HOW GEOGRAPHERS LOOK AT THE WORLD

5 THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY

1. Location: Where is it?

2. Place: What is it like?

3. Region: How are places similar or different?

4. Movement: How do people, goods, and ideas move from one location to another?

5. Human-Environment Interaction: How do people relate to the physical world

GEOGRAPHER’S TOOLS

GLOBES AND MAPS

Globe: 3D scale model of the Earth

Map: flat representation of all of part of the planet

Cartographer: map maker

GREAT CIRCLE ROUTES

DEF: an imaginary line that follows the curve of the Earth and represents the shortest distance btwn 2 pts.

MAP PROJECTION

DEF: a mathematical formula used to represent the curved surface of the Earth on the flat surface of a map

Problem: DISTORTION---size, shape, distance, area, and direction can be affected

TYPES OF MAP PROJECTIONS

3 major categories

1. PLANAR PROJECTION: project an image of the Earth onto a geometric plane

Distortions: greatest accuracy at the center

Use: maps of the Poles

TYPES CONTINUED

2. CYLINDRICAL PROJECTION: project Earth’s image onto a cylinder

Distortions: accurate at Equator and toward Poles

Use: navigation

TYPES CONTINUED

3. CONIC PROJECTION: Earth’s surface projected onto a map formed into a cone

Distortion: Shape relatively accurate

Use: mid-latitude regions

OTHERS

WINKEL TRIPEL: balance btwn overall size and shape of land areas shown

ROBINSON PROJECTION: sizes and shapes near eastern and western edges are accurate

GOODE’S INTERRUPTED EQUAL AREA PROJECTION: shows true size and shape of landmasses

DETERMINING LOCATION

GRID SYSTEM

LINES OF LATITUDE (PARALLELS): circle the Earth parallel to the Equator; measure distance to the north and south of the Equator

Equator = 0°, North Pole= 90°N, South Pole= 90°S

GRID CONTINUED

LINES OF LONGITUDE (MERIDIANS): lines that connect the North and South Poles; Run N-S but measure distance East and West of the PRIME MERIDIAN(0°)

INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE: 180° from Prime Meridian

ABSOLUTE LOCATION

Def: exact location

Each degree is divided into 60 minutes (‘); each minute is divided into 60 seconds (“)

RELATIVE LOCATION

Def: location in relation to other places

Ex: Dallas is southeast of Denton

USING MAPS

PARTS OF A MAP

Purpose (title)

Time period

Legend/Key: identifies symbols/icons on map

Compass Rose: indicates directions

--CARDINAL DIRECTIONS: North, South, East, West

--INTERMEDIATE DIRECTIONS: NE, SE, etc…

PARTS CONTINUED

Lines: represent human activity

--can also represent physical features

Colors distinguish btwn human and physical features

Colors also can show ELEVATION: height above sea level

PARTS CONTINUED

SCALE: represents consistent, proportional relationship btwn measurements on map and actual Earth measurements

Small-scale: shows a large area with very little detail

Large-scale: shows a small area with a great amount of detail

TYPES OF MAPS

PHYSICAL MAP

Shows location and topography of land features

Highlights general relief (variation in elevation)

POLITICAL MAP

Shows boundaries and locations of political units

THEMATIC MAP

Emphasizes a particular theme or subject

MENTAL/INTERNAL MAP

Your perception of features of the Earth’s surface

GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)

Determines exact location (lat./long.)

Uses a network of 24 satellites

Triangulates position

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)

Programs that process and organize details about places on Earth and integrate those details with satellite images and other info.

Primary function: link locations with attributes found there

SATELLITE

Natural or man-made

Orbit a planet or other large body

Good for REMOTE SENSING: getting info on a subject w/o physically touching the object

PART 2: THE GEOGRAPHER’S CRAFTHow does geography help us interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future?

SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE

Def: a way of looking at the human and physical patterns on Earth and their relationships to one another

Why things are where they are

Connections btwn ecosystems and human societies

ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY

THE WORLD IN SPATIAL TERMS

SITE: the specific location of a place, including its physical setting

SITUATION: the geographic position of a place in relation to other places or features of a larger region

PLACES AND REGIONS

REGION: area that can be defined by physical traits and human characteristics

3 types:

1: FORMAL REGION: defined by a common characteristic

2: FUNCTIONAL REGION: central place and the surrounding territory linked to it

3: PERCEPTUAL REGION: defined by popular feelings and images rather than objective data

PHYSICAL AND HUMAN SYSTEMS

Physical: climate, land, water, plants, animal life

ECOSYSTEM: a community of plants and animals that depend upon one another and their surroundings for survival

Human/Cultural: political, economic, social, and cultural

ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY

Called Human-Environment Interaction

The ways in which people use their surroundings

And the consequences

GEOGRAPHY AND OTHER SUBJECTS

Geo’s obtain data from numerous fields

Death rates, disease, natural disasters, census data

All show FLUCTUATIONS (shift from a previous condition) in population