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Trade Is Movement
Trade routes connect farms, mines, factories, ports, warehouses, stores, and homes. A toy, phone, car, or banana may travel thousands of kilometers before reaching you.
Unit 5 · Resources & Power
🚢 Lesson 35: Trade Routes
The world economy moves through narrow places.
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Oceans Are Highways
Most global trade by volume moves by ship. Ships are cheaper than planes for heavy goods. Ports such as Shanghai, Singapore, Rotterdam, Los Angeles/Long Beach, and Dubai are major trade hubs.
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Chokepoints
Some narrow places are extremely important: Suez Canal, Panama Canal, Strait of Malacca, Strait of Hormuz, Bosphorus, and Bab el-Mandeb. If one is blocked, trade can slow down worldwide.
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The Suez and Panama Canals
The Suez Canal saves ships from going around Africa. The Panama Canal saves ships from going around South America. Both are shortcuts that changed world trade.
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Air Cargo and Speed
Planes carry goods that are valuable, urgent, or perishable: electronics, medicine, flowers, seafood, and express packages. Air trade is expensive but fast.
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Trade Creates Power
Countries with ports, canals, rail links, safe seas, and strong logistics can become powerful. Geography affects who controls the routes and who pays the tolls.
📝 Quiz — 10 questions
Answer all ten, then see your stars. You can retake it as many times as you like.
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