APHG RELIGION

AP Human Geography: Religion

Geography of Religion

  • Religious individuals pray for peace, but differing visions exist on how peace is achieved.

  • Geographers study the diffusion of religions and how they can conflict with one another.

  • Religions are influenced by the physical environment and, in turn, modify landscapes.

Key Issues in Religion

  1. Distribution of Religions

  2. Reasons for Varied Distributions

  3. How Religions Organize Space

  4. Territorial Conflicts Among Religions

Geographers and Religion

  • Religion is significant for understanding human geography.

  • Geographers focus on geographically significant elements of religions:

    • Place of origin

    • Extent and process of diffusion

    • Practices and beliefs affecting distribution

Globalization and Local Diversity of Religion

  • Tension exists between globalization and local religious diversity.

  • Religions appeal either to global audiences or are geospatially limited.

  • Religious identity shapes landscape organization.

  • Migration leads to language acquisition while often retaining one’s religion.

Key Issue 1: Distribution of Religions

  • Universalizing religions:

    • Christianity

    • Islam

    • Buddhism

  • Ethnic religions:

    • Hinduism

    • Other ethnic religions

World Distribution of Religions

  • Global religious demographics:

    • Christianity: approx. 80% of the world

    • Islam: important presence in various regions

    • Other religions: significant minority groups globally

  • Specific statistics and data on geographical distribution, including regions like North America, Europe, and Africa.

Three Main Religions

  • The three major universalizing religions:

    • Christianity: Dominant worldwide with various branches.

    • Islam: Predominant in the Middle East and other regions.

    • Buddhism: Significant distributions primarily in Asia.

Christianity and Its Branches

  • Christianity, with 2 billion adherents, consists of:

    • Roman Catholic

    • Protestant

    • Eastern Orthodox

Branches of Christianity in Europe

  • Historical interactions shaped the religious landscape of Europe, where different denominations dominate specific regions.

The Eastern Orthodox Church

  • Comprises 14 self-governing churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, which holds a significant majority.

    • Historical background of the church's split and establishment.

Christianity in the Western Hemisphere

  • About 90% of the population is Christian, mainly Roman Catholic in Latin America and a diverse Protestant presence in North America.

Smaller Branches of Christianity

  • Notable small churches:

    • Coptic and Ethiopian Churches in Africa

    • Armenian Church significant in Asia

Islam: Overview

  • Islam, with 1.2 billion adherents, is predominant in the Middle East.

  • Half of Muslims reside outside the Middle East.

Branches of Islam

  • Islam comprises two main branches:

    • Sunni: Majority (83%) in various Muslim countries.

    • Shiite: Minority (16%) concentrated in specific regions.

Islam in North America and Europe

  • Presence of the Nation of Islam in the U.S. with significant historical context.

Buddhism

  • Approximately 350 million adherents mainly located in China and Southeast Asia.

  • Divided into three main branches: Mahayana, Theravada, and Tantrayana.

Other Universalizing Religions

  • Sikhism: Founded by Guru Nanak in South Asia.

  • Bahá’i Faith: Evolved from the Bábi faith in Iran, facing significant opposition during establishment.

Ethnic Religions Overview

  • Hinduism: Largest ethnic religion with 900 million adherents concentrated in India.

  • Other ethnic religions are primarily located in Asia and Africa.

Hinduism: Key Aspects

  • 97% of Hindus are situated in India. 70% worship Vishnu, while 25% follow Siva.

Other Ethnic Religions

  • Confucianism and Daoism are significant ethnic religions in East Asia; Buddhism coexists with these without direct competition.

Holy Places

  • Different religions elevate particular places to holy statuses:

    • Ethnic religions draw from their natural environment.

    • Universalizing religions associate holiness with pivotal historical events.

Supporting Specific Sites

  • Buddhism's sacred sites in northeastern India and southern Nepal.

  • Mecca is the holiest city for Muslims.

Administration of Space

  • Universalizing religions organize their adherents into communicative and cohesive networks, while many ethnic religions lack such organization.

Conflicts among Religions

  • Historical and modern conflicts primarily arise where different religions overlap, with notable examples in the Middle East and Northern Ireland.