Unit 1: The World
Chapter 1: How Geographers Look at the World
•Geography Skills Handbook
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Why is geography important to our daily lives?
Globes
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Scaled model of the Earth. Very little detail.
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Taking it from 3-D to 2-D
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Use mathematical formulas to transfer information from globe to maps
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Works great until you get to poles.
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Great Circle Routes- follows the great circle which is an imaginary line
that goes around the Earth. Used by ship captains and pilots to
reduce travel time.
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Tokyo to Las Angeles
•Projections
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There are specific kinds of projections. All projections have distorted information
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Projections all focus on one aspect that is accurate
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Planar Projection- also called azimuthal. Most accurate at the center. Can draw a
line from the center to anywhere at it is the shortest distance. Used for mapping
the poles.
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Cylindrical Projection- map on a cylinder. Accurate at center. Highly distorted at the
poles
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Conic Projection- most accurate around the equator. Show limited areas. Good for
distance and directions
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Winkel Tripel- most world maps are this. Fairly accurate.
Goode’s Interrupted Equal Area- globe cut apart and laid out. Most accurate
representation of Earth.
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Robinson- minor distortions. Poles are laid flat. Most land accurate.
Mercator- very distorted. Accurate at Equator but not at poles.
Longitude
Goode’s Interrupted Equal
Map Projections: Planar, Area Projection
Conic, and Cylindrical
Latitude
Robinson
Projection
Mercator
Projection
Winkel Tripel
Projection
World Map
•Geography Skills Handbook
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Location and Maps- grid system on the map can help you locate things.
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Determining Location
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Latitude- parallels. Circle the Earth. Measure distance north and
south of Equator. Equator is measured at 0° latitude and the Poles
are 90 °
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Longitude- Meridians. Circle Earth from pole to pole. Measure
distance east and west of Prime Meridian at 0 ° longitude. 180 °
longitude is called the International Date Line and is on the opposite
side of the globe.
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Global Grid- absolute location can be found for everything using the
grid system. Find latitude and longitude. Even narrowed down more
by dividing each degree into 60 minutes.
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Hemispheres- north, south, east and west.
•Latitude and Longitude
•Reading a Map
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Tools for reading a map- key, scale bar, compass rose
Using a scale- proportional relationship between
measurement on a map and the real measurement on Earth’
surface
Small scale- large area with very little detail
Large scale- small area with a lot of detail.
Absolute Location- exact position of a place on earth.
Relative Location- position of a place on earth relative to
another.
•Kinds of Maps
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Physical Maps•
Location and topography
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Water features, landforms,
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relief and elevation
Political Maps
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Boundaries and location of political units
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Human made features
Thematic Maps
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Focus on one idea and each serves different purpose.
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Qualitative Maps- colors, lines, and symbols to show information..
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Flow Line Maps- movement of people, animals, goods and ideas.
Geographic Information Systems
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Accept information and put it all in database. Use to make maps.
•Elements of Geography
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World in Spatial Terms•
Links that people and places have to each other based on location
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Site- specific location of a places- small picture
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situation- relative location- big picture
Places and Regions
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Formal region- defined by common characteristic. Corn Belt
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Functional Region- central place and surrounding area. Metropolitan areas.
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Perceptual Region- defined by popular feelings and images. Heartland.
Physical and Human Systems
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Different branches.
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Physical- climate, land, water, plants, and animals
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Human- human activities and relationships to cultural and physical environment.
•Regions
• Perceptual Region example
• Functional Region example
• Formal Region example
•Elements of Geography
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Environment and Society
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Study of interrelationship between people and environment.
Research methods
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Direction Observation- satellite images and aerial photographs.
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Mapping- taking information and making it accessible for average
person.
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Interviewing- talk to sample that represents the whole group
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Analyzing Statistics- numerical information to determine rainfall
patters, etc.
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Using Technology- GIS and computers/satellites.
•Geography and Other Subjects.
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Past Environments and Politics
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What places might have looked like. How they were governed.
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How natural environment has impacted politics and vice versus.
Society and Culture
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Economics
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Sociology and anthropology used to understand world cultures
Location of resources affect the way people make, transport, and use
goods. interdependence
Geography as a Career
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Physical- find work as climate and weather experts or in
environmental field
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Human- find work in health care, transportation, population studies,
economic development