geography

relative location

in relation to another building or location

How GPS works

◦24 Satellites; 4 maintain line-of-sight with GPS receiver

◦GPS receiver calculates location using 3 satellites

◦Depends on knowing the correct TIME

Global Positioning System

◦Absolute location

◦Developed for military use; public in 2000

north and south

easy bc can use stars

absolute location ◦Degree (60 NM), Minute (1 NM), Second (~100ft)

exact location

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5° S of Equator

Tropic of Cancer

23.5° N of Equator

Lines of Longitude (Meridians)

Measure E/W of the Prime Meridian

Lines of Latitude (parallels)

Measure n/S of the equator

Equator

Prime Meridian

Spatial Distribution example

Western Washington (USA) -rainforest

Eastern Washington (USA)- desert

Longitude (Meridians)

circle earth from North pole to South pole

closer at poles

divide earth into hemispheres

used to decribe how far W or E of the prime meridian a location is

Arctic & Antarctic Circles:

66.5°N, 66.5°S

◦Tropic of Capricorn:

Farthest south this happens

◦Tropic of Cancer:

Farthest north this happens

◦Tropic of Capricorn,

23.5° S of Equator

◦Tropic of Cancer,

23.5° N of Equator

Prime Meridian;

International Date Line

used to decribe how far W or E of the prime meridian a location is

Longitude (Meridians)

Physical Geography

the branch of geography dealing with natural features and processes

Human Geography

The study of where and why human activities are located where they are

spacial interactions

the flow of goods, people, services, or information across space and among places

Spatial Distribution

physical location of geographic phenomena across space

Latitude (Parallels)

run parallel to equator

used to describe how far N or S of the equator a location is

 Mercator Projection

◦Most useful projection for exploring the seas

◦BUT:  Makes Greenland, Russia look far larger

◦Could this have some political use?

Features are larger, area is smaller

◦Thus: 1:100 is said to be larger scale than 1:1000

Larger Scale

Smaller

Features are smaller, area is larger

◦Thus: 1:100 is said to be larger scale than 1:1000

 Ratio between size of map and area being mapped

Scale

 Remote Sensing

◦Satellites, drones, aircraft capture images

◦Geographers & Computers analyze, interpret data

◦What are some possible applications?

 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

◦Computer-based approach to mapping

◦Information stored in databases

◦Relies on building maps with multiple layers

dots on map

water well example

 Areas that share 1+ defining characteristic

◦Physical Features or Patterns of Human Development

regions

◦Defined by a single specific trait

◦Language or Landforms

formal regions

◦Defined by specific activities

◦Agriculture, Transportation or Utility Connections, even Sports Fandom

◦Megacities with cultural and economic integration (e.g. Megalopolis)

Functional Regions

◦Based on perceptions, hard-to-define, changeable

◦“The South” or “The West” – concepts shaped by people, local culture, history   

Vernacular Regions

 Cultural Landscape: 

 how we study “places”

◦“visible material expression of human settlement”

◦All areas have a “physical landscape”

◦Similarly, all settled areas have a “cultural landscape”