What in the World is Geography? Hint: Pretty Much Everything

5 Themes of Geography (These help us describe every single place on Earth) Location Place Region Movement Human-Environment Interaction

Location Absolute Location – Exact spot on Earth – Described with Latitude and Longitude Relative Location – Described in relation to another place (ex. Directions)

Place Answers the question: “What is it like there?” – Physical Characteristics Terrain, weather, rural vs. urban, plant life, etc. – Cultural Characteristics Languages spoke, how they dress, what types of music, what sort of transportation they use, etc.

Region How is a place similar or different from other places? – This is the best way to know if places are in the same region or different regions – Can be Physical or Cultural Regions – We are in a physical region of the Coastal Plains, and a cultural region that is “The South,” or even “Cajun Country.” – Cultural Regions usually overlap one another

Types of Regions Formal Region – Defined by close proximity and similar cultures (ex. US and Canada for several reasons) Functional Region – Defined because of how they interact together Big Metropolitan areas and surrounding communities Perceptual Region – Defined by how they are “viewed.” A good example is “The West” in the media

Human-Environment Interacion This is defined by how people relate to the physical world around them (or better yet, how we use what the world give us). Any way that humans use natural things on Earth, or any way that humans change the Earth can be in this category. What are some examples?

Movement How people, ideas, and products move from one place to another. – Everything comes from somewhere else before it gets to you. Distance – Linear – How far you travel across the Earth – Time – How long it takes you to cover that distance – Psychological – How long it feels like it takes