ITS NATURE AND PERSPECTIVES HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ITS NATURE AND PERSPECTIVES

GEOGRAPHY AS A FIELD OF STUDY Physical and human geography are the two branches of study Spatial perspective is the unifying bond and is illustrated with maps Spatial analysis of patterns and processes

NOTABLE GEOGRAPHERS Herodotus – linked history and geography Aristotle – possible relationships between latitude, climate, and population density Eratosthenes – father of geography; calculated the circumference of Earth

NOTABLE GEOGRAPHERS Hipparchus – devised a grid system to map the curved surface of Earth Ptolemy – created first gazetteer & world’s first map; north at the top

NOTABLE GEOGRAPHERS Carl Sauer – possibilism – human activity is determined by choices that humans make rather than by physical environments

KEY CONCEPTS: SPACE Absolute Space – it exists in the aerial relations among phenomena on Earth’s surface Relative Space – is perceptual: it is socially produced and is subject to continual change

KEY CONCEPTS: PLACE Refers to a location that has a particular identity or value Value may vary depending on one’s perspective

KEY CONCEPTS: SCALE Refers to the size of the area studied Tutsis and Hutus in Rwanda cannot be examined just by looking at the country

GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS Maps Properties Size Distance Shape Direction Types Physical Political Special Interest Latitude and Longitude

GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS Maps Demonstrate that all places on Earth have their own distinctive properties Geographers disaggregate data to analyze each component

GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS Interpretations

GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS Region A part of Earth that displays internal homogeneity and is relatively distinct from surrounding areas

GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS Regionalization A special kind of classification in which locations on Earth’s surface are assigned to various regions, which must be contiguous spatial units Simplifying device = historical period Formal regions = classifying large regions Functional regions = spatial analysis Vernacular regions = human landscapes

SOURCES OF DATA Field research Census data GIS ISS/Space Shuttle photography