1. © CSCOPE 2009 Introduction to World Geography

2. © CSCOPE 2009 Geography is the study of place and space: Geographers look at where things are and why they are there. Study of human activity, the natural environment, and the relationship between the two (human-environment interactions). What is Geography????

3. © CSCOPE 2008 Physical v. Cultural Geography Physical Geography is the study of the Natural Landscape of the Earth while Cultural Geography is the study of the Human Landscape of the Earth. Physical Geography Cultural Geography Rocks/Minerals Population/Settlements/Urbanizati on Landforms Economic and Political Systems Animal and Plant Life Transportation Soils Human Migration Atmosphere/Climate/Weather Social Systems EnvironmentRecreation Rivers/Oceans/Other bodies of Water Religion/Belief System

4. © CSCOPE 2009 What types of jobs do geographers have (in the U.S.)? Location Analysts, for: franchises (like “Burger King”) stores (like big department stores) public facilities (like new schools) Environmental Scientists and Consultants GIS (computer mapping) Urban and Regional Planners Real Estate and Residential Development Analysts Transportation and Tourism Planners and Analysts University and public school teachers

5. © CSCOPE 2009 Taxonomy: kingdom, phylum, Class, order, family, genus, species Biologists Geologists Geological time Historians Eras, ages, periods Geographers Geographic Regions CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS

6. © CSCOPE 2009 ► physical (natural) characteristics  landforms, climate, vegetation ► human (cultural) characteristics  language, religion, ethnicity, population GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS: What defines a region? Regions are based on Spatial Criteria

7. © CSCOPE 2009 ► Regions change over time. ► Regions do not have definite borders, but rather are separated from other regions by transition zones. MORE ON GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS:

8. © CSCOPE 2009 ► An area of change where borders of two adjacent regions join ► Marked by a gradual shift (rather than a sharp break) in the characteristics that distinguish neighboring realms TRANSITION ZONES

9. © CSCOPE 2008 Sub-classification of Regions Dominated by one political power: ► North America: U.S. ► Middle America: Mexico ► South America: Brazil ► Russian Realm: Russia ► East Asia: China ► South Asia: India ► Southeast Asia: Indonesia ► Australian Realm: Australia No dominant State ► Europe ► Sub-Saharan Africa ► North Africa / Southwest Asia ► Oceania (Pacific Realm)

10. © CSCOPE 2009 ► Further classification of Regions based upon physical features and human characteristics. Examples: The United States is in the North American Region. However, the U.S. has several sub-regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, etc. ► Region & Sub-region boundaries are based on criteria we establish. ► Criteria can be:  Human (cultural) properties  Physical (natural) characteristics  or Both SUB-REGIONS

11. © CSCOPE 2009 Properties of Regions  Area  Boundaries  Location

12. © CSCOPE 2009 ► Marked by a certain degree of homogeneity in one or more phenomena. Limited number of characteristics. ► Example: Latin America, Europe FORMAL REGION

13. © CSCOPE 2009 ► A region marked less by its functional structure. Organized around a set of interactions and connections between places. FUNCTIONAL REGION Example: Metropolitan Area

14. © CSCOPE 2009 Perceptual Region ► ► Region in which people perceive the characteristics of the region in the same way. ► ► Example: American Midwest

15. © CSCOPE 2009 Maps and More Maps ► Types of maps and projections  Physical maps  Cultural maps  Political maps  Population maps  And more.. ► Why do geographers use each type map?

16. © CSCOPE 2009 The Grid System ► Latitude: Lines of latitude run horizontal around the globe or a map. They are designated as either North or South of the Equator. ► Longitude: Lines of longitude run vertically around the globe or map. They are designated as either West or East of the Prime Meridian.

17. © CSCOPE 2009 Geography means “description of the earth” and is also known as “the study of the earth as the home of humankind.” Four main goals for this class: (1) to understand important geographic problems and their potential solutions, (2) to become better able to make connections between different kinds of information as a means of understanding the world, (3) to understand current events, and (4) to develop skills in interpreting places and reading landscapes. SUMMARY

18. © CSCOPE 2009 SUMMARY Maps are the geographers’ most basic tools. To be able to use maps effectively, one must understand their basic language, especially the concepts and terms of scale, coordinate systems, projection, and symbolization. There are a variety of ways in which maps can depict spatial data.