Social Science Notes Class 6 English Medium 2026-27

Social Science Chapter 14. Economic Activities Around Us

CBSE Notes New Syllabus: Class 6

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Chapter 14. Economic Activities Around Us

Economic activities can be classified into different sectors according to their nature and the role they play in the economy.

Economic Sectors

Economic activities with similar characteristics are grouped into broader groups called economic sectors.

There are three main economic sectors:

• Primary Sector
• Secondary Sector
• Tertiary Sector

Primary Sector

The primary sector includes activities in which people are directly dependent on nature to produce or obtain goods.

Examples of Primary Activities

• Agriculture – Growing crops such as grains and vegetables.
• Mining – Extracting minerals and coal from the earth.
• Fishing – Obtaining fish from water bodies.
• Raising Livestock – Keeping animals for useful products.
• Forestry – Obtaining useful resources from forests.
• Greenhouse Farming – Growing plants under controlled conditions.
• Fish Farming – Rearing fish for economic purposes.

Primary Sector – Key Point

The primary sector provides raw materials that are used by other sectors.

Secondary Sector

The secondary sector includes activities in which the outputs of the primary sector are transformed to produce goods.

Examples of Secondary Activities

• Manufacturing – Producing goods in factories.
• Construction – Building houses, buildings and roads.
• Processing – Changing raw materials into useful products.
• Water Supply – Providing water as a utility.
• Electricity Production – Producing electricity for use.
• Solar Power – Producing energy using sunlight.

Examples of Transformation

Secondary Sector – Key Point

The secondary sector processes and transforms raw materials obtained from the primary sector into products for sale or consumption.

Tertiary Sector

The tertiary sector includes economic activities that provide services supporting people involved in the primary and secondary sectors.

The tertiary sector is also called the service sector.

Examples of Tertiary Activities

• Healthcare – Services provided by doctors and nurses.
• Transportation – Moving people and goods from one place to another.
• Banking – Providing financial services.
• Communication – Providing mobile, internet and other communication services.
• Trade and Logistics – Helping in the movement and distribution of goods.
• Education – Providing teaching and learning services.
• Software Development – Creating computer applications and software.
• Repair Services – Repairing vehicles, electronic items and machines.
• Hotel and Restaurant Services – Providing food and hospitality services.

Role of the Tertiary Sector

The tertiary sector supports both the primary and secondary sectors by providing essential services such as transportation, communication, banking, trade and logistics.

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sectors

Important Terms

• Economic Sector – A broad group of economic activities with similar characteristics.
• Primary Sector – Activities directly dependent on nature to produce or obtain goods.
• Secondary Sector – Activities that process raw materials into products.
• Tertiary Sector – Activities that provide services supporting primary and secondary sectors.
• Service Sector – Another name for the tertiary sector.

Quick Revision

• Primary Sector → Nature → Raw Materials
• Secondary Sector → Processing → Products
• Tertiary Sector → Services → Support
• Agriculture, mining, fishing and forestry belong to the primary sector.
• Manufacturing and construction belong to the secondary sector.
• Banking, transportation, healthcare and communication belong to the tertiary sector.