Industrial Regions

The world’s three principal industrial regions are Europe, North America, and East Asia. Each of the three regions has numerous subareas that specialize in various forms of industry, depending on their particular geographic assets.

Europe: Industrial Birthplace

Europe was the first region to industrialize, during the nineteenth century. Numerous industrial centers emerged in Europe as countries competed with each other for supremacy.

Europe’s Industrial Areas

North America: Industrial Leader

Industry arrived a bit later in North America than in Europe, but it grew much faster in the nineteenth century. North America’s manufacturing was traditionally highly concentrated in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. In recent years, manufacturing has relocated to the South, lured by lower wages and legislation that has made it difficult for unions to organize factory workers.

North America’s Industrial Areas

East Asia: The New Industrial Leader

East Asia became an important industrial region in the second half of the twentieth century, beginning with Japan. Into the twenty-first century, China has emerged as the world’s leading manufacturing country by most measures

East Asia’s Industrial Areas

Pause & Reflect 11.1.2

Compare the world’s principal industrial areas with population distribution. Are industrial areas generally in regions of high population density or low? Why?