WHAT SECONDARY SECTOR ACTIVITIES ARE THERE?

The secondary sector uses raw materials to produce manufactured products. Some of the most important secondary sector activities in Spain are the food, motor and chemical industries. The technology industry has also become very important in recent years.

Types of products: Industries in the secondary sector can be classified by the types of products that they produce:

• Intermediate products: some industries produce intermediate products. These are products that are used by other industries. (The steel industry converts iron into steel, that is used to make cars and buses).
• Consumer products: some industries make products that are sold directly to consumers. (The food industry transforms products from farming and fishing into consumer products).

Energy sources: factories need energy to transform raw materials into products.WH

• Some energy comes from renewable sources, such as sunlight, water or wind. These sources of energy are unlimited.
• Some energy comes from non-renewable sources, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. These sources of energy are limited.

WHAT OTHER PRIMARY SECTOR ACTIVITIES ARE THERE?

Fishing, mining and forestry are all primary sector activities.
Fishing:
There are two main types of fishing: coastal and deep-sea.

• Coastal fishing is near the coast. Fishermen use small boats and traditional methods. They return to port at the end of the day.
• Deep-sea fishing is far from the coast. Fishermen often work for weeks or months on large ships. These ships have refrigeration systems to keep the fish cold.

Mining:
Mining is the extraction of rocks and minerals from the ground. There are two types of mines.

• In underground mines, miners work deep under the ground, in shafts, tunnels and caves.
• In opencast mines and quarries, miners work in large open-air pits to extract coal and minerals that are close to the Earth's surface.

The most typical mining products in Spain are granite, marble and slate. These are extracted in quarries.
Forestry:
Forestry is the use of forests to obtain plant products, such as wood, cork, cellulose and resin. Spain's most important forestry product is cork.

WHAT'S AGRICULTURE?

Agriculture is the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock. Crops and livestock both come from nature, so agriculture belongs to the primary sector.
Arable farming produces crops for food and other products. There are two types of arable farming: dry farming and irrigated farming.

Dry farming:

• The crops only get water when it rains.
• Dry farmers need large fields so they can grow lots of crops.
• The most important dry crops in Spain are wheat, grapes and olives.

Irrigated farming:

• Farmers use irrigation systems to water their crops.
• Farmers can grow lots of crops in relatively small fields.
• Tomatoes beans and melons are typical crops in irrigated farming. Many fruits and garden vegetables are grown in Murcia.

Livestock farming is the raising of animals for food and non-food products. Meat, milk and eggs are examples of food products. Wool and leather are examples of non-food products.
There are two types of livestock farming: extensive and intensive.

Extensive farming:

• Farmers raise their livestock in large fields or open pastures.
• The animals eat what grows naturally on the land.
• In Spain, the raising of iberian pigs is an example of extensive livestock farming.

Intensive farming:

• Farmers raise their livestock in stables or indoor pens.
• Farmers give the animals food, which is sometimes produced in factories.
• Many milk cows are raised in stables. This is an example of intensive livestock farming.

WHAT ARE THE THREE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY?

The economy is divided into three sectors: primary, secondary and tertiary.
The primary sector provides raw materials from nature.
The secondary sector processes raw materials and provides manufactured products.
The tertiary sector provides a variety of services.

1. Primary sector: raw materials are extracted from nature. Agriculture, forestry, mining and fishing are primary sector activities. These activities provide the materials that we need to manufacture products.
2. Secondary sector: raw materials are processed or used to manufacture new products. these products are manufactured in factories and workshops.
3. Tertiary sector: activities that provide a service make up the tertiary sector. For example transportation services take products to shops and supermarkets. Doctors and teachers also work in the tertiary sector.

 Manufactured products are used and recycled or thrown away. Recycled products are an important source of raw materials in today's economy.
Not all raw materials come from nature now! We can recycle products made from glass, paper and plastic. We can even recycle clothes and shoes.

Picture from Social Science LH