Themes of GeographyThemes of Geography Themes of Themes of GeographyGeography

What is Geography

GREEK

Geo = Earth

Graphy = Study

Therefore, geography is the study of the Earth

Guiding Guiding QuestionsQuestions

Where are

things?

Why are they

there?

ANSWERS:(geographers came up with the 5 themes)

1. LOCATION

2. PLACE

5. REGIONS

3. HUMAN ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

4. MOVEMENT

1. LOCATION… where places are on the earth.

2 Types of Locationsa) Absolute location

… is the exact latitude and longitude coordinates of a place. Ex: 30o N, 115o E

b) Relative location

… location of a place in relation to other places around it.

Ex: The library is across from the school.

They are the vertical lines that

measure distance east and west

of the Prime Meridian.

LONGITUDES

There are 180 lines on each side of the

Prime Meridian or 0o longitude.

They are imaginary lines that meet at the north and south poles.

LATITUDES

They are imaginary lines that run east to west, parallel to the equator.

They determine distance north and south of the equator.

There are 90 lines of latitudes in the northern as well as the southern hemisphere.

Prime Meridian

Equator

Longitudes vertical lines

east and west of the Prime Meridian.

Latitudes horizontal lines

north and south of the equator.

LONGITUDE

=

MERIDIANS LATITUDES

=

PARALLELS

LONGITUDES

+LATITUDES

=GLOBAL GRID

Locate these places:

41O N, 29E 51N, 4E

37N, 3E 30N, 31E

14N, 100E 15N, 121E

32S, 116E 16N, 33E

47N, 71W 30N, 95W

56N, 38E 40N, 4W

59N, I8E 50N, 19E

6S, 107E 47S, 175E

15N, 17W 34N, 8W

48N, 122W 43N, 88W

2. PLACE

This theme tries to determine which characteristics or features make a location different from another.

Characteristics can be:

PHYSICAL

Climate

Landform

Bodies of water

Plant and animal life

HUMAN

Monuments

Cities

Government

Cultural traditions

Physical Characteristics

Landform

Bodies of water

Plant and animal life

Human Characteristics

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Cultural traditions

Cities

Monuments

CULTURAL LANDMARKS

Sydney Opera House Versailles

Berlin Bradenburg Gate St. Peter’s Basilica

Somanathapura Arc de Triomphe

The Great Buddha Angkor Wat

Leaning Tower of Pisa Wieliczka Salt Mines

Temple of Heaven Forbidden City

Parthenon Liberation Tower

Hadrian’s Wall Eiffel Tower

Taj Mahal Tower of London

St. Basil’s Cathedral Palace of Westminster

Petra Wailing Wall

HUMAN ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

… looks a

t the

relatio

nship

between p

eople

and the

environm

ent.

People change their surroundings to make their lives easier.

ROADS

BUILDINGS

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

The environment also influences:

How they dress.

What they do.

What they eat.

Enormous BenefitsEnormous Benefits

New Problems

MOVEMENT

… how people, goods, and ideas go from place to place.

Movement is important in the development of human characteristics:

. Cultural traits

. Diversity

. Cities

MIGRATION

PUSH THEORY PULL THEORY(problems) (advantages)

PUSH

PULL

2 FACTORS

War

Diseases

Climate

Government

Economy

Famine

Crimes

Adventure

Religious persecution

Education

Jobs

Family

Democracy

Climate

Justice

Healthcare

Religious tolerance

Gender equality

REGIONSIn this theme, geographers group places with

similar physical or human characteristics.

To group theses places they use specific features such as:

•Location

•Climate

•Government

•Culture

• Language

A region may include physical places as well as cultural areas.

Places that share the same culture belong to a cultural regions.

A natural region has unique plant and animal life as well as a unique climate.

Ex: THE RAINFOREST

Regions can change overtime.

•Climate

•Natural Disasters

•Human Interactions

•Economic Conditions

F.Y.I

A place can belong to many regions.