G L O S S A R Y acid rain: a type of harmful rain that forms when polluting chemicals (nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide) from factories, power stations and vehicles mix with water vapour. active population: people of working age who supply the labour that is needed to produce goods and services, or who are available for employment. The active population consists of employed and unemployed people. agglomeration economy: a situation where businesses are located near to each other for mutual benefit, especially if their products are complementary. agrarian holding: plots of land or a farm run by an individual or company to obtain agrarian products. agriculture: the practice of farming crops (plants) or livestock (animals) to produce food and other products, such as wool and leather. altitude: the elevation of any point above sea (or ground) level. anti-natalist policy: a government policy aimed at discouraging people from having children. This can be achieved through education on family planning and increased access to contraceptives, or it can be enforced by law. aquaculture: the breeding of aquatic animals and plants in captivity. arid: a lack of humidity or excessive dryness. Aridity refers to areas where the level of precipitation is less than 250 mm or is not sufficient to support dense vegetation. In an arid zone, evaporation is greater than precipitation. balance of payments: the sum of the balance of trade plus the balance of trade services, capital and financial services. It defines a country's total trade with the rest of the world. biodiversity: a term that refers to the variety and density of species (plants, animals and microorganisms), genes, organisational patterns and ecosystems on the Earth. birth rate: the number of births in a population over a specific period, usually one year capital: the resources used to produce goods and services. Capital can be physical (such as buildings or machinery), human (such as training, the experience of workers) and financial (money). capitalism: also known as the free-market economic system. It is based on the principles of privately owned means of production, the profit motivation, the law of supply and demand, and free competition. Central Business District (CBD): the economic centre of a city. It is usually a modern-looking area that is dominated by skyscrapers. Cutting-edge service companies are commonly located in CBDs. circular economy: a production and consumption model that seeks to make both economic growth and social welfare compatible with environmental sustainability. This model advocates optimising the use of natural resources, prioritising renewable energies over non-renewable energies and sharing, reusing, repairing and recycling existing materials and products. climate change: modification of the Earth's climate (more frequent floods and droughts, more severe heat and cold waves, etc.) related to global warming. closed-field landscape: agricultural landscape of fields enclosed by hedges, walls or fences. commercial agriculture: a type of agriculture in which the production is sold. As its objective is to make maximum profit, this type of agriculture is usually intensive monoculture with high mechanisation and productivity. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): a European Union policy aimed at increasing agricultural productivity. Common Fisheries Policy (CAP): a European Union policy aimed at increasing productivity in the fishing industry. communism: an economic system in which the state controls every aspect of the economy. conurbation: a large urban area formed of several metropolitan areas that have joined together. costs of production: the sum of the value of all the resources used in the production of a good or service. customs union: a free-trade area where a common customs policy is established with non-member states, and tariffs between members have been eliminated. death rate: the number of deaths in a population over a specific period of time, usually one year. deforestation: the loss of the area covered by forests as a result of human activity. deposit: a place with a high natural concentration of rock or minerals. desertification: the transformation of land into desert due to the loss of vegetation and soil fertility. diffuse city: a city which is not a continuous and compact urban area, but rather contains rural areas within its metropolitan boundaries. domestic trade: the exchange of goods and services that takes place within a country’s borders. economic globalisation: the economic interaction and progressive liberalisation of the trade in goods, services, technology, labour and financial capital between different countries. 244
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