Download What is Geography????

Introduction to World
Geography
© CSCOPE
2008
What is Geography????
• Geography is the study of everything on Earth.
Geographers look at where things are and why they
are there.
• Physical and Human Geography are the two main
branches of geography.
© CSCOPE
2008
Physical v. Human Geography
Physical Geography
Human 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
Environment
Recreation
Rivers/Oceans/Other bodies of
Water
Religion/Belief System
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.
© CSCOPE
2008
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)
GIS (computer mapping) Urban and Regional Planners
Real Estate and Residential Development Analysts
Transportation and Tourism Planners and Analysts
University and public school teachers
© CSCOPE
2008
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
Geologists
Taxonomy: kingdom, phylum,
Class, order, family, genus,
species
Geological time
Historians
Eras, ages, periods
Biologists
Geographers
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2008
Geographic Regions
GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS:
What defines a region?
Regions are based on Spatial Criteria
(what is there and why)
►physical (natural) characteristics
 landforms, climate, vegetation
►human
(cultural) characteristics
 language, religion, ethnicity, population
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2008
SUB-REGIONS
► Classification
of Regions are 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
 or
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2008
Both
(natural) characteristics
FORMAL REGION
► Region
that has one or more common
features that make it different from
surrounding areas.
► Example:
Great Lakes Region
► Example:
Piney Woods
of East TX.
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2008
FUNCTIONAL REGION
►Made
up of different places that are
linked together by one focal point.
Examples: Metropolitan Area
and the Mississippi River
System.
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2008
Perceptual Region
► Region
which reflect human feelings and
attitudes. The problem is people feel
differently about the same things. Based
more on opinion than fact.
► Lets continue for an example.
© CSCOPE
2008
The School Cafeteria
► Is
the school cafeteria divided into regions?
► Walls separate it from the rest of school –
formal region.
► Tables, trash cans, area to buy food –
functional region.
► Does the cafeteria have a perceptual
region?
© CSCOPE
2008
► Where
do you sit and why?
► Do you sit where you do based on common
interests, gender or another reason?
► Where are the teachers?
► Does everyone feel the same about the
seating arrangements?
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2008
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?
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2008
The Grid System
►
►
Latitude: drawn in an east-west direction that measure distance
north and south of the equator.
Longitude: drawn in a north-south direction that measure
distance east and west of the Prime Meridian.
© CSCOPE
2008
Important Lines of Lat. & Long.
► Equator:
divides the Earth into the Northern
& Southern Hemispheres, located at 0˚
latitude
© CSCOPE
2008
Important Lines of Lat. & Long.
► Prime
Meridian: Divides the Earth into the
Eastern & Western Hemispheres, located at
0˚longitude
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2008
Latitude Zones
► Lines
of Latitude determine different types
of climates.
 Low Latitude
 Middle Latitude
 High Latitude
© CSCOPE
2008