Industry, energy, development and globalisation

ZIMSEC A Level · Geography · Form 6

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Industrial location

Weber's least-cost model (transport, labour and agglomeration costs) and behavioural factors. Zimbabwe's industry is concentrated in Harare, Bulawayo and the Midlands; deindustrialisation has affected Bulawayo in particular.

Mining and energy

Minerals: gold, platinum and chrome (Great Dyke), diamonds (Marange), lithium (Bikita, Arcadia), coal (Hwange).
Energy: hydroelectricity (Kariba), thermal power (Hwange), solar growth, and wood fuel in rural areas. Energy shortages (load shedding) affect industry.
Beneficiation (processing minerals locally) adds value and jobs.

Development

Measures: GDP per capita, HDI, multidimensional poverty index. Theories: Rostow's stages of growth, dependency theory (core–periphery), and sustainable development.

Globalisation

Flows of goods, capital, information and people; transnational corporations (TNCs); trade blocs (SADC, COMESA, AfCFTA). Effects: investment and technology versus competition, profit repatriation and environmental impacts.

Tourism

Victoria Falls, Hwange, Great Zimbabwe, Kariba and the Eastern Highlands. Ecotourism and community-based tourism can spread benefits.

Exam tip: Use theories (Weber, Rostow, dependency) and test them against Zimbabwean examples.

Check yourself

Name the three costs in Weber's industrial location model.
What is beneficiation?
Give one criticism of Rostow's model.

Show answers

Transport, labour and agglomeration costs.
Processing raw minerals locally to add value before export.
Any one: based on Western experience, assumes linear progress, ignores colonial history and dependency.

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