Banana is a native of south Asia and it was brought to the Western Hemisphere during the 16th century. Banana plant is an oversized herb belonging to the lily family. Although there are several varieties of banana, the most important one entering the trade is Musa sapientum.

Paper and pulp manufacturing are forest-based industries. The basic raw material for the pulp and paper industry isthe wood. Softwood of the temperate forests is especially suitable for making pulp and paper.

Copper ore and copper metal form an important item of international trade. The most important importers are developed countries of Europe producing little copper. Germany, UK, France, Japan and India figure as chief importers of copper.The major exporters are Zaire, Zambia, Chile and Peru. US is the leading exporter of manufactured copper.

Since the demand for woollen garments is confined only to the colder parts of the globe, woollen textile industry ismuch smaller and less widely distributed than the cotton textile industry. Two-thirds of the world’s woollen mill capacity and production are located in Europe.

Petroleum is called mineral oil. It is an inflammable mixture of oily hydrocarbons. Like coal, petroleum is also a fossil fuel. It is generally taken that the oil has been derived from buried marine organisms. In areas where the sedimentary strata have been folded, most of the oil comes from anticlines rather than synclines.

Railways are the major carriers of passenger and freight traffic in countries having a developed rail network. At the global level, the most important regions with a high density of railroad network include Western Europe, eastern parts of US, Russia, Japan, China, India and southern parts of Africa.Western European region has the highest density of rail network.