Characteristics of Place, Site and Situation

Characteristics of Place

Place Place is the description of what and how we see and experience a certain aspect of the Earth’s surface Place describes what a location is like Physical characteristics include climate, landforms, and vegetation Human characteristics include culture, cities, and other changes to the environment

Toponym Place names on maps Sometimes the color or the size of the writing indicates importance of the place They also indicate cultural information, such as language and religion

Site and Situation

Site Site refers to the internal, physical characteristics of a place that are unlikely to change, such as geological formations, soil, or structures. Refers to a physical description of a place This can involve absolute location, and physical characteristics of place

Example of Site Barcelona, Spain Hill for defense Reliable water supply for drinking and power Fertile farmland Flat land for building Sheltered by hills to the north South-facing slope Natural harbor Construction material

Situation Situation is defined as the location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places Factors included in an area's situation include the accessibility of the location, the extent of a place's connections with another, and how close an area may be to raw materials if they are not located specifically on the site

Example of Situation Barcelona, Spain Port Route Centre Limestone quarries Close to wealthy NW European markets

Diffusion

Diffusion Diffusion is the movement of any characteristic Diffusion relates to the movement theme of Geography A hearth is where the characteristic began

Relocation Diffusion Relocation Diffusion is the physical spread of cultures, ideas, and diseases through people Usually occurs with migration Examples: Bubonic Plague, colonization of North America, religion and language in South America

Migration Diffusion Migration diffusion: a particular type of relocation diffusion associated with the movement of people

Expansion Diffusion Expansion Diffusion is the spread of a characteristic from a central node or hearth through various means

Hierarchial Diffusion Hierarchical Diffusion: the idea that a phenomenon spreads by the social elite, and then filters down through the masses Example: Fashion, AIDS

Reverse Hierarchial Diffusion Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion: when a phenomenon spreads first through the masses, and works up to the social elite Example: Nascar, Walmart, Rap Music

Contagious Diffusion Contagious Diffusion is a type of expansion diffusion usually associated with a disease The phenomenon spreads without regard to race, social status, or family status Examples: the plague, or the Internet

Stimulus Diffusion Stimulus Diffusion is a type of expansion diffusion where part of an idea spreads and creates an innovative product Example: technology, McDonald’s in India

Distribution, Density, and Patterns

Distribution Everything on the Earth’s surface has a physical location and is organized in space This is called distribution

Density Density is how often an object occurs within a given area or space

Population Density Population Density: looks at how many people occupy a given amount of space

Physiological Density Physiological Density: refers to the number of people divided by the arable (farmable) land

Agricultural Density Agricultural density is the amount of arable land divided by the number of farmers in a given area

Arithmetic Density Arithmetic Density: calculates the density using all land in a given area

Concentration Concentration refers to how common something is in a given area

Pattern Pattern relates to how objects are organized in their space Patterns are described using geometric shapes

Linear Pattern Linear pattern: the objects are along a single line Example: gas stations along a highway

Centralized Centralized: the objects are clustered together Example: Ethnic neighborhoods, flower district

Random Distribution Random Distribution: lack of pattern on the landscape