Regions of pastoral nomadism

Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"

Meaning

NCERT names three regions of pastoral nomadism:

1. the core region, from the Atlantic shores of North Africa across Arabia to Mongolia and Central China
2. the tundra of Eurasia
3. small areas of south-west Africa and Madagascar

Herders keep animals that suit each climate. Desert herders keep sheep, goats and camels, and tundra herders keep reindeer. The number of nomads is falling because political boundaries block their routes and governments run schemes to settle them in one place.

Example

On the grassy steppes of Mongolia, herders move their sheep, goats and camels between pastures with the seasons. Mongolia lies at the eastern end of the core region.

Don't confuse with

• Commercial livestock rearing regions: these are fixed, fenced ranches in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay and the USA. The animals are reared for export.

Related concepts

• Pastoralism
• Nomadic herding
• Transhumance
• Gujjars
• Bakarwals
• Bhotiyas
• Commercial livestock rearing
• Carrying capacity of pasture

Read more

• Pastoralism: nomadic herding, transhumance and commercial ranching