Name ________________________________________ Date _________________________ Period ____
THE WORLD’S PHYSICAL & HUMAN REGIONS SECTION STUDY GUIDE
1. When giving an example of a physical feature that could define a region, would it be a religion,
language, economy or a plain? A plain is the only physical feature listed. Example: Great Plains.
2. When giving an example of human criteria that can be used to define a region would it be
climate & resources, mountains & valleys, rivers & religions, or govt. and economy? Developed by
humans.
3. What geographic feature can be found in a mountainous region? (swamp, valley, ocean, or beach)
Mountainous regions are made up of peaks and valleys.
4. Peninsulas & deltas can be found in which type of geographic region? (coasts, mountains, deserts, or
plains) Coastal Regions are areas when the water meets land. A peninsula is a projection of land into a
body of water, a delta is a triangle-shaped deposit of sand and silt formed where the river divides &
empties into a body of water.
5. Rainforests are characterized by thick groves of trees, high levels of rainfall, and a very diverse
ecosystem with many types of plants & animals found nowhere else on Earth. In which region of the
Earth are most rainforests found? (near…. Think latitude…… think near hot, humid……)
*Rainforests can be found in a band near the equator. Rainforest are hot and humid with high
precipitation near the equator.
6. How would you describe a desert region?
(a) a barren or desolate area with little rainfall
(b) an area with high temperatures & high humidity
(c) the low-lying areas along the Pacific Ocean or
(d) the areas between mountain ranges and peaks.
*Deserts can be either hot or cold and are characterized by either low levels of rainfall or high rainfall
and high evaporation. This leaves the region very dry & with almost no vegetation.
7. When you look at the location of Mongolia we see that it has a population of 3 million people and is
the 144th largest economy in the world. China has a population of 1.3 billion people and is the 4 th
largest economy. Why are these two nations circumstances so different? Circle One
(a) Mongolia’s economy is controlled by Russia & India
(b) Mongolia’s desert climate cannot support a large population and economy.
(c) the climate regions of China make living there difficult
(d) China’s economy benefits from its location near the mountains.
 The population & economy of Mongolia is small because the desert climate is harsh but China
on the other hand has a temperate climate that can support a large population & economy.
8. The climate of Indonesia is mostly tropical rainforest. For many years its many islands were left
undisturbed by outsiders. Today, the rainforests are being destroyed faster than any place else on
earth. What effect might this have on the Indonesian economy? (Hint: What happens to the ground in
a rainforest if you take all the trees out and it rains every day & there isn’t any vegetation planted in
the forest place, so the soil is loose?)
(a) the economy will grow as cleared forests make way for farmlands
(b) exports of rare, tropical hardwoods will increase as forests are destroyed
(c) loss of rainforest has resulted in landslides costing millions of dollars
(d) the economy will improve as millions of tourists arrive to visit the forests.
The loss of the rainforest has had a devastating effect on Indonesian economy. Natural disasters such
as landslides & flooding have increased & has cost their economy millions in losses.
9. A growing economy requires many workers. India’s population is more than 1.1 billion and is larger
than the populations of other countries in Central & South Asia. India is in Asia on your map. What
effect has climate had on India’s population and economy?
Choose One (a) the mountain region of Central Asia is expanding into the desert climate
(b) People prefer to live in desert climates because there is more room to grow.
(c) South Asia does not have climate regions that can support a lot of people.
(d) Warm, subtropical climates can support larger populations than desert climates.
* The warm continental & subtropical climate regions support a lot of people. They usually have
enough water for cities & agriculture. In the desert climate there are few people to support
economic activity and very little water to support cities.
10. REGIONS BY RELIGIONS/When dividing the world up into regions according to religion, which religious
followers would you find on every inhabited continent?
 Followers of Christianity can be found on every inhabited continent.
11. If you had a map of Europe in 1956 that showed the division between the Capitalist West Countries and
the Communist/Socialist East, what would you use to describe the regions on that map?
(Hint: Fill this in to answer the question: Europe was divided into two regions based on ________. Think
what capitalist, communist, & socialist means. Think buying, selling, what people do with their money
and how they produce and use products.)
*Europe was divided into two regions based upon economics.
12. GOVERNMENT REGIONS/ If you were looking at a World Government Map of 1992 that showed
different types of governments in that year and the Western Hemisphere is made up of multi-party
democracies, could government be a human characteristic or criterion that can define a region? Yes,
Government is a human characteristic or criterion that can define a region and any answer with
physical characteristics are things like mountains, rivers, and things not man-made.
13. LANGUAGE REGIONS/ If people from France speak French, people from Italy who came to America
spoke Italian, people who immigrated from Germany to America spoke German, why would most of
the large country of Brazil, in South America speak Portuguese? (Hint: Where were these people
originally from before they started immigrating to Brazil many years ago?)
 The main language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese. This is because Brazil was a colony of
Portugal before it gained independence.
14. CULTURAL REGIONS/ England and Canada have what cultural characteristics in common? (Hint: What
celebrations do they have in common because they have the same government residing over them
both. Who is Queen for both of them? What special day do they celebrate every year for her?
 They both a celebration of the Queen’s birthday. Canada is a part of the Commonwealth of
Nations, which is headed by England & Queen Elizabeth II.
15. CULTURAL REGIONS/ Sometimes architecture can develop as a part of cultural geography. The
architecture of the St. Basil’s Cathedral with onion shaped colorful domes and spires into the air, is a
church and is unique to the cultural geography of what Eastern European/Asian country? (Hint: The
Krimlin stands very close to this church.)
 Russia / The picture used is the picture of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia with domes
and was built by “Ivan the Terrible, the 1st Tsar of Russia.
16. In a map that show currents of the Atlantic Ocean the warm water current that flows past northern
Europe from the Northern U.S. is called the __________ Atlantic Current. (Hint:Which direction is it
flowing in?) North Atlantic Current The North Atlantic Current flows past parts of Northern Europe. It
picks up warm water from other ocean currents and brings it to northern areas of the world. This is
why Northern Europe has more mild climates.
17. In a map that shows currents of the Atlantic Ocean, what warm water current flows off the East Coast
of the United States? _________ Stream Current (Hint: This word also is the beginning of the __ of
Mexico) Gulf Stream Current It picks up warm water from the Equatorial Current before heading
north along the east Coast. It then flows out into the northern Atlantic Ocean.
18. Look at your climate map and decide which statement is true?
(a.) rainforests are only found in areas south of the Equator.
(b.) Cold continental climates only exist in North America.
(c.) Warm continental climates occur near the ocean.
(e) Desert regions cover very little of the world.
 The climate of a region is greatly impacted by how close it is to a major body of water. After
looking at the map, you will notice that the warm continental climates usually occur in places
that are close to the ocean.