The World of The World of GeographyGeography

What is Geography?What is Geography?

Geo means= Geo means= EarthEarth

Graphy = Graphy = Field of StudyField of Study

**It is the study of our earth; our It is the study of our earth; our home.home.

OROR

*Anything that can be mapped!*Anything that can be mapped!

*Geography mixes up the *Geography mixes up the physical and human aspects physical and human aspects of our world into one field of of our world into one field of

study.study.

*Geography shows the *Geography shows the relationship between people relationship between people

and the environment.and the environment.

What is a geographer?What is a geographer?

•Someone who Someone who analyzes the analyzes the Earth from Earth from many points of many points of view.view.

We all develop our We all develop our lifestyles, customs lifestyles, customs and cultures in and cultures in response to the response to the topography and topography and geography of the geography of the space in which we space in which we live.live.

Why does geography Why does geography mattermatter?!?!

The HemispheresThe Hemispheres

How Latitude and Longitude How Latitude and Longitude Form the Global GridForm the Global Grid

The Geographer’s ToolsThe Geographer’s Tools•Globes and Maps:Globes and Maps:

– As people explored the Earth, they As people explored the Earth, they collected information about it.collected information about it.

– Mapmakers wanted to present this Mapmakers wanted to present this information correctly.information correctly.

– The best way was to put it on a The best way was to put it on a globe, a round ball that globe, a round ball that represented the Earth.represented the Earth.

OwlTeacher.comOwlTeacher.com

– Because globes are not practical or Because globes are not practical or easy to use to carry, flat maps easy to use to carry, flat maps were invented.were invented.

– However, the earth is round and a However, the earth is round and a map is flat.map is flat.

– Mapmakers had to find ways to Mapmakers had to find ways to make maps accurate.make maps accurate.

Globes and MapsGlobes and Maps

• The most accurate way to present The most accurate way to present information on the islands, information on the islands, continents, and bodies of water of continents, and bodies of water of the world is to put it all on a the world is to put it all on a globeglobe, a , a round ball like the Earth itself.round ball like the Earth itself.

• The only difference between a globe The only difference between a globe and the Earth itself is the and the Earth itself is the scalescale, or , or size, represented on the globe.size, represented on the globe.

• Globes have a disadvantage: They Globes have a disadvantage: They cannot be complete enough to be cannot be complete enough to be useful and at the same time be small useful and at the same time be small enough to be convenient. enough to be convenient.

• Therefore, people invented flat Therefore, people invented flat maps.maps.

• Maps try to show the Earth, which is Maps try to show the Earth, which is round, on a flat surface. round, on a flat surface.

• This causes This causes distortiondistortion, or a change in , or a change in accuracy of the shapes and distances accuracy of the shapes and distances of places. of places.

• It is impossible to show the Earth on It is impossible to show the Earth on a flat surface without some a flat surface without some distortion.distortion.

• In 1569, a geographer named Gerardus Mercator created a flat map to help sailors navigate long journeys across the globe.

• The Mercator projection, or method of putting a map of the Earth onto a flat piece of paper, is used by nearly all deep-sea navigators.

• The Mercator projection is a conformal map, meaning that it shows correct shapes, but not true distances or sizes.

• There are many types of other projections of the globe.

Getting It All On the MapGetting It All On the MapThe World: Mercator Projection

There are many ways to show a globe on a flat map. The interrupted projection map, on the left, shows real sizes and shapes of continents. The equal area map , below left, shows size accurately. The Peters projection, below, shows land and oceans areas and correct directions accurately

The World: Three The World: Three ProjectionsProjections

Interrupted Projection

Equal-Area Projection

Peters Projection

The World: A Robinson The World: A Robinson ProjectionProjection

ARCTIC OCEAN

• Title (Subject of Map)Title (Subject of Map)

• Compass Rose (Directional Indicator)Compass Rose (Directional Indicator)

• Bar Scale (Gives distance in miles/km)Bar Scale (Gives distance in miles/km)

• Legend (Key of symbols used on map)Legend (Key of symbols used on map)

• Locator Map (Where in the world the Locator Map (Where in the world the map is located). map is located).

Reading a MapReading a Map

The Parts of a MapThe Parts of a Map

Compass RoseCompass Rose

• A compass rose is a model of a compass. It A compass rose is a model of a compass. It tells the cardinal directions, which are north, tells the cardinal directions, which are north, south, east, and west.south, east, and west.

ScaleScale

• The scale on a map tells you the relative The scale on a map tells you the relative distance on the map to the real world. For distance on the map to the real world. For example, a map’s scale may tell you that one example, a map’s scale may tell you that one inch on the map equals one mile in the real inch on the map equals one mile in the real world.world.

KeyKey

• The key, or legend, on a map explains The key, or legend, on a map explains what the symbols on a map represent, what the symbols on a map represent, such as triangles representing trees.such as triangles representing trees.

GridsGrids

• Some maps use a grid of parallels and Some maps use a grid of parallels and meridians. On a map of a small area, meridians. On a map of a small area, letters and numbers are often used to letters and numbers are often used to help you find your location.help you find your location.

PoliticalPoliticalMapsMaps

BordersBordersCapitalsCapitalsCitiesCities

PoliticalPoliticalMapsMaps

BordersBordersCapitalsCapitalsCitiesCities

PhysicalPhysicalMapsMaps

MountainsMountainsDesertsDesertsPlainsPlainsBodies of WaterBodies of Water

Special Purposes MapsSpecial Purposes Maps

ClimateClimate

PopulationPopulation

ResourcesResources

EconomicEconomic

RoadsRoads

The Five Themes of The Five Themes of GeographyGeography• There are five ways to look at the There are five ways to look at the

earthearth• When geographers work, they are When geographers work, they are

guided by two basic questions:guided by two basic questions:

1)1) Where are things located?Where are things located?

2)2) Why are they there?Why are they there?

To find these answers, geographers use To find these answers, geographers use five themes to organize informationfive themes to organize information

Things that geographers study:Things that geographers study:

• oceansoceans

• plant lifeplant life

• landformslandforms

• peoplepeople

• how the Earth and its people affect how the Earth and its people affect each othereach other

The Five Themes:The Five Themes:1)1) Location – Geographers begin to study a Location – Geographers begin to study a

place by finding where it is, or its place by finding where it is, or its location.location.

• An An absolute locationabsolute location is a latitude and is a latitude and longitude (a global location) or a street longitude (a global location) or a street address (local location). address (local location).    

• Relative locationsRelative locations are described by are described by landmarks, time, direction or distance landmarks, time, direction or distance from one place to another and may from one place to another and may associate a particular place with another. associate a particular place with another.

2) 2) Place – Geographers study the physical and Place – Geographers study the physical and human features of a location.human features of a location.

•The image people have of a place is based on their experiences, The image people have of a place is based on their experiences, both intellectual and emotional.  People's descriptions of a place both intellectual and emotional.  People's descriptions of a place reveal their values, attitudes, and perceptions. reveal their values, attitudes, and perceptions.

•How is your hometown connected to other places?  What are the How is your hometown connected to other places?  What are the human and physical characteristics of Factoryville?  How do these human and physical characteristics of Factoryville?  How do these shape our lives?shape our lives?

3) 3) Human-Environment Interaction – Human-Environment Interaction – Geographers study how people affect Geographers study how people affect or shape physical characteristics of or shape physical characteristics of their natural surroundings and how their natural surroundings and how does their surroundings (environment) does their surroundings (environment) affect them?affect them?

4)4) Movement – Helps explain how people, Movement – Helps explain how people, goods, and ideas get from one place to goods, and ideas get from one place to another. another.

How do we depend on people in other How do we depend on people in other places?   How would our lives change if places?   How would our lives change if our movement options changed?  What our movement options changed?  What would happen if we traveled by camel or would happen if we traveled by camel or horse?  How do we move from place to horse?  How do we move from place to place?  How do we actually get food?place?  How do we actually get food?

5) 5) Regions – Geographers compare the Regions – Geographers compare the climate, land, population, or history of climate, land, population, or history of one place to another.one place to another.

•Physical GeographyPhysical Geography

•Human GeographyHuman Geography

•Other fields of Geography:Other fields of Geography:Cartography, Hydrology, Cartography, Hydrology,

Meteorology, Economic, UrbanMeteorology, Economic, Urban

Branches of GeographyBranches of Geography

• Seek the causes of various land formations such Seek the causes of various land formations such as mountains, rivers, climates and weather as mountains, rivers, climates and weather patterns.patterns.

• To do this they take detailed measurements and To do this they take detailed measurements and keep careful records of formations.keep careful records of formations.

• Learning how earth works can help us predict Learning how earth works can help us predict things such as volcano eruptions and storms, things such as volcano eruptions and storms, helping humans prepare for or avoid disasters. helping humans prepare for or avoid disasters.

Physical GeographyPhysical Geography

Human GeographyHuman Geography

• Study the earth’s humans, past & present.Study the earth’s humans, past & present.

• Study why people live where they live, work Study why people live where they live, work where they work, eat what they eat.where they work, eat what they eat.

• Because people are so diverse, human Because people are so diverse, human geographers often specialize. They may study geographers often specialize. They may study only Africa or only people in urban areas.only Africa or only people in urban areas.

• Study people’s common needs such as food, Study people’s common needs such as food, shelter, clothing and how people meet these shelter, clothing and how people meet these needs. needs.

• Also study people’s affect on the world and Also study people’s affect on the world and environment.environment.

• Cartography: the science of making mapsCartography: the science of making maps

• Hydrology: the study of water on earth; Hydrology: the study of water on earth; including rivers systems and rainfall including rivers systems and rainfall patterns. patterns.

• Meteorology: the study of weather and Meteorology: the study of weather and what causes it. what causes it.

Other Fields of Other Fields of GeographyGeography