Human Geography: People & Places

Chapter 4

Section 1

The Elements

of Culture

Culture• The way of life of a group of people with

common traditions, interests, and beliefs.

• The total knowledge, shared attitudes, and behaviors of the members of a specific group.

Culture

• What aspects are included in your culture?

• What aspects of our culture have we borrowed from others?

• What aspects have other cultures borrowed from us?

Culture Involves these Factors

• Food & shelter• Religion• Relationships to family &

others• Language• Education• Security/protection• Political & social organization• Creative expression

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Culture• Society – a group that shares a geographic

region, a sense of identity, and a culture• Ethnic group – group that shares a language,

customs, and a common heritage. An ethnic group has an identity as a separate group of people within the region where they live.

Cultural Change

• Cultural Diffusion – the spread of people, ideas, practices, and goods from one culture to another.

Cultural Change

• Acculturation – adapting traits from other cultures to your own (ex. wearing jeans instead of traditional garments)

• Cultural contacts – travel & trade, migration

Cultural Barriers/ContactsIn the past…• Natural Barriers (deserts, mountains, rainforest,

oceans)• People’s beliefs – lack of understanding leads to

fear or mistrust (That is why the Chinese built the Great Wall of China)

Cultural Barriers/Contacts

Today…

• Technology helps to overcome barriers (telephone, internet, television)

Culture• Material culture - all physical, tangible

objects made and used by members of a cultural group, such as clothing, building, tools, instruments, furniture, and artwork; visible aspects of culture

• Nonmaterial culture – wide range of tales, songs, lore, beliefs, superstitions, and customs that passes from generation to generation as part of oral or written tradition

Language• One of the most important aspects

of culture• Allows people within a culture to

communicate with each other• Between 3,000 and 6,500 languages

spoken in the world today• Dialect – reflects changes in speech

patterns related to class, region, or other cultural changes (ex. Southern drawl, a Boston accent)

Hello in Major World Languages• Chinese Ni hao 

• English Hello

• Hindi Namasthe

• Russian Zdravstvuite

• Spanish Hola

• Arabic Al salaam a'alaykum

• Japanese Konnichiwa 

Religion

• Consists of a belief in a supernatural power or powers that are regarded as creators and maintainers of the universe

3 Types of Religions

• Monotheistic - belief in one god (Christianity, Judaism, Islam)

• Polytheistic – belief in many gods (Hinduism)

• Animistic or traditional – often with a belief in divine forces in nature

Major World Religions

• Judaism• Christianity• Buddhism• Islam• Hinduism• Confucianism,Taoism, Shinto

Section 2

Population

Geography

Demography

• The study of populations including birth rates, death rates, and migration.

World Population

World Population

• World Population 7,152,560,533

March 12, 2014 estimateFrom population clock @ www.census.gov

Scientists estimate the population will be:-8 billion by 2025

Population Pyramid• A way to analyze population that shows the

age and sex distribution of a population

Population Distribution• The population pattern or where people live.• The continents are not evenly populated.• 2/3rds of the world’s people live in the zone between 20°N

and 60°N latitude• Most people live where the soil is fertile, water is available

and the climate is favorable for growing crops and raising animals

Urban-Rural Mix• More than ½ of world’s people live in rural areas• Number is changing rapidly because more people are

moving into cities• 26 giant cities, called megacities, are home to total of

more than 250 million people• Largest is Tokyo, Japan with over 32 million people

Migration• Push factors – those that cause

people to leave their homeland – Environmental conditions such

as drought or other natural disasters

– War– Persecution of certain groups of

people for ethnic or religious reasons

• More than 1 million Rwandans left their country for other parts of Africa because of civil war in 1994

Migration

• Pull factors– Draw or attract people

to another location– Countries with good

economic opportunities and high salaries are the likely destinations for migrants

– Favorable climate is another pull factor

Population Density

• The average number of people living in a square mile.

• Canada – 9 people per square mile• United States – 84 people per square mile• Bangladesh – 2,806 people per square mile

Population Density

• Comparing States– Alaska - 1 person

per square mile– Kentucky – 107

people per square mile

– New Jersey – 1,170 people per square mile

Carrying Capacity

• Number of organisms a piece of land can support

• Factors that affect carrying capacity include:– Fertile land– Level of technology

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

• When birth and death rates are more or less equal.

• The ending of population growth when birth and death rates are equal.

• This would require an average number of 2.3 children per family.

Countries with negative natural increase or zero negative increase in population...

• Ukraine: 0.8% natural decrease annually; 28% total population decrease by 2050Russia: -0.6%; -22%Belarus -0.6%; -12%Bulgaria -0.5%; -34%Latvia -0.5%; -23%Lithuania -0.4%; -15%Hungary -0.3%; -11%Romania -0.2%; -29%Estonia -0.2%; -23%Moldova -0.2%; -21%Croatia -0.2%; -14%Germany -0.2%; -9%Czech Republic -0.1%; -8%Japan 0%; -21%Poland 0%; -17%Slovakia 0%; -12%Austria 0%; 8% increaseItaly 0%; -5%Slovenia 0%; -5%Greece 0%; -4%

Population Growth Rates• Rapid population growth presents many

challenges including:– Producing enough food to feed the growing population– Shortages of clothing and housing– Nonrenewable resources are being used up at a rapid

pace– Pollution– Crime– Three billion people on the planet struggle to survive

on less than $3 a day

Section 3

Political

Geography

Nations of the World

• State – an independent unit that occupies a specific territory and has full control of its internal & external affairs (often the term “country” is used to mean state)

• Nation – a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity

• Nation-state – when a nation and a state occupy the same territory

• Stateless nations include Palestinians, Kurds, & Basques

Types of Government

• Democracy/Federal Republic – U.S.A.

• Monarchy – United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Norway

• Dictatorship – North Korea, Belarus (Republic in name, actually a dictatorship)

• Communism – China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam

• Theocracy – Iran, Saudi Arabia

Geographic Characteristics of Nations• Size (physical size does not always equal wealth

& power)

Shape (The shape can determine how easily it can be governed, etc.)Compact – Germany, Long – Chile, Fragmented – Japan

Geo. CharacteristicsOf Nations

Geographic Characteristics of Nations• Location

– What are the disadvantages of a landlocked country (ex. Bolivia)?

National Boundaries

• Natural boundaries – Rio Grande forms

border between Mexico and part of United States

• Artificial boundaries– 49°N latitude line

separate U.S. and Canada

Section 4

Urban

Geography

Urban Geography

• The study of how people use space in cities.• Urban area develops around a main city called

the central city.• The built-up area around the central city may

include suburbs• Smaller cities with open land between them and

the central city are called exurbs• Together the city, suburbs, and exurbs form a

metropolitan area

Urban Geography

• Megalopolis – formed when several metropolitan areas grow together

• Ex. – Boswash – includes Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, & Washington D.C.

Land Use Patterns

Basic land use patterns found in all cities:• Residential – single-family housing &

apartments• Industrial – manufacturing of goods• Commercial – used for private business

and the buying and selling of retail products• The core of the city is the central business

district (CBD)

Models of Urban Structure

Section 5

Economic

Geography

Economy

• Consists of the production and exchange of goods and services among a group of people.

• Operate at local, regional, national, or international levels

Types of Economic Systems

• Traditional (barter)

• Command (planned, communism)

• Market (demand, capitalism)

• Mixed (combination of command and market)

Levels of the Economic Activity

• Primary – extracts or harvest products from the Earth

ex. Agriculture, mining, forestry, fishing

Levels of the Economic Activity

• Secondary – manufactures finished goods

ex. Automobile production, construction, engineering, textile production

Levels of the Economic Activity

• Tertiary – service industry

ex. Retail and wholesale sales, entertainment, restaurants, transportation, tourism, banking, insurance, healthcare, law

Levels of the Economic Activity

• Quaternary – intellectual activities

ex. Government, culture, scientific research, education, information technology

Developed Countries

• Good educational systems• Widely available health care• Many manufacturing and service industries• Industrialization• Participates in international trade• Modern farming technology• Modern telecommunications

Developed Countries

• World’s wealthiest countries

• Includes most of the countries in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, Singapore and others

Developing Countries• Many people live by subsistence farming• Few manufacturing and service industries• Poverty and unemployment are widespread• Limited health services• Overcrowded schools• Low literacy rate• Modern telecommunication seldom found outside of major

cities• Export minerals and agricultural products to developed

countries

Developing Countries

• World’s poorer countries

• Includes about ¾ of the world’s people.