The Five Themes of
Geography Identification
Slide Show
Developed by
Joseph Naumann
Updated 6/25/2009
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5 Themes & Geographic Questions
PLACE
LOCATION
HUMAN
ENVIRONMENT/
INTERACTION
REGION
MOVEMENT
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Location – determining the position
of a place on the earth’s surface
1. Absolute location – precise
positioning – latitude and longitude
are the best.
GIS gives this new meaning
Automobile systems linked to satellites
2. Relative location – describing in
relation to other, known places such
as landmarks and unusual, easily
recognizable features.
Used by most people in giving directions
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RELATIVE
From UMSL, drive north on
South Florissant Road through
Ferguson. Continue north past I270. At the second stop light,
you should see a log cabin and
tennis court and large water tank
on the left side of the road.
Continue to the next street, St.
Catherine. You will see a
Sinclair Oil gas station on the
left. Immediately across the
street is a small strip shopping
center. The center store is Old
Town Donuts. Make a right turn
into the parking lot and go in.
ABSOLUTE
Where is 38º N and 95ºW?
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Place – those features that give character
to a location (a degree of uniqueness).
1. Physical place – natural features – what nature
provides – climate, landforms, vegetation, etc.
Can many places no longer be called physical
places – where might the human influence be
absent today? This relates to the theme of
human/environment interaction.
2. Human (cultural) place – features added by
humans – distinctive dress, architecture, language,
religion, burial practices, agricultural practices, etc.
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HUMAN PLACE PHYSICAL PLACE
PRODUCED BY HUMANS
Distinctive type of boat
associated with south Pacific
islands
CREATED MAINLY BY
NATURE
Arid area with exotic stream at
the foot of a great escarpment or
mountain range.
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HUMAN PLACE PHYSICAL PLACE
PRODUCED BY
HUMANS
Distinctive type of
dress, musical
instrument & music
CREATED BY NATURE
Volcanic mountains
which influence soil
fertility and present
hazardous living
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conditions
Human/Environment Interaction
1. Human adaptations to natural
conditions.
Heavy coats in winter
Elevated housing in areas prone to
flooding
2. Changes in natural conditions made
by humans.
Digging canals
Changing the vegetation – farming, etc.
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HUMANS ADAPT - HUMANS CHANGE
Humans had to adapt
their construction
methods to the arctic
environment when they
built the Alaska
pipeline.
Faster, easier
transportation was
important enough for
them to construct
tunnels through the
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mountains.
Humans change things
The Netherlands
versus the Sea.
Humans have
reclaimed land from
the sea at least for
now
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Movement – the transfer of material and non
material things from place to place
1. Material things – involving
tangible objects transported in a
variety of ways
Animal and animal-powered means
Land, water, and air vehicles
2. Non-material things –
information, power, culture traits
Fashions, trends, fads, etc.
Electronic media, etc.
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MATERIAL
Material objects
(cargo & passengers)
are transferred from
one place to another
by an airplane.
NONMATERIAL
Nonmaterial entity
(data, pictures, &
conversations)
move invisibly from
one place to many
others.
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Regions – mental constructs expressing some
commonality or uniformity
1. Formal Regions – possesses a single common
feature or a limited combination of features
throughout the area
Political units such as states and counties
2. Functional Regions – An operational unit
based on organization, structure, and
interactions
The hinterland of a major city
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FORMAL
REGION
The different colors stand for territory added to
Russia during different periods of time. The
common feature for each color is the time period in
which it was added to Russia.
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Transition Zone
Formal Regions
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FUNCTIONAL
REGION
Coal mining is at
the heart of the
economy of all
these counties.
Many factors are
related to the
coal mining
industry. The
deposits influence
movement and
settlement
patterns.
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Different sets of criteria produce
different versions of a region
Common core area
All three are anchored around a core area, but
the peripheral areas of the regions differ
markedly.
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Vernacular Region
Vernicular Region: A place that
people believe exists as part of their
cultural identity, knowledge base,
and/or personal experience.
The size, shape, and boundaries of
vernacular regions may vary greatly
among people.
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Vernacular Regions
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2 Versions of 2 Vernacular
Regions
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Human Place & Interaction
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Physical Place
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Human/
Environment
Interaction and
Human Place and
Material
Movement
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Material Movement, Interaction
(alteration), Formal (Urban) Region,
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Non-material movement, Formal (agricultural) region,
Human/environment interaction (alteration)
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Physical Place
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Physical Place
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Material movement, Human/environment interaction (alteration),
Physical Place
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Human Place
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Human Place
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Human Place
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40°N,
120°W
Absolute Location
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Human Place
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Relative location, Human place, Interaction (alteration)
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Physical Place
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Human Place & Movement
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Interaction (adaptation), Non-material movement, & Physical place
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Formal (agricultural) region, Interaction (alteration)
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Human place, Non-material movement, Interaction (alteration)
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Movement, Physical Place, Interaction, Relative
Location
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Material movement, Interaction (alteration)
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Relative location, Formal (urban) region, Material movement
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Human place & Relative location
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Interaction (adaptation)
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