World Regional - Intro
Geography, Maps and Location
(Chapter 1. pp. 1-10)
Geography
A. What is geography?
1. Discuss
2. Pulsipher definition: the study of our planet’s surface and the processes that shape it
3. National Geographic standards definition: the science of space and place on
Earth's surface…an integrative discipline that brings together the physical and
human dimensions of the world in the study of people, places and environments
4. spatial perspective distinguishes geography
a. Where is something?
b. Why is it there?
c. What does it matter?
d. How does it interact with other things?
5. Dec 2000 Annals of the AAG: “In the beginning was geography”
6. Integrative discipline: links physical sciences with social sciences
7. Physical geography: study of earth’s physical processes to learn how they work,
how they affect humans and how they are affected by humans in turn
8. Human geography: study of patterns and processes that have shaped human
understanding, use and alteration of the earth’s surface
B. Fields
1. Regional geography
2. Subdisciplines - topical emphasis
3. Integrative: environmental studies
C. tools of geographer - used in any field:
1. maps: cartography, GIS
2. remote sensing: aerial photos, satellite images
D. Why study geography
E. Region as a concept (Pulsipher pp. 9-12)
1. region: unit of earth’s surface that contains distinct patterns of physical features
and/or human development
2. traits of a region
a. homogeneity
b. defined by multiple factors: political/cultural/physical
c. regions vary greatly in size
1) scale: variable-sized units of geographical analysis
2) regional geography: analysis of the geographic characteristics of a
particular place, the size and scale of which can vary radically
d. boundaries are indistinct and debatable
e. change over time
Maps and Map Projections (pp. 4-7)
A. Importance of Maps
1. primary tool of geographer
2. graphic display of data
3. advantages
Intro: Geography, Maps and Locations - p. 1 of 3
a. display enormous amounts of info
b. spatial representation suggests relationships
4. disadvantage: they can “lie”
B. Types of Maps
1. general/multipurpose
2. thematic: single topic/theme; spatial distribution of cultural or physical phenomena
a. choropleth: map using predefined areas
b. isorhythmic: data pattern defines area
C. Why/how maps lie
1. Scale
a. relationship of distance on a map to the actual distance on the earth’s surface
b. types of scale:
1) verbal
2) graphic
3) RF - representative fraction
c. comparing map scale - large v. small scale map
1) the larger the fraction, the larger the scale of the map
2) larger scale maps show smaller areas in more detail
d. how/why scale makes maps lie: simplification
2. Projection
a. the systematic transformation of locations on the earth to locations on a map
b. problem: getting curved surface of earth on a flat plane
c. properties distorted
1) shape
2) area
3) distance
4) direction
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Exercise comparing sizes
Student sketch maps
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Absolute Location on Earth (pp. 4-7)
A. Properties of the earth
1. sphere
2. rotates on polar axis (N/S poles)  day/night
3. polar axis tilted at 23.5
B. Locating places on the earth – creating a grid system
1. latitude/longitude
2. cardinal directions: N, S, E, W
3. 3 fixed points:
a. center of earth
b. north pole
c. south pole
4. great and small circles create 2 sets of lines for grid:
a. lines of latitude – parallels
b. lines of longitude – meridians
5. Earth’s grid
Intro: Geography, Maps and Locations - p. 2 of 3
a. starting points:
1) equator
2) prime meridian
b. locating places using the earth’s grid
1) 360 in a circle
2) lines of latitude measure how far N/S of equator
a) range: 0 at equator  90 N/S at poles
3) lines of longitude measure how far E/W of prime meridian
a) range: 0 at prime meridian  180 E/W at international date line
4) use degrees, minutes, seconds (1 = 60'; 1' = 60")
c. distances
1) 1 latitude  69 miles (111 km)
2) longitude more problematic - meridians converge at poles:
a) 1 long  69 miles/111 km only at equator
b) at 60N/S, 1 long  35 mi/56 km
d. 4 other important circles:
1) Tropic of Cancer @ 23.5 N
2) Tropic of Capricorn @ 23.5 S
3) Arctic Circle @ 66.5 N
4) Antarctic Circle @ 66.5S
e. REMINDER:
1) parallels run E/W and measure distances N/S of the equator
2) meridians run N/S and measure distances E/W of the prime meridian
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Handout Map and Data Worksheet #1 – Due 1 week
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Intro: Geography, Maps and Locations - p. 3 of 3