade?
- 5Why is ecotourism growing fast in Brazil?
- 6Why is the GDP share low in India despite more tourists?
- 7Write advantages and disadvantages of tourism.
- 8Write about a tourist spot in your district.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Travel for recreation, knowledge, health or business.
- 2Beaches, islands, Amazon, Brasilia, Rio.
- 3Heritage, adventure, cultural, health, business, eco.
- 4Services are sold, not goods.
- 5Natural resources are sensitive.
- 6India’s population and GDP are larger.
- 7Advantages: jobs, income; disadvantages: pollution, crowding — student writes own.
- 8Student writes own.
Transport in Brazil and India
To go to school we walk or use a bicycle, bus or train. In a country too roads, railways, waterways and airways are used to carry goods and people; they are called means of transport.
Transport is the carrying of people and goods from one place to another. Development of transport is considered an indicator of the rapid progress of a country.
Key idea 1 : Transport of Brazil — In Brazil roads are the most common means and account for more than half of the transport system. The road network is dense in the east; because of the dense forest and swamps of the Amazon, roads are less developed there. Commercial waterways exist on the Amazon; boats ply from Iquitos in Peru to the river mouth (about 3,700 km as per the textbook). The south-flowing Parana is also important for waterways; coastal shipping is also carried out. Railways are not well developed and the share of airways is small.
Key idea 2 : Transport of India — India has a denser transport network than Brazil. As per the textbook about 85 per cent of passengers and 70 per cent of freight are carried by roads every year. Railways are important for the growth of the Indian economy; they are dense in the North Indian Plains but sparse in hill states, the north-east, central India and Rajasthan. Waterways are cheap and contribute about 1 per cent of transport. Airways are more developed in India than in Brazil and domestic air travel is increasing.
Key idea 3 : Sea routes and geographical reasons — About 95 per cent (as per the textbook) of India’s foreign trade moves by sea routes; sea transport also connects the islands and the mainland. Development of transport depends on relief and drainage: roads and railways are easy on plains and hard in mountains and forests; in Brazil waterways are useful because of large rivers, while in India the northern plains have a dense railway network.
- Easy : Most used means in Brazil? — Roads.
- Medium : Where are railways dense in India? — North Indian Plains.
- Exam-type : India’s foreign trade mainly by? — Sea routes.
In the figure: Main means of transport.
Ro-Ra-Wa-Ai.
Waterways cannot be used everywhere; in India its share is only about 1 per cent.
Memory clue: In both roads come first; waterways important in Brazil; railways and air more in India. Memory clue: "Road first".
Spot the difference
| Means | India | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Roads | 85 % passengers, 70 % freight (as per book) | More than half; dense in the east |
| Railways | Dense in northern plains | Not well developed |
| Waterways | About 1 %; sea trade 95 % | Amazon, Parana |
Practice questions
- 1Write features of transport in Brazil.
- 2Compare transport means of India with Brazil.
- 3Why are roads fewer in the Amazon area of Brazil?
- 4Why is the railway network dense in the northern plains of India?
- 5Write the difference between water transport on the Amazon and the Ganga.
- 6Why does India rely on sea routes for foreign trade?
- 7Explain the importance of development of transport.
- 8Show five ports and airports of India on a map.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Roads main; dense in the east; waterways in the Amazon; railways less.
- 2India’s network denser; railways and air more.
- 3Dense forest and swamps.
- 4Flat land and high population.
- 5Long commercial waterway on the Amazon; limited on the Ganga.
- 6Sea routes are cheap and suitable for bulk goods.
- 7Sign of progress; trade and jobs increase.
- 8Student shows on the map.
Standard Time and Time Zones
When it is 9 am in Mumbai it is 3:30 am in London; because the Sun is not overhead everywhere at the same time. So there are different times at different places on the Earth.
Standard time is the local time of a chosen meridian that is followed for the whole country. The Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, so there is a difference of 1 hour per 15° of longitude and 4 minutes per 1°.
Key idea 1 : India’s standard time — India has a large east-west extent and the difference between the two ends is about 2 hours (120 minutes). Still India has only one standard time: the 82°30′ E meridian (82.5° E in the textbook), which passes near Prayagraj (earlier Allahabad), is the Indian Standard Time (IST). It is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Key idea 2 : Time zones of Brazil — Because Brazil has a very large east-west extent there are four time zones. They are 2, 3, 4 or 5 hours behind Greenwich. The red line on the map shows the GMT−3 zone; this is Brazil’s official time, the Brasilia Standard Time (BRT), 3 hours behind Greenwich. The textbook gives the time difference between the country’s extreme points as about 168 minutes (2 hours 48 minutes).
Key idea 3 : How to find the time — If the local time is ahead add degrees × 4 minutes; if behind subtract. India is 8 hours 30 minutes ahead of Brasilia (5:30 – (−3) = 8:30). So when it is 9 am in Delhi it is 12:30 am (half an hour past midnight) in Brasilia on the same day. How many standard times a country needs depends on its east-west extent.
- Easy : Time difference for 15° of longitude? — 1 hour.
- Medium : Difference for 1°? — 4 minutes.
- Exam-type : IST is on which meridian? — 82°30′ E.
In the figure: Relation between longitude and time.
Brazil has four time zones (UTC−2 to UTC−5); about 93 per cent of people live in Brasilia time (UTC−3). The state of Acre was moved to UTC−4 in 2008 and back to UTC−5 in 2013 (as per several sources; check with the book).
Using the textbook’s extreme points (70°59′ W and 34°47′ W) the difference of longitude is 36°12′, about 145 minutes, different from the textbook’s 168 minutes; for the whole mainland (73°48′ W to 34°47′ W) the difference is about 39°, about 156 minutes (as per the textbook and our calculation; check with the book).
15° = 1 hour; 1° = 4 minutes.
It is right that a place further east is ahead in time; but do not get direction wrong while calculating (east = ahead, west = behind).
Memory clue: East = ahead (add); west = behind (subtract). Memory clue: "Sun rises first in the east, so time is ahead".
Spot the difference
| Point | India | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Time zones | One | Four |
| Standard time | IST = GMT + 5:30 | BRT = GMT − 3 |
| Standard meridian | 82°30′ E | About 45° W |
Practice questions
- 1What is standard time?
- 2Why does India have one standard time?
- 3Why does Brazil have four time zones?
- 4If it is 12 noon in Delhi what time will it be in Brasilia?
- 5State the difference between IST and BRT.
- 6What is the time difference for 18° of longitude?
- 7Write the importance of standard time.
- 8On what basis will you decide how many standard times a country should have?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Local time of a chosen meridian for the whole country.
- 2Extent about 2 hours; one time is convenient.
- 3Large east-west extent.
- 4Delhi 12 noon = Brasilia 3:30 am.
- 5IST = GMT + 5:30; BRT = GMT − 3; difference 8 h 30 min.
- 618 × 4 = 72 minutes (1 h 12 min).
- 7One time for all; transport, work, contact become easier.
- 8On east-west extent; student writes own reason.
Communication and Space Technology
Today we talk to a distant relative in a moment on the mobile, watch videos and search information. The means of sending messages and information over distance are called communication.
Communication is the means of carrying messages, information and entertainment over a distance: post, telephone, mobile, radio, television, internet and satellites.
Key idea 1 : Communication in Brazil — Telecommunication services in Brazil are well developed and efficient; they include landlines, mobiles, television, radio and internet. As per the textbook more than 45 per cent of Brazilians have internet access; the facility is modern in central-south Brazil but much less developed in the north and north-west. Large land size and unpopulated, densely forested pockets make it difficult to extend services. In recent years mobile phones have led the rapid expansion.
Key idea 2 : Communication in India — With the explosion of electronic media the telecom industry has become one of the fast-growing sectors. Devices like mobile phones, internet and satellites are widening the reach of communication. India is one of the largest users of smartphones and internet, and with the development of its own satellites India has come a long way in this field.
Key idea 3 : Space research — In India ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) looks after satellite launching programmes and has set many records in satellite launches. In Brazil the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) is the civilian authority for the country’s space programme; it earlier relied on the United States but now cooperates in technology development with China, India, Russia and Ukraine. Brazil is developing technology to send domestically made satellites into space with its own rockets.
- Easy : A modern means of communication? — Mobile / internet.
- Medium : India’s space agency? — ISRO.
- Exam-type : Why are services less in north Brazil? — Forest and sparse population.
In the figure: Modern means of communication.
Mo-Tv-Sa-Sp.
Services are not equal everywhere; they are less in dense forests and sparse settlements.
Memory clue: Mobile brought revolution; satellites widened reach. Memory clue: "Mobile in hand, satellite in sky".
Spot the difference
| Point | India | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Telecom | Fast-growing industry | Developed, less in the north |
| Space agency | ISRO | AEB |
| Obstacle | Hilly regions | Forests, sparse population |
Practice questions
- 1What is communication?
- 2Write features of communication in Brazil.
- 3Explain the development of communication in India.
- 4Write about ISRO and AEB.
- 5Why are communication services less in northern Brazil?
- 6Write a note on modern means of communication.
- 7Compare communication in Brazil and India.
- 8Write advantages and disadvantages of communication.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Means of carrying messages and information over distance.
- 2Developed; mobile grew fast; less in north; internet 45 %+.
- 3Mobile, internet, satellites; many smartphone users.
- 4ISRO: India’s satellite launches; AEB: Brazil’s civilian space agency.
- 5Forest and sparse population make extension difficult.
- 6Mobile, internet, satellite, television.
- 7Both growing; Brazil advanced in the central-south, India growing fast widely.
- 8Student writes own.