1. Thinking about Place How do Geographers Describe Where Things Are?
Toponyms
Site & Situation
Mathematical Location

2. Toponym = Place Name What do toponyms tell us about a particular location? - and the people who gave it the name!

3. Looking at the toponyms for these two counties in Colorado, what can you learn about the people who named the towns, counties, rivers, etc.?

4. Beyond toponyms: another way of identifying a location and making it distinct is site and situation.
Site = the unique physical characteristics of a particular location
• Climate, landforms, etc., are physical characteristics
• A location’s site changes very little over time
Situation = the relationship between a particular location and other locations
• How is a particular location connected with others via highways, railroads, seaborn trade, telecommunications, etc.?
• Situation can change drastically over time! - Give some examples

5. The image below is focused on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
The image below is focused on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City.

6. The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City

7. The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City

8. Mathematical Location: A Precise Location on the Earth’s Surface
Also know as absolute location
Coordinates given for a location can be very precise
Not used by most people when describing a location

9. Longitude Is measured from the Prime Meridian (0°) to 180°
The Prime Meridian runs through a section of London
Longitude helps determine location east and west from the Prime Meridian
All lines of longitude meet at the poles and are farthest apart at the equator

10. Latitude Lines of latitude run east - west around the Earth’s surface
The equator is 0° and the lines of latitude determine the distance from the equator
Lines of latitude are parallel and thus never meet
You move about 70 miles on the Earth’s surface for every 1° of latitude

11. Thinking about the three ways of identifying place, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
• Toponym
• Site & Situation
• Mathematical