Global Environment

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**Location** - where something is in relation to other things.

**Place** - the physical and human characteristics of a location.

**Movement** - how people, goods, and ideas move from one location to another.

**Regions** - areas that have common characteristics.

**Human-Environment Interaction -** how people interact with and change the environment.

**Cultural Diffusion:** The spread of cultural elements, such as customs, beliefs, and technologies, from one society to another through contact and exchange.

**Longitude: T**he measurement of a location's east-west position, measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian (0 degrees).

**Latitude: T**he measurement of a location's north-south position, measured in degrees north or south of the Equator (0 degrees).

**Northern/Southern Hemisphere:** The Northern Hemisphere is the half of the Earth that is north of the Equator, and the Southern Hemisphere is the half that is south of the Equator.

**Eastern/Western Hemisphere:** The Eastern Hemisphere is the half of the Earth that is east of the Prime Meridian, and the Western Hemisphere is the half that is west of the Prime Meridian.

**Equator:** An imaginary line that circles the Earth at 0 degrees latitude, dividing the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

**Prime Meridian:** An imaginary line that circles the Earth at 0 degrees longitude, dividing the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

**Absolute Location**: The exact coordinates of a location, given in terms of latitude and longitude.

**Relative Location:** The location of a place in relation to other places.

**Social Organization** - the way a society is structured and how people relate to one another.

**Customs and Traditions** - the practices, beliefs, and values that are passed down from generation to generation.

**Language** - the means of communication used in a society.

**Religion** - the beliefs and practices related to the spiritual aspect of a culture.

**Arts and Literature** - the creative expressions of a culture.

**Forms of Government** - the way a society is governed and makes decisions.

**Economic Systems** - the way a society produces, distributes, and consumes goods and services.

**Location Example -** the location of a city in relation to a river

**Place example -** the unique architecture and culture of a city

**Movement example -** migration patterns of a certain population

**Region example** - the cultural similarities of a group of neighboring countries

**Human-Environment Interaction example -** the impact of urbanization on a local ecosystem

**Cultural diffusion example -** the spread of sushi from Jana to other countries; the influence of Western fashion on traditional clothing in non-Western societies

**Social organization example -** the caste system in India

**Customs and Traditions example -** the celebration of Christmas in the United States

**Language example -** the use of Mandarin in China

**Religion example -** the practice of Islam in the Middle East

**Arts and Literature example -** the traditional music of Mexico

**Forms of government example -** the parliamentary system in the United Kingdom

**Economic systems example -** the market economy in the United States

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