THE 5 THEMES
OF
GEOGRAPHY
Geography
 The
study of the distribution and
interaction of physical and human
features on the earth.
 From the Greek word geographia,
meaning “to describe the earth.”
THE FIVE THEMES OF
GEOGRAPHY
Location
Place
Human-Environment
Interaction
Movement
Regions
LOCATION
Where are we?
 Absolute
Location

A latitude and
longitude (global
location) or a street
address (local
location).


Paris France is 48o
North Latitude and 2o
East Longitude.
The White House is
located at 1600
Pennsylvania Ave.
 Relative
Location

Described by
landmarks, time,
direction or
distance. From one
place to another.

Go 1 mile west on
main street and turn
left for 1 block.
Absolute Location
 Examples:


Rome is located at 41 N, 12 E
Address
Relative Location
 Examples:




Rome is located near the Mediterranean
Sea.
Argentina is near Brazil.
Ecuador is south of Mexico.
Mr. T lives near Dell Diamond.
PLACE
What is it like there, what kind of place is it?
Human
Characteristics


What are the main
languages, customs, and
beliefs.
How many people live,
work, and visit a place.
Physical
Characteristics

Landforms (mountains,
rivers, etc.), climate,
vegetation, wildlife,
soil, etc.
Human Characteristics

Specific to THAT place, not generic.


Man-made or invented.





Peoples activities change the way a place looks or is
represented.
Language
Unique buildings
Religious Practices
Celebrations/traditions/holidays
Examples:




Portuguese is the official language of Brazil.
Many Mexicans are Catholic.
Mayan ruins are located in Mexico.
Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico.
Physical Characteristics



Specific to THAT place, not generic.

The way a place looks.




Mountains
Rivers, Lakes, Seas
Climate
Vegetation




Andes Mountains are in South America.
Amazon River flows through Brazil.
Pampas are located in Argentina.
The isthmus of Panama connects Central & South
America.
Created by nature.
Examples:
REGIONS
 How
are regions similar to and different from
other places?
 Formal
Regions
 Regions
defined by governmental or administrative
boundaries (States, Countries, Cities)
 Functional
Regions
 Regions
defined by a function (newspaper service area,
cell phone coverage area, area code).
 Perceptual/Vernacular
 Regions
Regions
defined by peoples perception (Middle East, The
South, etc.)
Formal Region



Most common/familiar.
Determined by the distribution of a uniform
characteristic (physical or cultural)



Location
Climate
Religion



Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama)
States – Texas, Arizona, New York, Montana
Tropics (countries located near equator)
Examples
** All Formal Regions are based on MEASURABLE data!!!
Functional Region
 Serves
a purpose that affects places
around it.


Distributes goods/people
Serves specific purpose
 Examples:




Panama Canal
Amazon River Basin
Hollywood
Area Code 512
Perceptual Region
 Groups
of areas that provoke a certain
stereotype or feeling.
 Examples:




The Bronx
China Town
The South
The Middle East
Now, you try it…









State of Texas Amazon River Basin The South Rust Belt Travis County Country of Brazil The ship channel Aggieland Chinatown -
Now, you try it…









State of Texas - Formal
Amazon River Basin - Functional
The South - Perceptual
Rust Belt - Perceptual
Travis County - Formal
Country of Brazil - Formal
The ship channel - Functional
Aggieland - Perceptual
Chinatown - Perceptual
MOVEMENT
 How
are people, goods, ideas moved
from place to place?

Human Movement
 Trucks,

Trains, Planes
Information Movement
 Phones,

computer (email), mail
Idea Movement
 How
do fads move from place to place?
TV, Radio, Magazines
Movement
 Places

Interconnectedness of the world changes
the way places “look”.


do not exist in isolation.
Today: “globalization”
People, goods & ideas move from place to
place.
 Examples




Immigration from Latin America to US.
War in Iraq (troops, supplies, ideas, people)
UNL (people, ideas)
Facebook (ideas)
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION

How do humans and the environment affect
each other?

We depend on it.


We modify it.


People depend on the Tennessee River for water
and transportation.
We build dams
We adapt to it.
We adapt to the environment by wearing
clothing suitable for summer (shorts) and winter
(coats), rain and shine.
 People modify our environment by
heating and cooling buildings for comfort.

Remembering the 5 themes
 If
you can’t remembering what
they are just ask MR. HELP!!!
M
– Movement
 R – Regions
 HE – Human Environment interaction
 L – Location
 P - Place