World Regional Geography
January 25, 2010
Reading:
Marston Chapter 2
pages 58–71, 74-95
Goode’s World Atlas
pages 145 - 157
Next Week:
Map Quiz #1
Paper Topics Due
No US/Canada
Europe at night: May 16,1999
USAF Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Geography
Medical
Geography
Economic
Geography
Transportation
Geography
Population
Geography
Human
Cultural
Geography Location
Analysis
Political
Geography
Historical
Geography
Climatology
Oceanography
Biogeography
Glaciology
Physical
Geomorphology
Ecology
Geology
Hydrology
Pedology
How do geographers analyze the spatial organization of
people, places, and environments on earth’s surface?
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Geographers refer to both the features of Earth’s surface and
activities that take place on Earth’s surface as phenomena.
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Physical: topographic, climate, vegetation.
Human: cities, trade flows, spread of disease.
Physical & Human: resort planning and climate.
Central to geography is the belief that there is pattern,
regularity, and reason to the locations of physical and human
phenomena on Earth’s surface and that there are spatial
structures and spatial processes that give rise to them
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Why are these phenomena located in these places?
How did they get here?
Why is this pattern significant?
How do geographers analyze the spatial organization of
people, places, and environments on earth’s surface?
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Description and analysis of patterns of spatial organization:
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Local
Global
Interdependence
Spatial linkages:
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Human and physical
How do physical processes in one place affect physical and
human processes in other places?
How do human decisions at one location affect human and
physical processes in other locations?
What patterns exist?
Physical Geographers
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The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth’s
surface:
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Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on
Earth’s surface:
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How do various patterns in Earth’s physical processes
combine to create unique ecosystems?
How do these ecosystems interact with one another?
What physical processes are leading to change in
ecosystems?
Understanding how these processes operate allows us to establish
baseline measures from which we can analyze the impact of
human activity.
Human Geographers
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The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human
population on Earth’s surface:
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The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth’s
cultural mosaics:
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Where do populations concentrate? Why?
Demographic characteristics in certain locations.
What factors influence population change?
Location specific cultural characteristics.
Needs, wants, and the use of technology.
The interaction of different cultures.
The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on
Earth’s surface:
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Distribution of capital, labor, and resources.
Transportation and communications patterns.
Economic relationships.
Human Geographers
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How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people
influence the division and control of Earth’s surface:
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Interaction of political, economic, and cultural systems.
Conflict over land:
• Strategic
• Resources
• Cultural
The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement:
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Economic activities
Transportation and communications systems
Political systems
Cultural and entertainment.
Understanding how these processes operate, and the interaction
of the various human systems, allows us to begin to understand
the potential effects of policy decisions.
Human & Physical Geographers
By examining the interaction between physical and human spatial
processes, geographers can then address questions related to:
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How human actions modify the physical environment:
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How do certain population characteristics affect physical
systems?
How do certain cultural values affect the physical
environment?
What affect do certain economic activities have on the
environment?
How do human settlement patterns affect physical
processes?
How does conflict over land (space) impact physical
systems?
And…..
Human & Physical Geographers
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How do physical systems affect human systems:
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How do changes in atmospheric temperature affect the
spatial pattern of agricultural output?
How do existing hydrologic systems impact human
settlement patterns?
Do certain characteristics of regional ecosystems favor the
spread of human disease?
How will climate change impact human systems:
• Future land-use patterns
• Water availability
• Ecological change
• Potential for future conflict over land
• Probable future settlement patterns
Geography
Geographers from the various geographic subfields:
1) Identify spatial patterns in certain phenomena.
2) Analyze the spatial patterns and ask why they exist.
3) Determine what processes led to a specific spatial pattern.
4) Analyze how this process operates, which allows for
prediction.
5) Analyze how this spatial process interacts with other
phenomena and processes.
6) Which allows one to create larger more realistic models of
spatial interaction between both human and physical
spatial systems.
For example:
A population geographer might ask:
What economic, social, physical characteristics of a
particular place make it more or less likely that a young
adult will choose to out-migrate?
This is a question about human migration patterns, but to
answer it requires information about:
1) Economic characteristics
2) Cultural values
3) Climate and topographic characteristics
and……
4) How all of these characteristics of place affect the
migration decision-making process of young adults.
Europe
1. Political Boundaries: What/Where is Europe?
2. Physical Geography
a. Physiographic Regions
b. Climate & Land Use
c. Environmental History & Issues
3. Human Geography
1. Population Characteristics
2. Migration Patterns / History
3. Cultural and Ethnic Characteristics
4. Key Concepts
a. Nations & States
b. The Welfare State
5. Europe in a Global Context: Historic & Contemporary
1. Political
2. Economic
Political Boundaries
Physical Features
Physiographic Regions
Physiographic Regions: a broad region within which
there is a coherence of geology, relief, landforms,
soils, and vegetation.
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Northwestern Uplands
North European Lowlands
Central Plateaus
Alpine System
Climate
Annual Precipitation
Average Tempurature
Forested Land
Vegetation
Land Use
(see World Atlas pg. 148)
Europe: Environmental History
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Europe was initially dominated by temperate forests
(deciduous). Today only 5% of Europe remains forested.
1000 – 1300: Agriculture becomes dominate land-use.
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Need for more agricultural land:
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1300 – 1500: Reduction in agricultural land use.
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18th century industrialization dramatically altered the
landscape:
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Warm climactic period.
Technological advances in agriculture.
Population boom (~36 million to ~80 million).
Large-scale drainage projects
Sea-reclamation projects
Settlement on less-than-optimal agricultural land.
Black Plague
“Little Ice Age” shortens growing season.
Marginal agricultural lands abandoned.
Population concentration
Mining
Pollution
Europe: Environmental Issues
• Derelict landscapes:
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Strip mining
Exposed chemical hazards
• Air / Water pollution:
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Originally a western European issue resulting from
industrialization.
Eastern European countries suffer from sub-standard
industrial infrastructure.
• Water usage / scarcity:
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Nine EU nations currently using water at unsustainable
levels.
Agricultural and personal use.
• Natural Resources:
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Many resources used in production must be imported.
Over-fishing.