Question

Which country has a higher percentage of population engaged in primary activities?

Answer 1

Correct Answer: India (48.8%) compared to Brazil (10%)

Step 1: Primary Activities

Primary activities are those that involve direct extraction or use of natural resources, such as agriculture, fishing, mining, and forestry. The percentage of a population engaged in pri- mary activities reflects the country’s dependence on agriculture and natural resource extraction.

Caveat: High employment share in primary with low GDP share implies low labor productivity.

Step 2: India’s Primary Sector Engagement

In India, approximately 48.8% of the population is involved in primary activities. This is sig- nificantly high, indicating that agriculture, mining, and related sectors remain a major part of India’s economy, especially in rural areas where agriculture is the primary livelihood.

Shift: The share tends to fall as economies urbanize and industrialize.

Step 3: Brazil’s Primary Sector Engagement

Brazil, on the other hand, has only about 10% of its population engaged in primary activities. Despite its vast agricultural land and natural resources, Brazil has successfully industrialized and diversified its economy, reducing the share of its population in primary activities.

Policy angle: Mechanization and consolidation reduce labor intensity in agriculture.

\[ \textbf{India has a significantly higher percentage of population engaged in primary activities.} \]

Answer 2

Correct Answer: Brazil (67%) compared to India (57%)

Step 1: Tertiary Sector Contribution

The tertiary sector, or service sector, includes industries such as retail, healthcare, finance, tourism, education, and information technology. The contribution of the tertiary sector to a country’s GDP indicates how much the service industry drives the economy.

Interpretation: Higher tertiary share signals service-led value addition.

Step 2: Brazil’s Tertiary Sector Contribution

Brazil’s economy is highly service-oriented, with 67% of its GDP derived from the tertiary sector. This high share reflects Brazil’s developed service industries like finance, retail, and business services, which have become key economic drivers in recent decades.

Note: Urban concentration supports service density.

Step 3: India’s Tertiary Sector Contribution

India’s tertiary sector contributes 57% to its GDP, which is also a significant share, driven by sectors like information technology, telecommunications, and financial services. However, Brazil’s service sector is slightly more dominant compared to India’s.

Idea: India’s share has been rising with IT/BPM growth.

\[ \textbf{Brazil’s contribution in the tertiary sector to GDP is higher (67%) than India’s (57%).} \]

Answer 3

Correct Answer: Brazil

Step 1: Secondary Sector Contribution

The secondary sector includes industries such as manufacturing, construction, and energy pro- duction. The share of the secondary sector in a country’s GDP indicates the extent of its industrialization.

Hint: Compare the figure values directly when provided.

Step 2: India’s Secondary Sector Contribution

India’s secondary sector contributes about 26% to its GDP. This shows the growing role of manufacturing industries, including textiles, automobiles, and consumer goods. However, In- dia’s industrial sector still faces challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and labor issues.

Constraint: Power reliability and logistics costs affect competitiveness.

Step 3: Brazil’s Secondary Sector Contribution

Brazil’s secondary sector contributes 27.5% to its GDP, slightly higher than India’s. Brazil has a more developed manufacturing sector, especially in industries like steel production, oil extraction, and automotive manufacturing. This small difference in percentage indicates that Brazil’s industrial sector is slightly more advanced than India’s.

Takeaway: The gap is modest but consistent with a stronger industrial base.

\[ \textbf{Brazil’s share of secondary activities in GDP is slightly higher than India’s.} \]

Answer 4

Correct Answer: Tertiary sector (71%)

Step 1: Sector with Maximum Employment

The tertiary sector, which includes services like retail, healthcare, IT, and education, is the sector with the highest share of employment in many modern economies. In Brazil, 71% of the population is employed in the service sector, which highlights the country’s strong service- driven economy.

Feature: Services absorb labor displaced from primary/secondary with urban growth.

Step 2: Economic Structure of Brazil

Brazil’s workforce is largely engaged in services, reflecting the country’s economic transforma- tion in recent decades. The service sector has become the dominant sector of employment, while primary activities (agriculture, mining) and secondary activities (manufacturing) have relatively smaller shares of the workforce.

Urban note: Mega-cities and regional capitals act as service hubs.

Step 3: Implications

A large proportion of the population working in the tertiary sector signifies that Brazil’s econ- omy is increasingly shifting from agriculture and manufacturing to services. This is indicative of a developed and diversified economy.

Policy lens: Skills and education for services become central to employment quality.

\[ \textbf{In Brazil, the maximum percentage of the population is engaged in the tertiary sector (71%).} \]

Answer 5

Correct Answer: 10% more

Step 1: Comparing the Tertiary Sector Contributions

Brazil’s contribution to GDP from the tertiary sector is 67%, while India’s contribution is 57%. To find the difference between the two, we subtract India’s share from Brazil’s:

\[ 67 - 57 = 10 \]

Phrase: A 10 percentage point higher share.

Step 2: Explanation of the Difference

This 10% difference indicates that Brazil’s economy is more service-oriented compared to In- dia’s. The higher share in Brazil can be attributed to the advanced nature of Brazil’s service industries, including finance, telecommunications, and retail. India’s service sector is also sig- nificant, but it is growing at a slightly slower pace compared to Brazil.

Interpretation: The gap highlights different structural compositions and development pathways.

\[ \textbf{Brazil’s contribution in the tertiary sector is 10% more than India’s.} \]

Answer 6

Correct Answer: 26.9%

Step 1: Tertiary Sector Employment in India

In India, approximately 26.9% of the population is engaged in the tertiary sector. This includes jobs in services like IT, finance, healthcare, retail, and education. The tertiary sector in India has grown rapidly, particularly with the rise of the IT and software services industry.

Spatial: Service employment clusters in metros and Tier-2 cities.

Step 2: India’s Service Sector Growth

While India’s primary and secondary sectors still employ a significant portion of the population, the service sector has seen rapid growth in recent decades, contributing to a large part of India’s GDP and employment. The increasing use of technology, globalization, and outsourcing has led to a boom in this sector.

Trend: With urbanization, the share of services in employment is expected to rise further.

\[ \textbf{Approximately 26.9% of India’s population is engaged in the tertiary sector.} \]