What is Geography?Geography is the study of WHAT IS WHERE, HOW IT GOT THERE, and WHY WE CARE.

What is Human Geography – Key Questions

1. What is human geography? 2. What are geographic questions? 3. Why do geographers use maps, and

what do maps tell us? 4. Why are geographers concerned with

scale and connectedness? 5. What are geographic concepts, and

how are they used in answering geographic questions?

What is Geography?Geography is a representation of the whole known world together with the phenomena which are contained therein.

Ptolemy, Geographia 2nd Century A.D.

Geography is the science of place. Its vision is grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of the Earth, charting the physical, organic and cultural terrain, their areal differentiation, and their ecological dynamics with humankind. Its foremost tool is the map.

Leonard Krishtalka, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 20th Century A.D.

Divisions of GeographyPhysical Geography Human/Cultural Geography Rocks and Minerals Population Landforms Settlements Soils Economic Activities Animals Transportation Plants Recreational Activities Water Religion Atmosphere Political Systems Rivers and Other Water Bodies Social Traditions Environment Human Migration Climate and Weather Agricultural Systems

GeotechniquesGIS, GPS, Remote-Sensing, Cartography

Geography is a bridge between the natural and social sciences. Geography is a holistic or synthesizing science.

The Five Themes of Geography

Human features

Physical featuresRegion united by similar physical conditions

United by common cultural traits

People adapt to the environment

People change the environment

Absolute location (latitude and longitude)

Relative location (in relation to another place)

Travel from place to place

Exchange of goods and ideas

Location

Movement

Place

Region

Human-Earth Interaction

Geography of FoodFood Place of Invention Current Production

coffee Ethiopia Tropics

oranges South Asia, India US, Mediterranean

pork China, South Asia Worldwide

wheat Near East US, Russia, Argentina

tea China Asia

oats Near East Temperate Climates

pepper South America S. America, Worldwide

The effects of the global food price changes detailed in this graph must be understood in geographic context.

Coffee Consumption (per capita)

#1   Norway: 10.7 kgs  

#2   Finland: 10.1 kgs  

#3   Denmark: 9.7 kgs  

#4   Sweden: 7.8 kgs  

#5   Netherlands: 7.1 kgs  

#6   Switzerland: 7 kgs  

#7   Germany: 5.7 kgs  

#8   Austria: 5.5 kgs  

#9   Belgium: 5 kgs  

#10   France: 3.9 kgs  

#11   Italy: 3.2 kgs  

#12   United States: 3 kgs  

Top Ten Coffee Growing Countries (Yellow)

First domesticated in Ethiopia, coffee has come to be a major export crop for colonial countries and continues to provide much of the export income in these less developed countries. In Uganda, 70-80% of export revenue is generated by coffee. Many issues are raised by the continuation of such colonial economics.

COFFEE PRODUCTION

Tilt of the earth on its axis. The earth is tilted 23.5º from perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.

Tilt is currently constantly toward Polaris

Animation

Effects of the SeasonsDaylength

Population Concentrations

Source: Guardian News and Media, 2012 (www.guardian.co.uk)

Geographic Information Science (GIS) GIS is "an organized collection of computer hardware, software,

geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically

referenced information."

Click on the map above to use the National Atlas of the United States.

REMOTE SENSING

(click here)

A suburb of Algiers, Algeria

What do the patterns, textures, and shapes visible in this image tell us about this place?

Jobs in GeographyAerial Photo Interpreter Facilities Planner Land Developer

Site Researcher Agricultural Extension Agent Forestry Technician

Land Economist Soil Conservationist Air/Water Quality Control Manager

Geographer Land-Use Analyst Surveyor

Cartographer Geographic Area Specialist Location Expert

Systems Analyst Cartography Compiler Geographic Attache'

Map Analyst Teacher Climatologist

Geographic Information Systems Map Curator/Librarian Traffic Manager

Coastal Zone Manager Geophysics Assistant Map Editor

Transportation Analyst Community Developer Hazardous Waste Planner

Market Research Analyst Transportation Manager Computer Mapper

Health Services Planner Natural Resources Spec. Travel Agent/Specialist

Computer Programmer Health Services Organization Manager Outdoor Guide

Urban/Regional Planner Demographer Hydrologist

Park Ranger Weather Forecaster Earth Scientist

Industrial Developer Peace Corp Volunteer Wildlife Manager

Ecologist Industrial Planner Property Manager

Writer/Author Editor Intelligence Agent

Public Utilities Specialist Zoning Investigator Env. Impact Analyst

International Business Rep Real Estate Agent/Broker/Appraiser Environmental Quality Specialist

International Investment Analyst Remote Sensing Analyst College/University Professor

International Investment Analyst Remote Sensing Analyst College/University Professor

Famous Geography Students

Mother Teresa - Taught Geography and History in Calcutta for 15 Years

Prince William of Wales – Majored in Geography at University of Saint Andrews, Scotland

Michael Jordan – Majored in Cultural Geography at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Immanuel Kant – the famous philosopher also taught everything from geography to physics.

Fieldwork: Geographers as Modern Explorers and Observers

Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 2002

Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Idylwild, CA, 2001

Rocky Mountain National Park, 2003

China, 2004

Franz Joseph Glacier, New Zealand, 2002

For more photos and slideshows go to:

http://www.glendale.edu/geo/reed/general/personal.htm