Ch 1

Geography

a discipline that examines Earth’s physical and human dimensions

Globalization

the increasing interconnectedness of people and places through converging economic, political, and cultural activities

Diversity

refers to the state of having different forms, types, practices or ideas, as well as the inclusion of distinct peoples, in a particular society

Describe the conceptual framework of world regional geography

Identify the different components of globalization, including controversial aspects, and list several ways in which globalization is changing world geographies.

Summarize the major tools used by geographers to study Earth’s surface.

Explain the concepts and metrics used to document changes in global population and settlement patterns.

Describe the themes and concepts used to study the ­interaction between globalization and the world’s cultural geographies.

Explain how different aspects of globalization have ­interacted with global geopolitics from the colonial period to the present day.

Identify the concepts and data important to documenting changes in the economic and social development of more and less developed countries.

Geography

A discipline inspired by our desire to explore and understand our world

What are the two puruits of geography?

physical and human geography

Physical geography

examines climate, landforms, soils, vegetation, and hydrology

Human geography

concentrates on the spatial analysis of economic, social, and cultural systems

What is thematic or systematic geography?

A geographic approach focused on a specific theme or topic

What is regional geography?

A geographic approach that focuses on a specific place or region

Place

Encompasses the characteristics of a location and the meaning people give to it

Cultural landscape

the tangible, material expression of human settlement, past and present

Space

represents a more abstract, quantitative, and model-driven approach to understanding how objects and practices are connected to and impact each other

Regions

Units of spacial similarity with a defined territory that share common characteristics

Formal region

Defined by some long term aspect of physical form, like climate or mountains

Functional region

Defined by the activities that take place within the area

World regions

12 regions defined by formal characteristics such as physical features, language groups, and religious affiliations, but also relying on functional characteristics such as trade groups and regional associations

What are the world regions?

North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Southwest Asia, Europe, Eurasia, Central South and East Asia, and Oceania

Explain the difference between place and space in geographic understanding and analysis

Place focuses on the meaning people place upon a location, such as cultural landscape, while space focuses on the more quantitative characteristics of an area, such as how income differs from location to location

How is the concept of the cultural landscape related to place?

Cultural landscape is a tool to help analyze a place. It reflects how people interact in a place and can be used to better understand that place.

How do functional regions differ from formal regions?

Functional regions are defined by the activities that take place within an area, formal regions are defined by the long term physical features of an area.

Globalization

the increasing interconnectedness of people and places

Glocalization

The process of modifying an introduced product or service to accommodate local tastes

Intraregional migration

Migration within a region

Interregional migration

Migration between regions

Human trafficking

the illegal trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation that is often integrated into these illegal networks

World Trade Organization (WTO)

an institution that deals with the global rules of trade among nations

What is an argument for globalization?

Countries that have embraced the global economy generally enjoy more economic success than those that have sought economic self-sufficiency

What is an argument against globalization?

Globalization is a way for corporations and countries to maximize profits by moving capital and seeking low-wage labor

What is a middle-ground argument for globalization?

Globalization is unavoidable, and has drawbacks, but can be manged to reduce economic inequality and to protect the natural environment

Provide examples of how globalization impacts the culture of a place or region

Globalization in the U.S. has led to heightened cultural diversity. In Kenya most adults use M-Pesa, a cell phone based money transfer service

Describe and explain five components of economic globalization

Transportation systems that can quickly and inexpensively move goods by air, sea, and land. Global and regional trade agreements that promote more free trade. Market economies and private enterprises that have replaced state-controlled economies and services. Transnational business strategies that have created global corporations more powerful than many sovereign nations. An emphasis on producing more goods, services, and data at lower costs to fulfill consumer demand for products and information

Summarize three elements of the controversy about globalization

Globalization may not be a natural process, instead being an explicit economic policy. It may be a way for capitalist organizations to further profits through low wage work. Globalized economic systems may also be inherently unstable.

Relative locations

A mental map of an area used to locate places based on their relationship to other landscape features

Absolute location

A map that draws on a universally accepted coordinate system that gives every place on Earth a specific numerical address based on latitude and longitude

Latitude

Also called parallels, run east–west around the globe and are used to locate places north and south of the equator

Longitude

Also called meridians, run north-south around the globe an are used to locate places east of west of the prime meridian

Prime meridian

located at 0 degrees longitude at the Royal Naval Observatory in Greenwich, England. Divides the world into the east and west hemispheres

Equator

Located at 0 degrees latitude, divides the world into north and south hemispheres

Global positioning system (GPS)

Systems that use signals sent from your location to satellites and back to you to calculate your precise lat-long coordinates

Map projections

The different ways to project a spherical image onto a flat surface

Mercator projection

Square projection of earth, distorts features in high latitudes

Robinson projection

Oval shaped projection which minimizes distortion

Map scale

the mathematical ratio between the map and the surface area being mapped

Representative fraction

the ratio between the map and the area being mapped, maps are categorized as having either large or small scales

graphic or linear scale

visually depicts distance units such as feet, meters, miles, or kilometers on a horizontal bar

reference map

shows the location of certain features

thematic map

displays data such as religious affiliations or popular tourist attractions in a city

Chloropleth map

color shades represent different data values, with darker shades generally showing larger average values

remote sensing

electromagnetic images taken from aircraft or satellites

geographic information systems (GIS)

A spacial database which compiles multiple map layers to show spacial patterns and relationships

Explain the difference between latitude and longitude, and describe how they are used to locate a place

Latitude lines run east-west and measure distance north and south of the equator. Longitude lines run north-south and measure distance east and west of the prime meridian. Used together they produce a universally accepted coordinate system which gives every place on earth a specific numerical address

What does a map’s scale tell us?

The mathematical ratio between the map and the surface area being mapped

What is a choropleth map, and what might it depict?

A map in which color shades represent different data values. Per capita income and population density are often represented by these maps

What are geographic information ­systems (GIS), and how are they used today to address societal needs?

These are programs that compile multiple map layers into one map. They can be used for city planning, environmental science, public health, and real-estate development

Population density

the average number of people per square kilometer

rate of natural increase (RNI)

provides the annual growth rate for a country or region as a percentage

total ­fertility rate (TFR)

the average number of live births a woman has in her lifetime

replacement rate

A TFR of 2.1, which suggests that it takes two children per woman, with a fraction more to compensate for infant and child mortality, to maintain a stable population

population pyramid

depicts the percentage of a population (or, in some cases, the raw number) that is male or female in different age classes, from young to old. A pyramid with a narrow base represents slow to negative growth

demographic transition model

a conceptualization that tracks the changes in birth rates and death rates over time

economic migrants

immigrants who migrate for employment opportunities

remittances

money sent by individuals working abroad to families in the origin country

refugees

migrants fleeing a well-founded fear of persecution

net migration rate

The amount of immigration (people entering a country) and emigration (those leaving a country)

­megacities

a city with more than 10 million inhabitants

Urbanization

The percentage of people living in cities compared to rural areas

urban primacy

Where a primate city (often the capital) is three or four times larger than the country’s next largest city

What is the rate of natural increase (RNI), and how can it be a negative number?

The annual growth rate for a country or region. A negative RNI means a declining population, which could be bad for an area.

Explain a high versus a low total fertility rate, and give examples

A high fertility rate is one above a TFR of 2.1, such s Nigeria at 5.5. A low fertiliy rate is one below a TFR or 2.1, such Russia at 1.6

Describe and explain the demographic transition model

A model that tracks birth rate over time. In Stage 1, population growth is low because high birth rates are offset by high death rates. Rapid growth takes place in Stage 2, as death rates decline. Stage 3 is characterized by a decline in birth rates. Stage 4 the birth rate and death rate reach a relative balance. Stage 5, growth stops or growth goes negative.

How is a population pyramid constructed, and what kind of information does it convey?

The pyramid shows the percentage of a population that is male or female in different age classes from young to old. The pyramid can inform you about population growth depending on the shape (pyramid: rapid growth, top heavy: slow to no growth).

Culture

A learned, not innate, behavior shared by a group of people, empowering them with what is commonly called a “way of life.”

cultural imperialism

The active promotion of one cultural system at the expense of another

­nationalism

The process of protecting and defending a cultural system against diluting or undesirable cultural expressions, while at the same time actively promoting national and local cultural values

cultural syncretism

The most common product of cultural exchange. Forms a new, synergistic form of culture

cultural assimilation

the adoption of the language, customs, or norms of the host society by an immigrant

language families

Language groups based on common ancestral speech

lingua franca

A third language used by different cultures to communicate when they cannot use their native language

secularism

An ideology where people consider themselves either nonreligious or outright atheistic

Gender

A sociocultural construct, linked to the values and traditions of specific cultural groups that differentiate the characteristics of the two biological sexes, male and female

­gender roles

the cultural guidelines that define appropriate behavior within a specific context

Define cultural imperialism and cultural assimilation. How are they similar and how are they different?

In cultural imperialism the non-dominant culture is degraded. In cultural assimilation, the cultures blend to form a new culture

What is a lingua franca? Provide two examples

A go between language when two cultures cant use their native languages to communicate. Swahili is an example for the many tribes of eastern Africa. French historically was the lingua franca for international correspondance

Describe the geographies of Catholicism and Protestantism shown in Figure 1.32. What would explain these ­distinct realms of influence?

Religion is heavily tied to culture. These religious boundaries represent cultural boundaries

Discuss the patterns of acceptance and exclusion shown in Figure 1.34 with regard to gay rights

More globalized countries are more accepting of gay rights

geopolitics

used to describe the close link between geography and politics

sovereignty

the ability (or inability) of a government to control activities within its borders

territory

the delimited area over which a state exercises control and which is recognized by other states

nation-state

Nation describes a large group of people with shared sociocultural traits, such as language, religion, and shared identity. State refers to a political entity that has a government and a clearly delimited territory that is maintained and controlled

ethnicity

a social group with a common or distinctive culture, religion, language, or history

autonomous areas

An area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority

Colonialism

the formal establishment of rule over a foreign population

Decolonialization

the process of a colony gaining (or, more correctly, regaining) control over its own territory and establishing a separate, independent government