Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Geography

Chapter

Fundamentals of Human Geography: Secondary Activities

Question:

Read the following passage and answer the question :

The iron and steel industry forms the base of all other industries and, therefore, it is called a basic industry. It is basic because it provides raw material for other industries such as machines tools used for the further production. It may also be called as heavy industry because it uses large quantities of bulky raw materials and its products are also heavy. Iron is extracted from iron ore by smelting in a blast furnace with carbon (coke) and limestone. The molten iron is cooled and moulded to form pig iron which is used for converting into steel by adding strengthening materials like manganese. The large integrated steel industry is traditionally located close to the sources of raw material- iron ore, coal, manganese and limestone - or at places where these could be easily brought, e.g. near ports. But in mini steel mills access to market is more important than inputs. These are less expensive to build and operate and can be located near markets because of the abundance of scrap metal, which is the main input. Traditionally, most of the steel was produced at large integrated plants, but mini mills are limited to just one-step process-steel making-and are gaining ground. Distribution: The industry is one of the most complex and capital-intensive industries and is concentrated in the advanced countries of North America, Europe and Asia. In USA, most of the production comes from the north Appalachian region (Pittsburgh), Great Lake region (Chicago-Gary, Erie, Cleveland, Lorain, Buffalo and Duluth) and the Atlantic Coast (Sparrow point and Morisville). The industry has also moved towards the southern states of Alabama. Pittsburg area is now losing ground. It has now become the "rust bowl" of U.S.A. In Europe, U.K.; Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Russia are the leading producers. The important steel centres are Scun Thorpe, Port Talbot, Birmingham and Sheffield in the U.K.; Duisburg, Dortmund, Dusseldorf and Essen in Germany; Le Creusote and St. Ettienne in France; and Moscow, St. Petersburgh, Lipetsk, Tula, in Russia and Krivoi Rog, and Donetsk in Ukraine. In Asia, the important centres include Nagasaki and Tokyo-Yokohama in Japan; Shanghai Tienstin and Wuhan in China; and Jamshedpur, Kulti-Burnpur, Durgapur, Rourkela, Bhilai, Bokaro, Salem, Vishakhapatnam and Bhadravati in India.

Which iron steel producing area is now losing ground and is known as the "rust bowl" of united states of America?

Options:

Chicago

Morisville

Pittsburg

Buffalo

Correct Answer:

Pittsburg

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (3) → Pittsburg

Pittsburgh, historically known for its significant contribution to the iron and steel industry, was a major steel-producing hub in the United States. The city played a pivotal role in the growth of the American steel industry during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Over the years, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century, Pittsburgh experienced a decline in its steel industry.  The term "rust bowl" is often used to describe regions, including Pittsburgh, that experienced economic decline and industrial decay, particularly in the aftermath of deindustrialization.