Human Geography- Unit 1

Human Geography

The study of how people make places, how we organize space and society, how we interact with each other in places and across space, and how we make sense of others and ourselves in our locality, region, and world.

Physical Geography

the study of physical features of the earth's surface

Five Themes of Geography

Place, Region, Human Environment Interaction, Location, Movement

Map

A generalized and SELECTED view of an area, usually some portion of Earth's surface, as seen from above at a greatly reduced size

Map Symbolization

What's on the Map

Map Projection

Shape of the map

Reference Maps

Designed for people to refer to for general information about places. The two main reference maps are POLITICAL and PHYSICAL.

Political Map

Shows and labels the human-created boundaries and

designations, such as countries, states, cities, and capitals. Can change often.

Physical Map

Shows and labels the natural features like terrain and elevation, such as mountains, rivers, and deserts.

Thematic Map

show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomenon

Dot Map

used to show the specific location and distribution of something across the territory of the map

Graduated symbol map

use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something (larger circles for larger amounts)

Isoline Map

A thematic map with lines that connect points of equal value. (Like a topographic map)

Cartogram map

The size of countries are shown according to some specific statistic (the one with the squares)

Flowline Map

shows movement of objects from place to place (arrows)

Map Projection

a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

Mercator Projection

a map projection of the earth onto a cylinder (square one, with the even lines but it makes Greenland look big) + the one google uses lol

Peters Projection

An equal-area projection purposely centered on Africa in an attempt to treat all regions of Earth equally. (Taller in middle)

Robinson

Size is closer, is basically peters but has the curved sides

SADD (map distortions)

Shape, area, distance and direction. Every projection has distortion but one part of SADD has to be preserved.

Scale

The ratio between the size of things in the real world and the size of those same things on the map

Cartographic Scale

Refers to the way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents:

Words - 1in = 10 miles

Ratio - 1/2000 or 1:2000 (1 unit on the map equals 2000 units ont he ground

Line - length of the line indicates distance on map

Small vs Large Scale

Small Scale: large area with little detail

Large Scale: small area with great detail

Zoomed out maps (larger areas) = Small Scale

Zoomed in maps (smaller areas) = Large scale

Geographic Scale

aka relative scale, refers to the amount of territory that the map represents.

Global = entire planet

Local = Map of a city

Scale of the Data

The scale of information portrayed on a map, such as state level or local level. Could be the same map as others, but the DATA is portrayed differently.

Remote sensing

The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or from other long-distance methods.

The data is collected by cameras on satellites and planes, balloons, etc. These images are directly and instantaneously transmitted to satellites and computers back on Earth. (Hurricane watching)

GIS (geographic information system)

A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data. Uses thematic layers to create digital map. (Google Earth is multiple thematic layers stacked on top of each other)

The layers of geographical information are used to created complex maps, and study changes of characteristics in different places. (Crime data, land usage, etc)

Global Positioning System (GPS)

GPS: a network of satellites that orbit the earth. Satellites ping locations from computers, phones, and/or cars to find your exact geographical location. GPS gives directions to places, navigating, aircraft, locations, trails, and borders. Satellite pings location to you and sends it back

Region

An area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features; a way of organizing the world spatially

Formal Region (Uniform Region)

A region that shares common human or physical traits, such as language, religion, or climate. (Formal countries, cities, etc)

Functional Region (Nodal Region)

A region that has a shared political, economic, or social purpose or function where particular sets of activities or interactions occur within the region to support the purpose of function.

(Pizza delivery, DC metro train system)

Perceptual Region (Vernacular Region)

Personal and are based on lived experiences, understanding gained through education, perceptions created through media, interactions with people from different world regions, and ways information describe and present people and places. Areas that people see in their minds as similar. (American South, Midwest, Deep South, etc)

Site

describes the point at which a settlement is located, it describes the land it is built on. Factors such as relief, soil, water supply, and other resources were important in choosing the sites of early settlements.

• exact placement of settlement on the Earth (absolute location)

• the actual physical attributes of the place it occupies

Situation

described where the settlement is located in relation to the surrounding features such as other settlements, mountains, rivers and communications. It is the situation of a settlement that determines whether it will grow from small village into a large town or city.

Where a city is, in relation to the surrounding features

Site vs Situation

● Site is the exact location of a city, you can find it on a map. The

situation of a city relates to its surrounding features, both

human-made and natural.

● The site of a city has features that are inherent to its location. The

situation of the city includes characteristics that are external to

the settlement.

● The site is the land that the city was built upon. The situation

contains the surrounding areas of the city.

Absolute Location

Exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates or a street address

Relative Location

The location of something in relation to something else

Space

The physical distance between two places on the Earth's surface

Place

A specific point on Earth, distinguished by a particular characteristic

Time-Space compression

The ways relative distances "shrink", and how we make places far away seem closer. Refers to a set of processes that cause the relative distances between places (travel time or cost) to

contract, effectively making such places grow "closer".

Globalization

the interconnected nature of the world both

socially and economically

Spatial Interaction

The contact, movement, and flow of things between locations: physical (through roads) or information (through radio or Internet).

The increasing connection between places is reflected in the growth of spatial interaction.

Distance Decay

When things are far apart, they tend to be less well connected. —-> The diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin. Causes friction of distance. Example: weakening of radio tower as you drive to another state.

Friction of Distance

Distance requires effort, money, and energy to overcome

Environmental Possibilism

The belief that though connection between places is reflected in the growth of spatial interaction.

○ Humans decide how to interpret the environment based on their culture ○ People adapt to their environment with new technologies, clothing choices, food choices, and population. ○ The physical environment may limit some human actions, but

people have the ability to adjust to their environment.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment actually caused specific social development

○ Concentrates on how the physical environment causes social

development

○ Climate types affected different human activities, therefore; the more temperate of a climate you lived in, the more efficient a person you would be.

World System Theory (Core-Periphery Model)

The geographic expansion of the capitalist world

economy altered political systems and labor

conditions.

Economic and social disparities between sections of

the world economy have increased rather than

provided prosperity for all.

Building blocks, a world system, division of Labor, independent regions, stages of growth.

Core

U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia —> Wealthy, Powerful, Controls Media and Finance, Technologically advanced

Semi-Periphery

South Africa, India, China, Brazil Russia —> in the middle of corde and periphery

Periphery

Africa mostly, less developed, poor.

These countries are dependent upon Core countries for:

Education, technology, media, and military equipment

Brandt Line

(North/South Divide): economic division between the wealthy countries of Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia, and the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Network

a system of interconnected people or things e.g. transportation, communication, financial, governmental

Sustainability

meeting an increased demand for resources (energy, food, fuel) in a way that protects the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Land use

the function of land e.g. agricultural, commercial, residential, transportation, recreation

Regionalism

loyalty to the interests of a particular region

Chloropath Map

Map with one color, with different shades. Brighter the shade the greater the data point

Transnational Corporation

A company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located.

Cultural complex

A related set of cultural traits, such as prevailing dress codes and cooking and eating utensils.