The Five Themes of Geography gives us a way to look at the world spatially.

Location Where is it? The position of something on the earth’s surface.

Absolute Location Exact location on the earth using latitude and longitude, a grid system or an address. Absolute location doesn’t change and are unique

Relative/Situation Location The location of a place by comparing it to another location Cardinal direction Distance Time Landmarks Apply the concept of relative location to: 1. A college student deciding where to live in the coming year 2. Deciding where to locate a new grocery store, school 3. Multinational firm--deciding where to locate a production facility

Relative/Situation Location This term can also refer to a place in terms of how central (important) or isolated a place is in relation to other places

The Silk Road and the city of Samarkand The city of Samarkand was once very important as it was located on the major ancient, OVER LAND trade route known as the Silk Road. When ships began to be the focus of international trade, important cities grew along coasts. Inland Samarkand became isolated as a result.

Place What physical and human characteristics can I see at a location?

Physical Characteristics: Topography Relief or surface elements of the earth’s surface

Physical Characteristics: Climate

Physical Characteristics: Vegetation

Physical Characteristics: Wildlife

Human Characteristics: Agriculture

Human Characteristics: Architecture The “dancing house” is an office building in downtown Prague

Human Characteristics: Religion

Human Characteristics: Economics Levels of development Livelihoods

Regions How are places similar?

Formal/Uniform Region A formal region is an area defined by a limited number of related characteristics based on data/facts The globe shows Latin America where most people share Spanish and Catholicism. The middle image is of Canada, political boundaries form formal regions. The region on the right shares the common characteristic of Islam. Political entities

Functional/Nodal Region Functional regions are areas created by movement around a central hub or node. There must be movement to have a nodal region. Austin metropolitan area Eanes attendance area Amazon River Basin

Perceptual/Vernacular Region Perceptual regions exist in someone’s mind. These regions are based on how individuals perceive a region. Boundaries and characteristics of Vernacular regions are different depending on an individual’s perceptions

Perceptual/Vernacular Region The characteristics of the regions above will differ between individuals. What characteristics do you think of when I say “The South?” Where does the South stop and the Midwest or the Southwest begin? There are no clear boundaries between perceptual regions.

Wilbur Zelinsky and perceputal regions of the USA Zelinksy was a cultural geographer that used names of people and businesses in the phone book to map perceptual regions of the USA

Human Environment Interaction (HEI) How do people relate to their physical world?

Human-Environment Interaction Humans depend on their physical environment for basic needs.

Human-Environment Interaction Humans adapt to their physical environment. Adaptation must be to the PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT!!! Many students will make the mistake of lumping cultural adaptations into this category. For example, I moved to France and adapted by learning to speak French. This is wrong b/c it isn’t an adaptation to the physical environment. Building materials clothing styles

Human-Environment Interaction Humans modify their environment. Any change to the physical environment works. Breathing, cutting down a tree, or throwing a rock in a river are all simple but work as examples. Of course, we are looking for larger examples and the ramifications of HEI. Open-pit mine Terracing for rice farming

Human-Environment Interaction Human interaction with the environment can have important consequences.

Movement How and why do people, goods and ideas move? What changes resulted in the movement? (both locations involved in movement change)

People We will look at the movement of people, migration, at a later date. People move for a reason and that is important.

Goods

Ideas How do you move an idea? What changes occur when ideas move?