Page 181 - SST Class 07

VELD

The temperate grasslands of South Africa are
called the velds. These lie in the southern hemi-
sphere.
The velds are rolling plateaus with varying
heights ranging from 600 m to 1100 m. To its
east, it is bound by the Drakenburg Mountains
and to its west lies the Kalahari Desert. ‘High
velds’ are located on the north – eastern part.
These attain a height of 1600 m in some places.
Cotton
The tributaries of the rivers — Orange and
The main animal here is the bison or the
Limpopo, drain the region.
American buffalo. It has nearly got extinct due to
Climate
indiscriminate hunting. Other animals found in
this region are rabbits, Prairie dogs, coyotes and The climate in the velds is mild due to the influ-
gophers. ence of the Indian Ocean. Winters are cold and
dry. July is the coldest month. The temperatures
People
in winter vary between 5°C and 10°C. Summers
The people of this region are very industrious
are short and warm. Johannesburg records a
and have successfully harnessed technology to
temperature of 20°C in summer season. Rainfall
utilize its natural resources. The two most devel-
occurs mainly in the months of November to
oped countries – the USA and Canada are
February and it is due to the warm ocean cur-
located in this region.
rents that wash the shores of the velds. If the
Agriculture winter months from June to August receive
Scientific methods of cultivation and use of scanty rainfall, drought may occur.
tractors, harvesters and combines have made Flora and Fauna
North America a surplus producer of food grains.
The vegetation cover is sparse. Red grasses grow
The Prairies are also called the ‘Granaries of the
in bush velds. Acacia and Maroola are found in
world’ due to surplus wheat production.
the high rise areas.
Dairy Farming
The animals of this region are mainly leopards,
It is another major industry in this region. The lions, kudu and cheetah.
dairy belt extends from the Great Lakes to the
Atlantic Coast in the east.

Dairy farming and surplus production in agricul-
ture promote setting up of food processing
industries.
Mineral Resources
This region has rich deposits of iron and coal.

Infrastructure
A very good network of roads, railways and
canals in this region, have made it the most
industrialised region in the world. Leopard
Social Science-7 181