World Geography Physical Geography

Maps Concepts Scale Latitude Longitude Relative Location Orientation

Geographers Use GIS Field Work Satellite Image Photographs Maps, Globes Data Bases Primary Sources

Latitude: absolute location

Longitude: absolute location

Relative Location Describes the spatial relationships between and among places.

Area Can be represented using a variety of scales.

Scale The amount of detail shown on a map is dependent on the scale used.

Compass Rose Directional Indicator-identifies map orientation

Mental Maps: based on objective knowledge and subjective perceptions. Carry out daily activities Give directions to others Understand world events

Mental Maps Serve as indicator of how well people know the spatial characteristics of certain places.

Map Is a visual representation of geographic information All Maps are distorted representations of Earth’s Surface

Standard way that map show information Symbols Color Lines Boundaries Contours

Types of Thematic Maps Population Economic Activity Resource Language Ethnicity Climate Precipitation Vegetation Physical Political

Projections Mercator –ship navigation Polar – airline navigation Robinson-data representation

Aspects of the Earth that can be distorted Area Shape Distance Direction

Climate is defined by certain characteristics Temperature Precipitation Seasons( hot/cold, wet/dry)

Climate regions have distinctive vegetation

Climate Patterns result from the interplay of common elements Influence of latitude Influence of winds Influence of elevation Proximity to water

World Climate regions Low latitudes: tropical wet &dry, arid, semiarid, and highland Middle Latitudes: Semiarid, arid, Mediterranean, humid continental, marine west coast, humid subtropical. High latitudes: sub arctic, tundra, and ice cap.

Vegetation Regions Tropical rain forest Savanna Desert Steppe Middle Latitude Forest Taiga Tundra

Certain weather phenomena Monsoons-south and southeast Asia Typhoons-pacific ocean Hurricanes- Atlantic Ocean Tornadoes –United States

Climates and weather affect how people live in different regions

Physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface Earthquakes Floods Volcanoes Erosion

Humans both are affected and affect their environment Water diversion/ management Changing landscapes Environmental changes

Water Diversions and Management: can help the earth and can hurt the earth. Help Irrigation for farming Reservoirs for energy Canals makes trading easier because travel is easier. Harmful Aral Sea Colorado River Aswan High Dam

Aral Sea

Colorado River

Aswan High Dam

Canals

Reservoirs

Irrigation

Landscape Alteration

Agricultural Terracing

Polders

Deforestation

Desertification

Acid Rain

Pollution (oil spill)

Changing Landscape: anytime the earth surface is changed by humans. Helpful Agricultural terracing Polders Harmful Deforestation Desertification

Environmental Change Acid Rain Pollution

Environmental Impact on humans Settlement patterns Housing Materials Agricultural activity Types of recreation Transportation pattern

Technology has expanded people capability to modify and adapt to their physical environment.

Adaptations to the environment Agriculture (fertilizers, mechanization) Energy Usage (fossil fuels, nuclear) Transportation (road buildings, railways) Automobiles (parking lots, suburbs) Airplanes (airports, noise)

Regions are areas of the Earth’s surface which share similar unifying characteristics. They are used to simplify the world for study and understanding.

Region may be defined by physical or cultural characteristics.

Physical Regions

Sahara

Taiga

Rain Forest

Great Plains

Low Countries

Regional Labels may reflect changes in people’s perceptions Middle East Sun Belt Rust Belt

Regional Landscapes reflect cultural characteristics of their inhabitants Architectural structures Dwellings

Regional labels Middle East Sun Belt Rust Belt

Regional Landscapes Architectural structures Religious structures Dwellings Statues and Monuments

Religious Structures Mosques (Islam) Church (Christianity) Synagogues (Jewish) Temples ( Hindu) Pagodas ( Buddhist)

Buddhist Temple

Church

Pagodas

Hindu Temple

Mosques

Statues and Monuments

Taj Mahal : India

Kaaba: Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Western Wall: Jerusalem

Dome of the Rock: Jerusalem

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Pyramids: Egypt

Kremlin: Russia

Eiffel Tower

Virginia State Capital: Richmond

Washington Monument: Washington D.C.

White House

Lincoln Memorial

Statue of Liberty

The development of a region is influenced by many factors, including physical, economic, and cultural characteristics.

Different criteria may be used to determine a country’s relative importance GDP Land Size Population Size Resource

Elements of the physical environment such as major bodies of water and mountains, influence the economic and cultural characteristics of regions.

Water Rio Grande –boundary Ob River-flows northward into Arctic Ocean Zambezi River-water power Ganges and Brahmaputra-flood hazard

Mountains Rocky Mountains-Create rain shadows on leeward slopes Himalayas-block moisture to create steppes and deserts in Central Asia

Lincoln Memorial