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Difficulty: EasyManufacturing and Industrial Development in Nigeria

The wood processing and plywood manufacturing industry in Sapele, Delta State, is a classic example of industrial siting in Nigeria. Which primary factor determined the location of this industry?

  1. A
    Proximity to large consumer markets in northern Nigeria
  2. Abundant supply of heavy hardwood timber from nearby rainforestsAnswer
  3. C
    Availability of extensive coal deposits for power generation in the Niger Delta
  4. D
    Access to local cotton agricultural belts for synthetic fiber production

Answer

The primary factor determining the siting of the plywood manufacturing industry in Sapele is the abundant supply of heavy hardwood timber from the surrounding rainforests.
The correct answer highlights proximity to raw timber. Timber processing and plywood manufacturing are weight-losing industries. Because logs are bulky and heavy, processing facilities locate close to the rainforests of southern Nigeria (such as Sapele) to minimize high bulk-transport costs.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the nature of the industry and its primary raw materials.
Plywood and sawmill manufacturing requires heavy, bulky logs of hardwood timber.
Wood processing is a weight-losing manufacturing process.
2
Apply industrial location principles to weight-losing raw materials.
Industries using heavy weight-losing raw materials locate near the raw material source to cut transportation costs.
Transporting raw logs over long distances is significantly more expensive than transporting processed plywood.
3
Relate the geographic region of Sapele to Nigeria's vegetation and raw material distribution.
Sapele is located in the dense rainforest belt of southern Nigeria, rich in hardwood species like Mahogany and Iroko.
This spatial alignment establishes raw material proximity as the key location factor.

Key Concept

Raw material orientation in industrial location (Weight-losing industries)
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Manufacturing and Industrial Development in Nigeria

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