Geography
What is Geography?
Geography can be defined as the study of
people, their environments and their
resources.
The study of the distribution and interaction of
physical and human resources on earth.
What is Geography
Geography is closely linked to history.
History is the account of what has happened
in the lives of different people.
What is Geography?
How similar is this definition to your definition?
BASIC GEOGRAPHY
Geography is the study of the relationship
between people and their physical
environment
The name geography comes from GEO
meaning earth and GRAPHICA meaning
description.
2 Branches of
Geography
Physical Geography
Study of earth’s physical
processes
Geology – rocks and earth
formations
Environmental science –
human interaction with the
environment
Topography – earth’s
features
Cartography – map
making.
• Human (Cultural)
Geography
– Characteristics of human
activities
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Politics – governments
History – significant events
Economics – how use resources
Sociology – human societies
Urban – cities
Demographics – human population
statistics
•7 continents – Africa, Asia, Antarctica, South America, North
America, Europe & Australia
•5 Oceans – Southern, Arctic, Pacific, Indian, Atlantic
Latitude
AKA: Parallels
Numbers get higher the further North or South you
move away from the Equator
Latitude lines measure North or South
of the Equator
Zero Degrees Latitude is the
Equator
90 Degree North (North Pole)
90 Degrees South (South Pole)
Zero Degrees longitude is the Prime Meridian. 180 degrees East or
West is the International Date Line
By international agreement - 0 degrees longitude runs through the
Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England
Longitude
Numbers get higher the farther you move
either East of West
AKAMeridians
Longitude lines measure East or West
of the Prime Meridian
MEMORIZE THESE LINES!!
KNOW: Equator, 2 Tropics, 2 Circles, 2 Poles and their latitudes!!!!
Hemisheres
If you cut the Earth through
the Equator you would get
two halves, the Northern and
Southern Hemisphere
If you cut the Earth through the
Prime Meridian you would get
two halves, the Western and
Eastern Hemisphere
The US is in the Western Hemisphere and the
Northern Hemisphere
Each degree of the earth is equal to 1/360 of the earth. Each
degree is divided into 60 minutes (‘). Each minute = 60 seconds
(“)
Globe - Scale model of the earth.
Map Scale
Small Scale Maps-
Show large area
with little detail
Large Scale Maps-
Show small area
with a lot of
detail
Large Scale Map
Small Scale Map
Types of Maps
General Purpose Maps
Show a wide variety of information
Physical Maps- Show topography (shape) of earths physical features
Political Maps- Show boundaries between countries. Also may show
cities, capitals, roads, railroads. Think man made!
Special Purpose Maps
Emphasize a single idea or a particular kind of
information
Economic Activity Map- Shows the distribution of land use and natural
resources.
Five Themes of
Geography
There are 5 basic themes of geography
Location
Place
Human Features
Human and Environmental Interaction
Movement
Region
Location
Location
Absolute
Relative
Location
Absolute
Tells you the exact location
Exact location using latitude and longitude
Location
Relative Location
Places in relation to another
Location
Absolute
Relative
Tells you “Where it is”
Location
Come up with examples of what you think
could be considered:
Absolute location
Relative location
Place
A particular space with physical and human
meaning
Unique characteristics that make places
“places”
How are they similar to one another?
Place
When looking at Place, you may think about
Place as Physical Features
Climate
Soil
Animal life and Plant life
Bodies of Water
Place
What is another example of physical features
to describe place?
Place
When looking at Place, you may think about
Place as Human and Cultural Characteristics
Kinds of homes
Transportation
Ways to earn a living
Religion and Traditions
Place
How would you describe Clinton High School
in terms of place?
Place
Physical Features
Human Features
Tells you “What it is like there”
Human and
Environmental
Interactions
The study of the interrelationship between people and their physical
environment
How do people use their environment?
How and why do people change their environments?
What is the result or consequences of the changes people make?
Human and Environmental
Interactions
How do people:
Depend on the environment?
Modify the environment?
Adapt to their environment?
Human and Environmental
Interactions
Depend - Rivers
Modify - Roads
Adapt - clothes
Human and Environmental
Interactions
Human and Environmental Interaction tells
you “What is the relationship between people
and their environment”
Movement
People study how people shape the world
how they settle the earth
how they form societies
how the create permanent features
how people adapt to make societies
Movement
When looking at movement think about the
movement of people, goods and ideas
Reasons for movement many times is that
there is a need to adapt
Movement
Tells you “ How are people and places
connected
Region
Areas united by specific factors
There are three types of regions
formal
functional
perceptual
Region
Formal Region
formal or uniform region is defined by
common characteristics like The Corn Belt Iowa and Illinois area of US cause they are
known for farming.
Region
Functional region
a central place and the surrounding areas
linked to it
highway systems
large cities
Region
Perceptual region
set or defined by popular feelings and
images rather than by objects
The heartland
The motherland
Region
Can you come up with an example of each?
Formal
Functional
Perceptual
Region
Region tells you “ How are places similar?”