What is Geography?

What is Geography? The study of everything on earth from rocks and rainfall to people and places

How do we study Geography? Look for patterns in where things are located and how they are arranged Physical features Human features Cultural features

Why do we study Geography? Understand other people and cultures better…build tolerance and understanding. Understand our relationship to the environment.

Possible Professions… ( Do Not Write) Cartography: studies maps and mapmaking. Largest employer: United States Geological society. Meteorology: weather and weather forecasting. Business World: Find new locations for stores Schedule routes for airlines New markets for businesses tourism

5 themes of Geography

The study of Geography has long been organized into 5 important themes.

Location

1. Location Absolute location. The exact spot on earth where something is located. Example: Niamey, Nigeria is at 13 degrees, 31 minutes north latitude and 2 degrees, 07 minutes east longitude. Relative location. The position of a place in relation to other places. Example: Phoenix is located south of Flagstaff and north of Tucson.

Place

2. Place A. Physical: weather, land features, plants, and animals. B. Human: includes a place’s people, their culture, and their ideas.

Human-Environment Interaction

3. Human-Environment interaction Describes how people adapt to their environment and how people change their environment. Examples- using wind, water, solar power

Movement

4. Movement People, goods, and ideas move continuously. This is called spatial interaction.

Region

5. Region Defined as common characteristics. Can be defined as physical characteristics, language, and culture.

Region Formal Regions- areas in which certain characteristics are found throughout the area (New England). Functional Regions- central place and surrounding places affecting it (Greater Phoenix area/Valley of the Sun). Perceptual Regions- defined by people’s feelings and attitudes about areas (the South)

2 main branches in Geography 1. Human: the study of how people and their activities vary from place to place. Includes political, economic, and cultural factors. 2. Physical: the study of how the earth’s natural features vary from place to place. Includes the study of plants and animals, weather and climates, and plains and mountains.