Chapter 1 Looking at the Earth

The Five Themes of Geography Geography: the study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the earth Geography: the study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the earth Why Study Geography

The Five Themes of Geography Location Location Place Place Region Region Movement Movement Human-Environment Interaction Human-Environment Interaction 5 Themes

Location Where is it? Absolute Location Absolute Location Exact place on earth where a geographic feature is foundExact place on earth where a geographic feature is found Hemispheres: North, South, East, WestHemispheres: North, South, East, West EquatorEquator Prime MeridianPrime Meridian

Absolute Location Latitude Lines Latitude Lines Run parallel to equatorRun parallel to equator North latitude or South latitudeNorth latitude or South latitude Longitude Lines Longitude Lines Run perpendicular to equatorRun perpendicular to equator Mark East or WestMark East or West Longitude/Latitude

Location Relative Location Relative Location Describes how a place is related to its surrounding environmentDescribes how a place is related to its surrounding environment

Place What is it like? Includes physical features and cultural characteristics Includes physical features and cultural characteristics Description of a place may change over time Description of a place may change over time

Region Region How are places similar or different? Region Formal Regions Formal Regions Defined by limited number of related characteristicsDefined by limited number of related characteristics U.S.A and Canada, Latin America, South Asia U.S.A and Canada, Latin America, South Asia

Region Functional Regions Functional Regions Organized around set of interactions and connections between placesOrganized around set of interactions and connections between places City and its suburbs City and its suburbs

Region How are places similar or different?  Perceptual Regions People perceive the characteristics of region in the same wayPeople perceive the characteristics of region in the same way -American Midwest

Human-Environment Interaction How do people relate to physical world? Learn to use what environment offers them Learn to use what environment offers them Change environment to meet their needs Change environment to meet their needs

Human-Environment Interaction Learn to live with certain aspects of environment Learn to live with certain aspects of environment People respond to same environment in different ways People respond to same environment in different ways

Movement How do people, goods and ideas move from one location to the other? Linear Distance Linear Distance How far across the earth something travelsHow far across the earth something travels

Movement Time Distance Time Distance Amount of time it takes to travelAmount of time it takes to travel Psychological Distance Psychological Distance Way people view distanceWay people view distance

The Geographer’s Tools Maps, globes, and data Maps, globes, and data 3 kinds of maps 3 kinds of maps General reference mapGeneral reference map Thematic mapThematic map Navigation mapNavigation map Countries of the World