Themes of GeographyThemes of Geography Themes of Themes of GeographyGeography
What is Geography
GREEK
Geo = Earth
Graphy = Study
Therefore, geography is the study of the Earth
Guiding Guiding QuestionsQuestions
Where are
things?
Why are they
there?
ANSWERS:(geographers came up with the 5 themes)
1. LOCATION
2. PLACE
5. REGIONS
3. HUMAN ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
4. MOVEMENT
1. LOCATION… where places are on the earth.
2 Types of Locationsa) Absolute location
… is the exact latitude and longitude coordinates of a place. Ex: 30o N, 115o E
b) Relative location
… location of a place in relation to other places around it.
Ex: The library is across from the school.
They are the vertical lines that
measure distance east and west
of the Prime Meridian.
LONGITUDES
There are 180 lines on each side of the
Prime Meridian or 0o longitude.
They are imaginary lines that meet at the north and south poles.
LATITUDES
They are imaginary lines that run east to west, parallel to the equator.
They determine distance north and south of the equator.
There are 90 lines of latitudes in the northern as well as the southern hemisphere.
Prime Meridian
Equator
Longitudes vertical lines
east and west of the Prime Meridian.
Latitudes horizontal lines
north and south of the equator.
LONGITUDE
=
MERIDIANS LATITUDES
=
PARALLELS
LONGITUDES
+LATITUDES
=GLOBAL GRID
Locate these places:
41O N, 29E 51N, 4E
37N, 3E 30N, 31E
14N, 100E 15N, 121E
32S, 116E 16N, 33E
47N, 71W 30N, 95W
56N, 38E 40N, 4W
59N, I8E 50N, 19E
6S, 107E 47S, 175E
15N, 17W 34N, 8W
48N, 122W 43N, 88W
2. PLACE
This theme tries to determine which characteristics or features make a location different from another.
Characteristics can be:
PHYSICAL
Climate
Landform
Bodies of water
Plant and animal life
HUMAN
Monuments
Cities
Government
Cultural traditions
Physical Characteristics
Landform
Bodies of water
Plant and animal life
Human Characteristics
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Cultural traditions
Cities
Monuments
CULTURAL LANDMARKS
Sydney Opera House Versailles
Berlin Bradenburg Gate St. Peter’s Basilica
Somanathapura Arc de Triomphe
The Great Buddha Angkor Wat
Leaning Tower of Pisa Wieliczka Salt Mines
Temple of Heaven Forbidden City
Parthenon Liberation Tower
Hadrian’s Wall Eiffel Tower
Taj Mahal Tower of London
St. Basil’s Cathedral Palace of Westminster
Petra Wailing Wall
HUMAN ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
… looks a
t the
relatio
nship
between p
eople
and the
environm
ent.
People change their surroundings to make their lives easier.
ROADS
BUILDINGS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
The environment also influences:
How they dress.
What they do.
What they eat.
Enormous BenefitsEnormous Benefits
New Problems
MOVEMENT
… how people, goods, and ideas go from place to place.
Movement is important in the development of human characteristics:
. Cultural traits
. Diversity
. Cities
MIGRATION
PUSH THEORY PULL THEORY(problems) (advantages)
PUSH
PULL
2 FACTORS
War
Diseases
Climate
Government
Economy
Famine
Crimes
Adventure
Religious persecution
Education
Jobs
Family
Democracy
Climate
Justice
Healthcare
Religious tolerance
Gender equality
REGIONSIn this theme, geographers group places with
similar physical or human characteristics.
To group theses places they use specific features such as:
•Location
•Climate
•Government
•Culture
• Language
A region may include physical places as well as cultural areas.
Places that share the same culture belong to a cultural regions.
A natural region has unique plant and animal life as well as a unique climate.
Ex: THE RAINFOREST
Regions can change overtime.
•Climate
•Natural Disasters
•Human Interactions
•Economic Conditions
F.Y.I
A place can belong to many regions.