World Regions: Concepts and Issues

impact of mercator projection

made sea travel easier to comprehend

enlarges as you move away from the equator, which made regions such as Africa seem less important in relative size

impact of peter’s projection

represents size better than mercator

wildly distorts the poles

main thing to remember about the winkel tripel projection

not a rectangular projection!

large vs. small scale

large = more detail of small area

small = less detail of large area

ways to define realms

by features (physical and human)

by interactions between humans and the environment (functional)

by history (historical)

types of realms

monocentric and polycentric

regions and what defines them

smaller areas within realms

natural barriers, industry, rural vs. urban, political and religious leanings

other factors impacting realm division

climate

population density and clusters

culture

religion

state

legally defined territory

inhabited by citizens

governed from capital by central government

sovereignty

controlling power over territory

geopolitics

political relations influenced by relative geographic setting (proximity, accessibility, boundaries, population, etc)

3 Rs of conflict

real estate

resources

religion

cause for clusters in north africa and southwest asia

high population growth and need for water

wealthy going to the nicer areas

fertile crescent

varied geography leading to fruitful agriculture

dry vs. irrigation agriculture

relies on rain

revolutionizes agriculture and allows for nomadic harvest lifestyle

domestication vs. taming

breeding

habit

requirements for domestication

docile

wide diet

reason for mesopotamian downfall

environmental fragility (salination and deforestation)