Download Geography: The World Around Us

Geography: The World
Around Us
What is Geography?
Geography is the study of
the distribution and
interaction of both the
physical and human features
of the Earth.
Geographers study:
▪ How humans use space on Earth
▪ Interactions that take place
▪ Connections between the people
and the land
Geographer's Tools
▪ Maps
▪ Charts
▪ Tables
▪ Photographs
▪ Scale models
And
The Five Themes of Geography
Section 1
Five Themes of Geography
Five Themes of Geography
1. Location
2. Place
3. Region
4. Movement
5. Human-Environment
Interaction
Location
Two Types of Location:
Absolute- tells exactly where something is found
▪ Earth is divided into halves called hemispheres
▪ The equator is an imaginary line that divides the
north and south
▪ The Prime Meridian divides east and west
▪ Absolute Location is determined by where the
latitude and longitude points meet
Relative- Location of a place compared to places
around it
Latitude and Longitude
Latitude run parallel the equator and are used
to locate places north and south
Longitude meridians that pass through the poles
and are used to locate places east and west
Place
Place tells us what it is like and
includes
Physical characteristics
▪ Vegetation, climate, and
landforms
Cultural Characteristics
▪ Houses, languages, religion,
and transportation
The Prime Meridian
Region
A region is an area united by
similar physical, political,
economic, or cultural factors
Three types:
▪ Formal
▪ Functional
▪ Perceptual
Human-Environment Interaction
Humans and the environment
share a direct relationship.
1.Change the environment to
meet our needs
2.Adapt to what we cannot
change
3.Depend on the environment
Movement: People, Goods, & Ideas
Geographers also study how
long it takes people, goods, and
ideas to travel.
They measure this by looking at
the amount of time it takes and
the actual distance covered.
Section 2
Geographer’s Tools
Geographer’s Tools
Geographers use 2D and 3D tools
to learn about the Earth.
Today, they also use a wide
variety of digital technology to
help as well.
Geographer’s Tools
• Globe—a three-dimensional
representation (a sphere) of Earth
• Map—a two-dimensional graphic
representation of Earth’s surface
• Cartographer (mapmaker) tries to
accurately reflect earth’s surface
• Map projection—way of showing Earth’s
curved surface on a flat map
Types of Maps
•Three types of maps: general reference, thematic,
navigational
•A topographic map is one kind of general reference
map
• Topographic map—shows natural and man-made
features of earth
•Thematic map—shows specific data such as climate,
population density
•A navigation map is used by sailors, pilots
Map Making
•Surveyors observe, measure, record what they see
in a specific area
•Remote sensing, gathering geographic data from a
distance, includes:
− aerial photography
− satellite imaging
Satellite Imagery
•Best known satellites are Landsat
and GOES
• Landsat is a series of satellites; can
scan entire planet in 16 days
•Geostationary Operational
Environment Satellite (GOES):
− orbits in sync with Earth’s
rotation
− gathers images of atmospheric
conditions
Satellite Imagery
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• a digital geographic database
•Combines and displays information from many
sources
Geographic Positioning System (GPS)
•Uses series of 24 Navstar satellites to beam
information to Earth
•Hand-held GPS receivers on Earth display exact
position
•GPS used by explorers, sailors, drivers; also used
to track animals