The 5 Themes
of
Geography
Location
Place
Region
Human-Environment Interaction
Movement
Location
Absolute Location
• the exact place on the
earth’s surface
(Latitude and
Longitude)
Relative Location
• where it is in relation
to somewhere else
“I live south of Taco Bell”
Place
A way to describe the
location
physical
• (climate, landforms, and
vegetation)
cultural
• (ethnicity, religion,
language, buildings,
highways, etc)
Region
An area of the earth’s
surface that is defined
by shared
characteristics
• (physical, climate,
cultural, political,
economic)
Human-Environment Interaction
How people
• use,
• change
• and adapt to
the environment
Movement
• Ideas,
• people
• and products
move
– how far and at what
speed
– how do different
people perceive
distance
2 main branches in Geography
• 1. Human: the study of how people and
their activities vary from place to place.
Includes political, economic, and cultural
factors.
• 2. Physical: the study of how the earth’s
natural features vary from place to place.
Includes the study of plants and animals,
weather and climates, and plains and
mountains.