Question

The PRIMARY obstacle to population growth in the area known as the "Canadian Shield" is that

Answer 1

The primary obstacle to population growth in the Canadian Shield is the harsh climate and infertile land, which make it difficult for large-scale settlement and agriculture. While providing valuable resources like timber and minerals, the region's environmental challenges limit its habitability, resulting in low population density.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary obstacle to population growth in the area known as the "Canadian Shield" is largely due to its harsh climate and infertile land, which makes agriculture difficult. The Canadian Shield's landscape, mostly composed of rock and forest, has poor soil that ultimately limits the potential for farming. Additionally, the region's cold climate further discourages permanent human settlement and large-scale agricultural production.

Despite its challenges, the Canadian Shield is important for providing resources such as timber and minerals that are crucial for Canadian industries and export. However, the area is not considered part of Canada's habitable zone for permanent settlement, with most Canadians choosing to live in the more temperate regions to the south, closer to the United States border. Consequently, the population density in the Canadian Shield remains low.

Human activities and natural factors can both limit population growth. In regions like the Canadian Shield, the natural environment poses significant challenges such as resource scarcity and limited arable land. Other issues that contribute to limiting population growth elsewhere include pollution, water scarcity, climate change, deforestation, disease, and habitat destruction due to increasing demand for land, water, food, and energy.

Answer 2

The exposed portion of the continental crust underlying North America refers to Canadian Shield. The continental crust is known as the North American Craton which consists of rocks from the Archean dn Proterozoic eons and extends from Mexico to Greenland. Canadian Shield also produces great resources that helped most humans for their economic development. Because of the resources present in the Shield, it has a great disadvantage to settlers. The primary obstacle to population growth in the area is the presence of the bare rock, thin soils, muskeg and insects.