The Five Themes of Geography
The Five Themes of Geography
#1: LOCATION
 #2: PLACE

◦ Physical characteristics of place
◦ Human characteristics of place
#3: HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION
 #4: MOVEMENT
 #5: REGION

THEME #1: LOCATION
Location asks, “Where is it located?”
 ABSOLUTE location is very specific:

◦ Street address
◦ Coordinate pair (latitude and longitude)

RELATIVE location is more general:
◦ Describes where a place is in relation to
another place (usually using landmarks or
directions)
LOCATION: BOSTON
Absolute Location: 42˚North, 71˚West
 Relative Location: on the east coast of
Massachusetts

THEME #2: PLACE
Describes what a place is like
 Physical characteristics are natural
features such as landforms, bodies of
water, climate, plants, and wildlife.
 Human characteristics are man-made
things such as buildings, landmarks, and
roads, or other things determined by
people such as language, culture, religions,
or traditions.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF BOSTON:
HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS
OF BOSTON:

Fenway Park, Prudential Center,
TD Banknorth Garden, State House
THEME #3: HUMANENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

Asks, “How do people and the environment
affect each other?”

People often have to modify (change) or
adapt to their environment in order to
survive there. For example, people might
build a dam to help control water flow to an
area.

People’s actions can also affect the
environment, such as when we cut down
trees to build new homes.
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION IN MASS.
THEME #4: MOVEMENT

Movement refers to the way that
people, ideas, and goods travel from
place to place.

Movement of people and goods:
◦ Planes, trains, cars, roads, etc.

Movement of ideas:
◦ Newspapers, television, internet,
cell phones, texting, e-mail, etc.
MOVEMENT in and around
MASSACHUSETTS
THEME #5: REGION
What does this place have in common with
areas around it?
 Regions are areas that share common
characteristics that make them different
from other areas.

◦ Political regions
◦ Landform or climate regions
◦ Cultural regions
The REGION OF NEW ENGLAND