Seven Key Geographical Concepts & Map Skills

Twenty Q&A flashcards covering the definition and application of the seven geographical concepts (Space, Place, Interconnection, Change, Environment, Sustainability, Scale) plus foundational ideas about geography and mapping.

What are the seven key geographical concepts represented by the acronym S-P-I-C-E-S-S?

Space, Place, Interconnection, Change, Environment, Sustainability, Scale.

Which three elements make up the geographical concept of Space?

Location (where things are), distribution or pattern across space, and organisation (how things are arranged and managed by people).

How can a place’s location be described in geography?

By its absolute location (latitude and longitude) or its relative location (direction and distance from another place).

Give a town-based example of spatial patterns a geographer might observe.

Street layout, placement of parks, spacing of schools and shopping centres, or the network of railways and highways.

What is the focus of the geographical concept of Place?

The significance of a landscape and its features as identified, experienced, and valued by people.

Why might Uluru be valued differently by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people?

Aboriginal people view Uluru as spiritually and culturally significant, while non-Aboriginal visitors may value it mainly for its natural beauty.

What does the concept of Interconnection emphasise?

That nothing can be viewed in isolation; all things in a place are linked through natural processes and human activities.

Name one human activity that can worsen a natural bushfire event.

Global warming (greenhouse gas emissions) which leads to hotter, drier conditions.

Which two dimensions are involved in the concept of Change?

Time and space.

Provide an example of a short-term change and a long-term change in geography.

Short-term: a flash flood; Long-term: climate change or the formation of fossil fuels over millions of years.

List two examples of spatial change in the human environment.

Construction of new buildings and upgrade of roads (other acceptable answers: park rejuvenation, expansion of suburbs, etc.).

In the geographical concept of Environment, what does ‘environment’ include?

All living and non-living elements of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere.

Give three examples of different environments studied in geography.

Desert environment, coastal environment, rainforest environment.

Define Sustainability in the context of geography.

The capacity of the environment to continue supporting human life and other living creatures into the future through responsible management of resources.

State three everyday actions that promote environmental sustainability.

Recycling, reducing waste and pollution, replanting trees (others: saving water, fishing sustainably, using renewable energy).

What does the concept of Scale examine?

How geographical phenomena can be explained at different levels: personal, local, regional, national, and global.

Describe one impact of the recent Australian bushfires at the personal, local/regional, and national scales.

Personal: loss of homes and mental-health effects; Local/Regional: destruction of communities, businesses, and schools; National: economic losses, tourism decline, environmental damage (18 million ha burned, 5900 buildings lost, ~1 billion animals killed).

Why do geographers consider geography ‘a way of thinking’?

It involves looking at the world spatially, identifying patterns, relationships, and processes to understand how places and environments function.

What is one of the key tools geographers use to unlock spatial information?

Maps.

Name two critical map-related skills that geography students develop.

Using and interpreting different types of maps, and producing their own maps or spatial information (by hand or digitally).

What is urbanisation?

The process of a population shifting from rural to urban areas, leading to the growth and expansion of cities.

What are some 'pull factors' driving people to urban areas?

Increased employment opportunities, better access to education and healthcare, and improved infrastructure and services.

What are some 'push factors' contributing to urbanisation?

Lack of jobs, limited access to education and healthcare, and environmental degradation or conflict in rural areas.

What are the main positive consequences of urbanisation?

Economic growth, increased innovation, better social services, and greater cultural diversity.

What are some negative consequences of rapid urbanisation?

Overcrowding, increased pollution, housing shortages, strain on infrastructure, and rise in social inequality.

What are two examples of spatial changes brought about by urbanisation in the human environment?

Expansion of physical infrastructure like roads and buildings, changes in land use from rural to urban, and the increasing population density in urban centers.