world regions geography exam 1

origin of geography

• ancient Greeks

• geo = earth

• graphien = description

• began cataloging info, not a science yet

• became a science, asking questions and seeking answers, where and why

define geography

• geography = spatial science (study of space and place)

• location and distribution of features

• - on Earth’s surface

• - human activity

• - natural environment

• - relationship btwn the 2

• - answers where and why

study of geography

• 2 ways to study geography

• 1, systematically

• 2, regionally

systematically

• study of systematic subfields

• 1. physical geography

• 2. human geography

geography is both a physical and social science

-

2nd regional approach

• break the world down into smaller units

• region = area of Earth’s surface, marked by certain properties

• - differentiate it from other regions

• scientific devices

• - enables us to make spatial generalizations

regions

• based on criteria that people establish

• - human (cultural) properties

• - physical (natural) properties

• - combination

• all regions have location, area, boundaries

• regions come in all sizes

• - global scale - world regional scale - country - local w/in a country

Europe climates

• North Atlantic Drift

• - ocean current

• - warm water for West and North Europe

• — from Gulf Stream Current across North Atlantic towards Europe

• - effect of warm water felt into parts of Russia

North Atlantic Drift (Europe)

• effects of westerly winds felt into much of Europe

• midlatitude west coast climate (effected by North Atlantic Drift)

• - West Europe

• - mild winters

• - warm summers

• - precipitation yr round

Mediterranean climate (Europe)

• along Mediterranean Sea

• mild, wet winters

• warm to hot, dry summers

midlatitude continental interior climate (Europe)

• Eastern Europe

• little influence from North Atlantic Drift

• cold to severe winters

• warm to hot summers

Europe

• peninsula on the Eurasian land mass

• Europe = series of peninsulas

• - Italian, Iberian, Greece, Scandinavia

• - many smaller peninsulas

Articulate Coastline (Europe)

• Europe has 1

• facilitates movement between land and sea

• - long coastline b/c of peninsulas

• - w/ many natural harbors

Navigable Rivers (Europe)

• Danube River

• - longest in Europe

• - 8 countries

• - transportation and hydroelectric projects limited

• — countries not as developed, Cold War Era

• Rhine River

• - 2nd longest in Europe

• - world’s busiest waterway

• - industrialized since mid 1800s

Northern European Plain

• Atlantic coast of France

• across Germany and Poland

• into Ukraine, Belarus, Russia (connects to other plains and mountains)

• migration route

• invasion route

European Mountains

• Alps

• Pyrennes

• Appenine

• Carpathians

Earthquakes and volcanoes (Europe)

• European continental plate

• African continental plate

• pushing on each other

European Influences on world

• origin for many current global ideas and practice

• basis for “western” culture

• “western” culture = often not wanted around the world

• foundation for

• - modern global political system

• - capitalism for much of global economy

what are the culture groups of Europe

• 1st inhabitants of Europe

• - Greeks

• - Celts

• - Romans

• later arrived

• - Germanic tribes

• - slavic people

Greeks (Europe)

• 1000 BC

• - established thru southern Europe out of Greece

• 1st democracies

• - adopted much later in Europe and other parts of world

• origin for much of western culture

• - science, humanities

Celtic people (Europe)

• same time as Greeks

• - most of Europe

• culture area declined w/ Roman conquests

• - pushed to western edges

• - Brittany (France)

• - Ireland, Scotland, Wales

Romans (Europe)

• 100 BC = eclipsed Greeks

• huge empire

• - British Isles to parts of Middle East

• extensive road network

• - tied empire together

• — military, trade

• - some still exist today

• many European cities began as army camps (ex. London, Paris, Vienna)

Roman Culture (Europe)

• some passed down today

• Latin

• - after decline of Rome, local accents developed into Romance languages

• — French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian

• diffusion of Christianity

• - official religion in 381AD

• - later spread beyond borders of Roman Empire

Germanic People (Europe)

• origin in North Europe

• - 1200BC = small group

• - by 600BC = larger area

• — North Germany - Scandinavia - Eastern Europe

• conquered Celtic lands not taken by Romans

• - North of Danube River

• - East of Rhine River

• threat to Roman Empire

• sacked (conquer and take stuff/wealth) in 410AD

• some later adopted Roman Culture

• Franks

• - by 500AD took over Gaul from Romans (French)

• - Lambarbs and Visigoths (Italy and Spain)

• Angles and Saxons (450AD)

• - invaded England

• - Origin of English

• in Scandinavia developed Viking culture

• Vikings

• - seafaring culture (Iceland and Greenland, North America)

• - martial culture (fighting)

• — invade British Isles and France

• — Baltic Sea and Russia

• Germanic languages

• - Modern German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English

• converted to Christianity

• main people are behind Protestant Reformation

Slavic people (Europe)

• last major group to migrate into Europe (400s AD)

• westward to Elbe River

• - middle of Germany

• southward to Adriatic Sea into Balkan peninsula

over time and space (Europe)

• the groups have different tribes, affiliations

• - evolved into modern European ethnicities

• Europe = very culturally diverse

European Influences on World Culture

• Capitalism

• Colonialism

• Nationalism

Capitalism (Europe)

• individuals and corporations

• - own business (right to own property)

• - keep profits

• origins = western and Mediterranean Europe

• 1400s (began investing in trade expeditions)

Colonialism (Europe)

• country extends power to another area

• - to control human and natural resources for profit of 1st country

• Portugal, 1400s

• - sailing around Africa to reach India and Spice Islands (Indonesia)

• - direct trade - no middle man

• - capitalism

• 1441, Portuguese ships reached West Africa

• - gold, ivory slaves

• - increased interest in exploration

• other western European countries started exploration

• radical changes to many parts of world

• - geog patterns change at all scales

• — world regional and local

• — culture, economy, politics

• Columbus, 1492 (did not discover New World)

• - 1st sustained between Europe and New World

Colonialism to Imperialism

• Imperialism

• - a country extends its political power to rule over foreign lands and people

• European Empires around world (1500s to 1600s)

Modern Countries (Europe)

• origin about 1000AD in Western Europe

• - change began in peoples loyalty

• - from local feudal lords to emerging countries

• treaty of Westphalia (1648)

• - established modern system of international relations

• states (often called countries)

• nations = people who share common cultural characteristics (ethnic groups)

• - Europe developed “nation-state” ideal

• - each nation (ethnic group) governs itself thru own state

• prolbem with nation state

• - Nations (ethnic groups) are all mixed up in Europe

Nationalism (Europe)

• Patriotism = pride in your country

• Nationalism = superiority over other people

• nations demanded territory for their own state

• - minority groups often treated poorly

• European armies used against each other in Europe (also used in Empires)

• World War 1

• - Austro-Hungarian Empire torn apart

• - Ethnic groups created own states in Eastern Europe

• World War 2

• - extreme and intolerant nationalism under fascism (Italy and Germany)

• - attempted genocide of entire ethnic group by Nazis

• - Holocaust

• — 11-13 million killed in concentration camps

• — Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, Gays, disabled

Post World War 2 Europe

• loser and winners both destroyed (economically and physically)

• colonies of European countries demanded independence

• weakened Europe faced w/ 2 super powers (US and USSR (Soviet Union, communist in 1917)

Communism Europe

• says

• - capitalist manipulate govts

• - use their wealth to protect and increase their privileged positions

• - keep working class powerless and in poverty

• state socialism

• - communist party actively runs political, social and economic activities of people

• - state owned businesses

• — manage production thru planned economics

• - people get what they need

• — communist party decides what they need

• USSR controlled Eastern and central

• - post WW2 to 1990-1991

• Western Europe

• - Marshall Plan by US, 1948

• — US worried communism could spread thru all Europe

• - rebuilt western Europe and revived economies

• - not communist

Communism (Eastern Europe)

• communist until 1989 and 1990 (USSR collapsing)

• dumped communist govt bc

• - oppression (political, human rights, economic)

• - economic stagnation and decline

supranationalism (Europe)

• different states (countries) cooperate for mutual benefit

• - share govt, econ, military, social policies

• European countries weak at end of WW2

• - cooperation could lead to stronger Europe

NATO (North Atlantic Trade Organization)

• West Europe w/ US and Canada (1949)

• military organization to counter communist threat

• - USSR and Eastern Europe and other places

• need for NATO after fall of USSR, 1991

• former communist countries eager to join

• - Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic

• protection from Russian Nationalism

EU (European Union)

• began slowly

• Belgium Netherlands, Luxembourg

• - 1949 - custom union

• - compete together in global economy

• 1952 - France and Germany join

• Econ ties will make war too expensive

• 1957 - European Economic Community (EEC)

• - trade and economic development

• 1967 = EEC changed name to EC (European Community)

• - political goals added to economic goals

• 1973 = new members (Western Europe)

• 1981-1995 (southern central Europe)

• 2004-2007 = 12 Eastern European countries joined

• - former communist govts

• Turkey wants to join (prob won’t happen)

Devolution

• same time as supranationalism

• local people desire greater authority

• - less rule from central govt., EU

• - other independence

• 1 complaint

• - EU to focused on finance and business

• - not enough on welfare of people

• United Kingdom

• - Northern Island (many Roman Catholics want to join Ireland)

• Spain

• - Basques

• - Catalonia

• Italy (Northern and Southern Italy, Sicily)

• Romania (Transylvania)

• Independence

• - from former USSR

• - Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova

• Czechoslavia

• - Czech Republic and Slovakia, peaceful

• Yugoslavia broke into several countries, not peaceful

• Brexit (British (UK) exit from EU) - voted in 2016

• - UK left EU, Dec 31st, 2020

Population Patterns

• most countries have 0 pop growth

• - immigrants have higher birth rates than Europeans

• many have decreasing pop (Germany, Italy)

• factors contributing to low birth rates

• - few out of wed lock births

• - young people living w/ parents (into late 20s - mid 30s and beyond)

• - small apartments

• - defer marriage to later age

• - careers for women

• Germany (declining pop rapidly)

• - by 2100, few governments left

• guest workers

• - “temporary” immigrants to Europe (early 1950s)

• - needed cheap labor

• — unskilled, low pay jobs

• —- jobs Europeans didn’t want to do

• - Turkey, North Africa, and Middle East

• - former USSR

• guest workers of pop

• - Germany = 9%, Luxembourg = 12%, Switzerland 20%

• - low status, low skilled jobs

• - “temporary” usu became permanent

• - suffer from poor social conditions

• — poor housing, low pay

• — often discriminated against

• - — ethnicity/race religion

• little assimilation by Europeans

• Illegal Immigration (Africa and Middle East)

• - escape war, persecution, poverty

• - higher birth rates than Europeans

• rising nationalism in much of Europe

• - partly bc of immigration

• guest worker arguably the latest wave of major migration into Europe

Russia

• former USSR broke up in 1991

• still largest country by land area

• 11 time zones

• Russian Wheat Belt and densest pop

• not enough people to fill ALL Russian territory

Russian location

• most above 50 degrees latitude

• - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Alaska and Canada

• most of Russia lies far from ocean (in continental interior)

Mid Latitude Continental Interior Climates (Russia)

• continentality = land heats up & cools down faster than water

• greater extremes of temps (btwn summer and winter)

• much of Russia

• - winter = extremely cold, summer = warm to hot

Ural Mountains

• east end of North European Plain

• not major barrier to movement to east

• - fairly easy to go

• — around in south, thru them

• traditional dividing line betwn Europe and Asia

• Siberia = east of Ural Mountains

Plains, Plateaus, Rivers (Russia)

• Russia dominated by Plains, Plateaus

• - cut by major rivers

• Plateaus

• - no barrier to transportation

• - many mineral bearing rocks

Russian Plains

• Central Russian Upland

• West Siberian Plain

Central Russian Upland

• eroded, hilly, no barrier to movement

• not in middle of Russia, center of pop

• 2000 mile wide

• - too wide for invading armies to control

• - too wide for Russia to stop invasions

• Siberia (east of Ural Mountains)

West Siberian Plateau

• flat, often swampy, too cold and wet for agr

Plateaus Russia

• Central Siberian Plateau

• East Siberian Uplands

Central Siberian Plateau

• easy to move onto and thru plateau

• minerals

East Siberian Uplands

• very little pop

• minerals

• some of the coldest areas on Earth

Russia Rivers

• western Russia

• intensive use

• - transportation, hydroelectricity, industrial and drinking water

• often polluted

• Don River into Baltic Sea

• Volga River into Caspian Sea

• - connected to Don River by canals

• Rivers of Siberia (isolated)

• - North to Arctic Ocean

• - not useful

Steppes Russia

• grasslands

• - similar to US prairies only colder

• Black Earth Soil (fertile)

• 1 of the wrold’s major wheat areas

Permafrost Russia

• permanently frozen soil

• Central and Eastern Siberia (some 10,000 ft deep)

• farming is almost impossible

historical geography of Russia

• 800s = Vikings traders moved into Volga and Don River regions

• - trading fortress cities

• - Vikings ruled over slavic people

• - in Ukraine and West Russia

• - became known as “Rus”

“Rus”

• lost Viking culture

• adopted slavic culture

• some “Rus” became Russian

• - term for people and land

• some “Rus” became Ukraine

Muscovy (Russia)

• btwn Baltic and Black Seas

• ruled by a “Grand Prince”

• Ivan 3

• - saw himself as leader of a “New Rome”

• Attack as Defense (Ivan 3)

• - attack and gain territory

• - new territory is buffer to defend Heartland

• - strategic depth

• Russian strategy for over 500 years

• Muscovy

• - early access to Russia

• - no natural barriers to Russian heartland

• Northern European Plains

• - Russian access into Europe, Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia

• - attack as defense

• Ivan the Terrible (Ivan the 4th)

• - adopted title of “Czar” (1547)

• starts to become Russia

Russian Empire

• continued expansion

• - largest to East = Siberia

• - some to west and south

• since mid 1700s

• - most worried about west

• All for strategic depth

• - still Russian strategy today

• protect Russian heartland

• 9 major gaps to invade into Russia

• plug the gaps and have smaller areas of defense

• expand outward and fight, conquer territory and many people

• some for defense, many started for strategic depth

• strategic depth also means attacking and conquering non-Russians

• so much fighting makes for paranoid leaders

Russia Communism

• October Revolution of 1917

• - by Bolsheviks

• - occurred in November

• 1st communist state in world (USSR or Soviet Union)

• planned economies (5 yr plan, Never ran according to plan)

USSR

• 1982 = Collectivization of farms began

• - land taken from farmers

• - owned by govt

• - ex farmers assigned job on collective farms

• Ukraine fought against collectivization

• Stalin

• - dictator of USSR

• - purposely starved millions of Ukraine

• 10-12 million died during collectivization

• almost lost WW2 in 1941 after Navzi invasion

• 2/3rd of German Army in WW2 vs USSR

Russian Post WW2

• USSR seizes countries from Nazis

• - took Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (lost independence)

• - Eastern Europe under Soviet control

• 1 of 2 global superpowers (US)

Space Race

• USSR

• - 1st artificial satellite = Sputnik

• - 1st man in orbit = Yuri Gagarin

• - lost the race to the moon

USSR economoy

• rapid growth 1950s

• slowed 1960s

• stagnated 1970s

• declined and failed 1980s

Demise of USSR 1991

• Soviet economic, social and political system failed, mid and late 1980s

• could not keep up w/

• - Nato = military

• - the west = economically

• - USSR lost influence

• 1989-1990 Eastern European countries ended communist govts

• health and education systems failed in late 1980s

• May 1990 huge conflicts w/in a communist party

• Jan 1991 to sept 1991 rapid series of events

• - communist leaders lost political control

• Ukraine and Belarus declared independence, 1991

• - could not be stopped

• - Baltic, Caucasus and Central Asian republics declared independence

• USSR dissolved in dec 1991

bad economic policy

• 1990 Russia

• - sold USSR businesses to private people

• - concentrated on exports of raw material s and grains

• — not as manufacturing

• Russian depends raw material exports for money

• -oil, natural gas, wheat, metals

• dependent on imports as manufactured goods

• - computer chips, machinery, electronics

• USSR demands for oil dropped 1989-1991

• mid 1990s = no people who knew how to teach

• - contracted w/ foreign firms

• - 1989 production lvls not reached until dec 2021

• voluntarily left Russia after invasion of Ukraine

Population dynamics Russia

• from 1600s to 1990

• - ethnic Russians encouraged to settle in non-Russian areas

• — Central Asia, Caucasus region, Baltics

• independent countries since 1991

• - still many ethnic Russians in these locations

• — loyal to Russia, not to new countries

• low birth rates

• - losing pop

• in some regions deaths outnumbered births by 2-1

• high migration from Siberia to Western Russia

• life expectancy

• - women 78

• - men 66 prob faked

Increasing Nationalism Russia

• Putin and Oligarchs want Russia to be treated as a great power

• -wants to dominate Global Geopolitics, it cant

• Russia invaded Crimea and West Ukraine 2014

• - denounced by most countries

• - some economic sanctions

• Feb 2022 = invaded Ukraine so has done badly

Russia Geopolitical Problem

• want to be a great superpower

• - militarily, geopolitically, economically

• — since Ivan 3, mid 1400s

• - demand to be treated as a great power

• - has never had the resources to be a great power

• -espec human resources

• Putin wants to plug the gaps

• - short easily defended positions need fewer people and weapons

• - see enemies that dont exist