1. What is a Region? A region is an area with one or more common features that make it different from surrounding areas.

2. People within the region may have a distinct “sense of place” or an identity with certain cultural elements

3. CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
a combination of cultural, economic and physical features
Defined by Carl Sauer as an area fashioned from nature by a cultural group
“regional studies” approach initiated by Paul Vidal de la Bloche and Jean Brunhes around the turn of the 20th century
Later adopted by American geographers including Robert Platt
Region’s uniqueness comes from a combination of human and environmental factors
People are the most important agent of change on the earth’s surface

4. The visible human imprint on the landscape.
Cultural Landscape
The visible human imprint on the landscape.
Religion and cremation practices diffuse with Hindu migrants from India to Kenya.

5. 2 main classifications of regions
Countries that share common features
Or localities in a country that share common features

6. VERNACULAR or PERCEPTUAL REGION
PLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXIST AS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
MENTAL MAPS—PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

7. How are regions defined
How are regions defined? They are defined by their physical & human characteristics

8. WHAT ARE
THE 3 TYPES
OF REGIONS?

9. Formal: same as a uniform region—has some characteristic in common that is measurable —such as language, crop, climate. Ex. State, country, wheat belt, etc. They can be generalizations and not always precise.

10. Functional Region Nodal region—centered around a focal point
Characteristic diminishes away from focal point
Linked by communication or transportation
Usually economic
Newspaper circulation, tv stations, etc.

11. VERNACULAR or PERCEPTUAL REGION
PLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXIST AS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
MENTAL MAPS—PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
US map assignment

12. Other names for regions:
Formal: uniform or homogenous
Functional: nodal
Vernacular: perceptual

13. Key Question:
What are Geographic Concepts, and How are they used in Answering Geographic Questions?

14. Geographic Concepts
Ways of seeing the world spatially that are used by geographers in answering research questions.

15. Geographic inquiry focuses on the spatial:
- the spatial arrangement of places and phenomena (human and physical).
- how are things organized on Earth?
- how do they appear on the landscape?
- why? where? so what?

16. Regional Integration of Culture
Culture is an all-encompassing term that identifies not only the whole tangible lifestyle of peoples, but also their prevailing values and beliefs.
- cultural trait
- cultural complex
- cultural hearth

17. Culture—cultus (to care for)
Two very different meanings
* to care about (cult)
(ideas, beliefs, values, customs)
* to care for (cultivate)
(ways of earning a living, obtaining food, clothing and shelter)
Geography examines both concepts

18. CULTURAL ECOLOGY Human-environment relationships
Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Ritter encouraged geographers to use scientific data to determine natural laws
They emphasized how the physical environment caused social development—this approach is called “environmental determinism”.

19. HUMAN AND PHYSICAL FACTORS
POSSIBILISM says that the physical environment may limit human actions but people have the ability to adjust
Crop choices vary by climate
Some human impacts are casual and some reflect deep-seated cultural values
Level of wealth can influence attitude toward environment
Modern technology has greatly influenced this relationship

20. PHYSICAL PROCESSES

21. World Climate Regions
Fig. 1-14: The modified Köppen system divides the world into five main climate regions.
RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE ARE MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY

22. VEGETATION SOIL LANDFORMS
4 MAIN BIOMES: FOREST, SAVANNA, GRASSLAND AND DESERT
SOIL
10 ORDERS OF SOIL
DESTRUCTION OF SOIL
NUTRIENT DEPLETION
SALINIZATION
LANDFORMS
GEOMORPHOLOGY—STUDY OF EARTH’S SURFACE
PEOPLE PREFER FLATTER LAND
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

23. Globalization A set of processes that are: increasing interactions
deepening relationships
heightening interdependence
without regard to
country borders.
A set of outcomes that are:
unevenly distributed
varying across scales
differently manifested
throughout the world.

24. Globalization of the Economy
Fig. 1-17: The Denso corporation is headquartered in Japan, but it has regional headquarters and other facilities in North America and Western Europe.