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WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
The Five Themes of Geography
Location
Absolute Location is the exact place on the earth
where a geographic feature is found. (for example, Houston is
located at 29°N , 95°W) 29°45′46″N 95°22′59″W
Relative Location describes a place in comparison to other places
around it. (for example: Galveston, TX is southeast of Houston, TX)
The
Global Grid
is used to
determine the
absolute
location of
places on earth.
Equator
latitude = distance
north or south of the
Equator
longitude = distance
East or west of the
Prime Meridian
Prime
Meridian
90ºN
66.5ºN
23.5ºN
0º
23.5ºS
66.5ºS
90ºS
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
The Five Themes of Geography
Place (Characteristics)
Place describes the physical features
and cultural characteristics of a location.
Each location on earth has its own
unique characteristics.
Chapter
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
The Five Themes of Geography
Region
Region describes an area of the earth’s surface with similar
characteristics, usually more than one. These may include
physical, political, economic, or cultural characteristics. The
three main types of regions are called formal, functional, and
perceptual regions.
Countries of the World – Formal Regions
United States – Formal Region
State of Texas
Formal Region
The Corn Belt – a formal region of the United States
where corn is the predominant cash crop. Primarily, it includes
Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. The Corn Belt also includes parts of
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan,
Missouri, and Kentucky. The Corn Belt is located in the Midwest.
Metropolitan (Greater)
Chicago
Functional Region
Metropolitan (Greater) London – Functional Region
Metropolitan (Greater) Houston
Functional Region
I-10 Region – Functional Region
Bible belt – a perceptual region
Those sections of the United States, especially in the South
and Middle West, where Protestant fundamentalism is
widely practiced.
Sunbelt – a perceptual region
The southern and southwestern United States.
It is so called for its warm climate and sunshine.
Rust Belt – a perceptual region located in the northeast
quadrant of the United States, focused on the Midwestern
states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, as well as
Pennsylvania. It was once the home to a great concentration of
heavy industry. Now many of the plants and factories have
closed.
8.
3.
7.
2.
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4.
1.
5.
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
Movement
How and why people, plants, animals, and ideas move through time and
space. Geographers study movement by looking at three
types of distance: time, linear and psychological distance.
Human–Environment Interaction
People learn to use what the natural environment offers them and to
adapt to that environment to meet their needs. Geographers analyze this
dynamic relationship between humans and the natural world.
Human-Environment
Interaction
Freeways
Dams
Agriculture
Irrigation
Movement
Bullet Trains
Buses
Jet Aircraft
Cell Phones
Freight Trains
Internet
Metro de
la Ciudad
de México
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
The Geographer’s Tools
• Geographers use two-and threedimensional tools to learn about
the earth.
• Geographers use geospatial
technologies to study the use
of the earth’s surface.
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
The Geographer’s Tools:
Globe
A three-dimensional representation of the earth.
Map
A two-dimensional representation of the earth.
Mapmaking/ Cartography
• First the area to be mapped is surveyed.
• Geospatial tools, including satellites, GPS and GIS, are
used to gather data and create maps.
GIS
A geographic information system (GIS)
integrates hardware, software, and data for
capturing, managing, analyzing, and
displaying all forms of geographically
referenced information.
GIS allows us to view, understand,
question, interpret, and visualize data in
many ways that reveal relationships,
patterns, and trends in the form of maps,
globes, reports, and charts.
A GIS helps you answer questions and solve
problems by looking at your data in a way
that is quickly understood and easily
shared.
The World at Night
Cartogram of World Population Density, 2011
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
Geography Skills Handbook
Map Elements
Maps have elements such as a legend to aid in interpreting them.
Scale
This determines how much detail is shown on a map.
Grid
Gridlines help to determine absolute location.
continued . . .
Title: Tells you what region or
place the map represents.
Compass Rose: Shows the directions:
north, south, east, west.
Grid: Evenly spaced horizontal
and vertical lines which help you
locate a particular area on the map.
Symbol: Represents a feature or
object on the ground
Key/Legend: Explains what the
symbols on the map represent
Scale: The relationship between
the distance on the map and the
actual distance on the Earth's
Surface. Example: 1 inch on the map may
equal 1 mile on the Earth's surface.
WORD GEOGRAPHY
Looking at the Earth
Projection
This shows the earth’s curved surface in two dimensions but
distorts either size, shape, direction, or area. Projection
types are planar, conical & cylindrical.
Types of Maps
These include physical, political, and thematic: such as
population, elevation, climate, religion, land uses, etc.
Physical Map
Physical Map
Political Map
Thematic Map
Thematic Map
Flowchart Map of Napoleon’s Disastrous Conquest
of and Retreat from of Russia, 1812-1813
Thematic Map
Thematic Map
Population Projected to 2050