Chapter 1 - Handout

Scope of Geography

The surface of the Earth, which includes the interface of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, providing the habitable zone for humans.

Approaches of Geography

By considering two continuums: a human-physical continuum and a topical-regional continuum.

Location

A particular place or position. Location can be of two types: absolute location and relative location.

Absolute Location

By its latitude and longitude or its exact address.

What does the theme of "place" in geography refer to?

The physical and human aspects of a location, including toponym (the name of a place), site (the description of the features of the place), and situation (the environmental conditions of the place).

What unique characteristics define each place on Earth?

Landforms, hydrology, biogeography, pedology, characteristics and size of its human population, and distinct human cultures.

How does the concept of "place" aid geographers?

It aids them in comparing and contrasting two places on Earth.

Human-Environment Interaction: What are the three distinct aspects of human-environment interaction?

Dependency, adaptation, and modification.

Dependency: What does dependency in human-environment interaction refer to?

The ways in which humans are dependent on nature for a living.

Adaptation: What does adaptation in human-environment interaction involve?

How humans modify themselves, their lifestyles, and their behavior to live in a new environment with new challenges.

Modification: How has modification impacted human-environment interaction?

It has allowed humans to "conquer" the world for their comfortable living.

Movement

The translocation of human beings, their goods, and their ideas from one end of the planet to another.

How has physical movement impacted human geography?

It allowed the human race to inhabit all the continents and islands of the world.

What aspect of movement involves the transport of goods?

The movement of goods from one place on the Earth to another.

How does movement contribute to the flow of ideas?

It allows the unification of human civilization and promotes its growth and prosperity.

Region

A geographic area with distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from adjacent units of space.

What characterizes a formal region?

Homogeneity in terms of a certain phenomenon, such as soil, temperature, rainfall, or cultural elements like language, religion, and economy.

How is a functional or nodal region characterized?

By functional interrelationships in a spatial system defined by the linkages binding particular phenomena.

What region of Africa does the Horn of Africa belong to, and what countries does it include?

The Horn of Africa is a region of eastern Africa, composed of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. It separates the northern Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden.

Horn of Africa: Largest and Smallest county, respectively.

Ethiopia is the largest, while Djibouti is the smallest.

Diverse Areas of the Horn

The highlands of the Ethiopian Plateau, the Ogaden desert, and the Eritrean and Somali coasts.

Astronomical Location

Lines of latitudes and longitudes.

How does Ethiopia's latitudinal location impact its climate?

It experiences a tropical climate.

Impact of Longitudinal Location of Ethiopia

There is a difference of one hour between the most easterly and most westerly points of the country.

Relative Location

Relative location expresses the location of countries or places with reference to the location of other countries, landmasses, or water bodies.

What are the climate implications of Ethiopia's location?

Ethiopia's location between 3°N and 15°N (between the Equator and Tropic of Cancer) implies a tropical climate, modified by altitude. Its location relative to the Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and African and Asian landmasses also influences its climate.

Ethiopia's proximity to the Middle East, the origin of major world religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, has made it one of the earliest recipients of these religions. Additionally, linguistic and other cultural relationships with neighboring countries reflect the influence of Ethiopia's location.

What are the political implications of Ethiopia's location?

Ethiopia's political history has been influenced by geopolitical considerations of superpowers, adjacency to the Red Sea (a major global trade route), and the geopolitical paradigms of the Middle East.

Size of Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a total area of approximately 1,106,000 square kilometers, making it the 8th largest country in Africa and the 25th largest in the world.

Dimensions of Ethiopia

Ethiopia extends about 1,639 kilometers East-West and 1,577 kilometers North-South.

Water Bodies in Ethiopia

Approximately 0.7% of Ethiopia's land area is covered by water bodies.

Impact of Size

The size of Ethiopia affects both the natural and human environment of the country.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethiopia’s Size

Ethiopia's large size may offer advantages such as abundant natural resources and cultural diversity, but it may also pose challenges in terms of governance, infrastructure development, and resource management.

Main Categories for Country’s Shape

The main categories of country shapes are compact, fragmented, elongated, perforated, and protrude. Examples include Chile for elongated shape and Myanmar for protrude shape.

What implications do different shapes of countries have?

Different shapes of countries have implications on defense, administration, and economic integration within a country.

Measures of Compactness

1. Area-Boundary ratio

2. Boundary-Circumference ratio

3. Area-Circumference ratio

4. Area Area (A/A’) ratio

What do the different compactness ratios indicate about a country's shape?

1. The higher the A/B ratio, the greater the degree of compactness.

2. The nearer the Boundary-Circumference ratio and the Area-Circumference ratio to 1, the more compact the country is.

3. The nearer the A/A’ ratio to 1, the more compact the country is.

Map

Features in Map Reading

Map reading involves identifying natural features like mountains and rivers, as well as man-made features like roads and buildings.

Importance of Maps

Maps provide details about regions, aid in spatial analysis, help locate features, and are used across various disciplines like planning, science, and history. They also store geographical data and enable reliable measurements.

Types of Map

Topographical maps and Special purpose (statistical) maps.

Topographical Maps

Topographical maps depict natural and cultural features of an area. The contents of these maps depend on the purpose of the map, scale, date of compilation, and nature of the land represented.

Special Purpose/Statistical Maps

Marginal Information on Maps

Title

The heading of the map, indicating what the map is all about.

Key/Legend

A list of all conventional symbols and signs shown on the map with their interpretation.

Scale

The scale is the ratio between the distance on the map and the actual ground distance. It enables the map user to interpret ground measurements like road distance, area sizes, gradient, etc.

North Arrow

Indicates the north direction on a map and is used to know the other important directions of the mapped area like east, west, south, and west.

Margin

The frame of the map, showing the end of the mapped area.

Date of Compilation

The date of map publication, enabling map users to realize whether the map is updated or outdated.

What is the first principle of map reading regarding map symbols?

Every map symbol must be visualized by the reader to read a map. Symbols referring to landscape features that the reader already has some images of should be introduced first, and symbols should be introduced as needed.

Why is knowledge of directions important in map reading?

Knowledge of directions is important in map reading because one of the basic functions of maps is to help us orient ourselves and locate places on the Earth.