World Geography Basics Ms. Xiques

\ SSWG1 The student will explain the physical aspects of geography. a. Describe the concept of place by explaining how physical characteristics such as landforms, bodies of water, climate, soils, natural vegetation, and animal life are used to describe a place. b. Explain how human characteristics, such as population settlement patterns, and human activities, such as agriculture and industry, can describe a place. c. Analyze the interrelationship between physical and human characteristics of a place.

Essential Question What does a “Geographer” do?

A Geographer’s “Tools” Maps Models Photos Graphs Charts Tables 5 Themes

Do you have a sense of direction?

Different Kinds of Maps Topographical natural and mad-made Thematic specific kinds of information- climate or population density Navigation sailors and pilots

Distortion A conformal projection primarily preserves shape, an equidistant projection primarily preserves distance, and an equal-area projection primarily preserves area. http://geology.isu.edu/geostac/Field_Exercise/topomaps/distortion.htm

How to Make a Map Surveying Remote Sensing Satellites Landsat Series of satellites (16 days) GOES (Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite) Weather GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Digital database GPS (Global Positioning System)

What are the five themes? Location Place Movement Region Human Environment Interaction 9

5 Themes of Geography Tools geographers use to study features on earth. 1. Location Where is it? 2. Place What is it like? 3. Region How are places similar or different? 4. Movement How do people, goods, and ideas move from one location to another? 5. Human-Environment Interaction How do people relate to the physical world?

Location Describes where places are on earth. Types of Location: ABSOLUTE: exact location on earth (fixed) Doesn’t change Latitude/Longitude Hemispheres Grid System Address RELATIVE: compared to other places (variable) Changes dependent upon where you’re comparing it to. Miles Distance Direction 11

Absolute Location Examples: Rome is located at 38°43' North 90°14' West Argentina is located in the southern hemisphere Ecuador is located in Tropic of Cancer. 12

Relative Location Examples: Rome is located near the Mediterranean Sea. Argentina is near Brazil. Ecuador is south of Mexico. 13

Place A place is defined by it’s unique characteristics. Physical characteristics Cultural characteristics 14

Physical Characteristics Specific to THAT place, not generic. The way a place looks. Created by nature. Mountains Rivers, Lakes, Seas Climate Vegetation Examples: Andes Mountains are in South America. Amazon River flows through Brazil. Pampas are located in Argentina. The isthmus of Panama connects Central & South America. 15

Cultural Characteristics Specific to THAT place, not generic. Peoples activities change the way a place looks or is represented. Man-made or invented. 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. 16

Movement Places do not exist in isolation. Interconnectedness of the world changes the way places“look”. Today: “globalization” People, goods & ideas move from place to place. Examples Immigration from Latin America to US. War in Iraq (troops, supplies, ideas, people) Myspace, Facebook (ideas) 17

Region The world is divided into different regions based upon similarities & differences. Climate Location Beliefs Languages Ethnicity/Race Types: Formal Functional Perceptual 18

Formal Region Most common/familiar. Determined by the distribution of a uniform characteristic (physical or cultural) Location Climate Religion Examples Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama) Latin America (spanish-speaking nations) Tropics (countries located near equator) 19

Functional Region Serves a purpose that affects places around it. Distributes goods/people Serves specific purpose Examples: Panama Canal Amazon River Basin Hollywood 20

Perceptual Region Groups of areas that provoke a certain stereotype or feeling. Examples: The Bronx The “ghetto” Chinatown 21

HEI The environment & people are interconnected. Consequences to those actions depend upon how people choose to interact with the world and use their resources. Positive/Negative Intentional/Accidental Favorable/Destructive 22

HEI Current Enviromental Issues: Climate Change (global warming) Energy Resources Water Conservation Deforestation 23

Prime Meridian- Greenwich, England