📚 Topic Summary
The Von Thünen model, developed by Johann Heinrich von Thünen in the 19th century, explains agricultural land use patterns based on transportation costs and market prices. It essentially says that farmers will choose crops or livestock that provide the highest profit margin after accounting for the cost of transporting their goods to market. The model assumes a single market city, uniform soil quality, and farmers making rational economic decisions.
The model visualizes agricultural zones in concentric rings around a central market, with the most intensive and perishable products (like dairy and produce) located closest to the market, and less intensive, more durable products (like grains and livestock) located further away. While the model simplifies reality, it provides a foundational understanding of how economic forces shape agricultural landscapes.🌍
🧠 Part A: Vocabulary
Match the term with its definition:
- Term: Market Gardening and Dairy Definition: A. Agricultural products located farthest from the city due to lower transportation costs and land intensity.
- Term: Forest Definition: B. The reduction in the cost of transporting goods, often due to technological advancements.
- Term: Extensive Farming Definition: C. Agricultural products located closest to the city center due to perishability and high transportation costs.
- Term: Transportation Costs Definition: D. Used for fuel and building materials in Von Thunen's time located in the second ring
- Term: Isotropic Plain Definition: E. A flat and uniform area where Von Thunen's Model is based.
✏️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the following paragraph using the words provided: perishable, rent, intensity, market, transportation.
Von Thünen's model explains agricultural land use based on distance to the _____. The model assumes that farmers make decisions to maximize their _____. More _____ goods are grown closer to the market because of _____ costs. Land _____ decreases as distance from the market increases.
🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking
How have advancements in transportation technology (e.g., refrigerated trucks, airplanes) impacted the applicability of the Von Thünen model in the 21st century? Provide specific examples. 🤔