What do I need to know about map skills?

Concepts Tools Geographers Use

Scale – Maps can be large scale or small scale to show more or less detail

Scale – Used to measure distance between two points Latitude/Longitude – Be able to find points using these

lines Relative Location – Locating a place based on features

located around it such as bodies of water, mountains, etc…

Orientation (direction) – Be able to use the compass rose on the map

GIS (Geographic Information System) – A computer program that layers different types of maps to find the best location for public or private buildings

Field Work Satellite Images

(Think Google Earth)

Photographs Maps, Globes Databases Primary sources

Mental Maps Ways that Maps Show Information

Mental maps are maps people have in their heads to carry out daily activities, give directions to other people, and understand world events

Ways Mental Maps can be Developed and Refined

Comparing sketch maps to maps in atlases or other resources

Describing the location of places in terms of reference points

Describing the location of places in terms of geographic features

Describing the location of places in terms of human characteristics

Symbols – Look in the legend to see what they mean

Color Lines Boundaries Contours – used

to show elevation

Types of Thematic Maps

Population distribution, density

Economic activity

Resource Language Ethnicity Climate

Precipitation Vegetation Physical –

Shows elevation Political – Shows

human made features such as cities, countries, roads

Maps Reflect Change Over Time Place Names on Maps

Maps of the world are better now because we have better technology such as satellite images and Geographic Information Systems

The island of Taiwan used to be called Formosa by the Portuguese. It is also called the republic of China

Palestine, Israel, Occupied Territories

Boundaries Perspective of Place Names

Africa 1914 – 1990s – The maps of Africa are different today than 100 years ago because African countries are now independent. They used to be colonies of European countries

Europe before WWII and after WWII – The map of Europe has changed many times in the last 100 years due to conflict

Russia/Soviet Union – The Soviet Union broke up in 1991 and now it is called Russia and several countries were formed. The fall of communism caused the maps to be changed

Middle East – Before 1948/After 1967 – The maps of the Middle East changed because Israel was created as a Jewish country by the United Nations in 1948 and Israel occupied parts of Palestine after a war in 1967

Arabian Gulf is called the Persian Gulf by people in Iran

Sea of Japan is called the East Sea by people in Korea

Middle East is also called Southwest Asia

Disputed Areas

Korea – Korea is divided into two countries, North and South Korea. This dispute is political in nature

The country of

Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco

The country of Yugoslavia broke into several smaller countries based on ethnicity. This is primarily an ethnic and religious dispute

Kashmir is a region located between India and Pakistan. This dispute is primarily based on religion. In India they are Hindus, in Pakistan they are Muslims

What do I need to know about population and urban geography?

Factors that Influence Population Distribution

Natural resources (People live near arable land, water, and other resources that are valuable like oil)

Climate (hot/cold; wet/dry) Economic development Government policy Rural/urban settlement Capital resources Conflicts

Factors that influence growth rates Modern medicine and hygiene – If

fewer people die of disease the population will increase

Education Industrialization and urbanization –

Industrialized countries have lower population growth rates

Economic development Government policy – China has a one

child policy Role of women in society – In

countries where women have fewer opportunities for education and to work the birth rate is normally higher

Impact of migrations on regions Language Religion and religious freedom Customs/traditions Cultural landscape

Characteristics of Human Populations Birth and death rates Age distribution Male/female distribution Life expectancy Infant mortality Urban/rural GDP Ethnicity Language Religion Education

Push Factors (factors that cause people to migrate to other places)

Overpopulation Religious persecution Lack of job opportunities (Mexicans

immigrating to the United States) Agricultural decline (people leaving

the Sahel in Africa because of desertification)

Conflict Political persecution (Cubans

immigrated to the U.S. because of the political persecution of Fidel Castro and the communists)

Natural hazards – droughts, floods, famines, volcanic eruptions

Limits on personal freedom Environmental degradation

Pull Factors Religion Economic opportunity Land availability Political freedom Ethnic and family ties Arable land

Examples of Site Examples of Situation Harbor sites: New York City;

Alexandria, Egypt,; Istanbul, Turkey Island sites: Paris (originally located

on an island in the Seine River) Hong Kong, Singapore

Fall line sites: Richmond, Virginia Confluence sites: Khartoum, Sudan

Situation is another name for relative location – the location of a city with respect to other geographic features, regions, resources, and transport routes

Baghdad – Command of land between the Tigris and Euphrates

(Confluence of Blue and White Nile); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hilltop sites: Rome, Athens, Jerusalem

Oasis sites: Damascus, Syria Sites where river narrows: London,

Quebec City

Functions of Towns and Cities Security, defense Religious centers Trade centers Government administration Manufacturing centers Service centers

Examples of changes in cities’ functions over time

Rio de Janeiro – Move of Brazil’s capital city from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Early function connected to defense, then became steel manufacturing center, later shifted to diverse services

New York City – Changes in trade patterns, coastal and transatlantic trade, trade from Great Lakes via Erie Canal, worldwide trade and finances

Mining towns, “ghost” towns – resource depletion, changes in environment

Problems associated with growth of urban areas

Providing essential services (fresh water, sewage, electricity, schools)

Air, water, and noise pollution Sprawl results in conversion of

agricultural land to urban uses In developing countries major cities

are more connected to regions outside the country than to regions within the country

Rivers Istanbul – Command of straits and

land bridge to Europe Mecca, Saudi Arabia (Islam);

Varanasi, India (Hinduism) – religious cities

Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Xi’an, China; Timbuktu, Mali; Singapore – Cities that grew up along trade routes

o Timbuktu – Trans-Saharan trade route

o Singapore – Strait of Malaccao Samarkand and Xi’an – Silk

Road Cape Town, South Africa – Supply

station for ships Omaha, Nebraska; Sacramento,

California – Cities that grew up along the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad

Novosibirsk, Vladivostok – Cities that grew up along the Trans-Siberian Railroad

Influences of urban areas on their regions and countries

Nation-building (monuments) Transportation/communication

hubs Magnets for migration Seed beds of new ideas and

technologies Diversity leading to creativity in the

arts Universities, educational

opportunities Corporate headquarters Media centers

Problems associated with growth of urban areas

Transportation problems emerge, especially as automobile travel increases

Rich and poor neighborhoods exist in different areas isolated from one another

Shantytowns

Map that shows the location of Istanbul, Turkey. It is on the Bosporus Strait, a narrow body of water that connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea (eventually). Istanbul is also on the land route from Europe to Asia.

Map that shows the Erie Canal connecting Lake Erie and Ontario to the Hudson River that flows to New York. This canal changed

the trade patterns of New York City.

Map that shows the location of Singapore. It is on an important sealane called the Strait of Malacca.

Picture that shows the confluence site of Pittsburgh. A confluence is when two rivers join together to form a third.

Map of the Trans-Continental Railroad in the United States. When the railroad was built it

transformed the cities of Sacramento and Omaha into major urban areas and transportation centers.

Map of the Trans-Sahara trade route. Notice Timbuktu, Mali in West Africa.

Map of the Trans-Siberian railroad in Russia. Notice Novosibirsk, a major city on the route.

What do I need to know about economic geography?

Use of Energy Resources Resources Wood – deforestation Coal – pollution, mining

problems, competition with oil and gas

Petroleum – transportation Nuclear – contamination/waste Solar, wind – coast/aesthetics

Levels of Economic Activity Primary – Dealing directly with

resources (fishing, farming, forestry, mining)

Secondary – Manufacturing and processing (steel mills, automobile assembly, sawmills)

Tertiary – Services (transportation, retail trade, informational technology services

Resources are not distributed equally.

Effects of Unequal Distribution of Resources

Interdependence of nations/trade in goods, services, and capital resources

Uneven economic development – Some countries are rich and some are poor

Energy produces and consumers – Some countries have oil and coal and some must buy it

Conflict over control of resources – Countries will fight for resources such as fresh water, gold, oil, etc…

The use of a resource depends on a nation’s

Natural substances become resources if and when they become useful to humans.

Natural Resources Renewable – soil, water, forests Nonrenewable – Fossil fuels (oil,

coal, natural gas) and metals (gold, iron, copper, bauxite)

Human Resources Level of education Skilled and unskilled workers Entrepreneurial and managerial

abilities

Capital Resources Availability of money for investment Level of infrastructure Availability and use of tools,

machines, and technologies

Costs of Using Resources Resource depletion Environmental degradation Health problems

Benefits of Using Resources Production of goods and services Employment opportunities Development of technologies

Patterns of Land Use Proximity of economic activity and

natural resourceso Steel mills are located next to

coal depositso Cattle ranches are located

near sources of graino Fishing is located near the

oceano Aluminum smelting is

located near hydroelectric power plants because it takes a lot of electricity to extract aluminum from bauxite ore

Non-proximity of economic activity

culture, values, access to technology, and governmental priorities as they change over time

Social and economic priorities that influence a culture’s perspective on

resources Economic development priorities

(China values economic development over saving the environment)

Environmental conservation priorities

Priorities of indigenous minorities

Indicators of Economic Development Urban/rural ratio – developed

countries have more people living in cities

Labor force characteristics – in developing countries more people work in primary and secondary activity

GDP per capita – developed countries have a high GDP

Educational achievement

Indicators of Standards of Living Population growth rate – developing

countries have a higher growth rate Population age distribution –

developing countries have younger populations

Literacy rate (who can read and write)

Life expectancy Infant mortality Percentage of urban population

Changes Over Time

and natural resourceso Japan – limited natural

resources; major manufacturing region

o United Arab Emirates – oil; lack of industry

Technologies that have created a demand for particular resources

Steam engine – demand for coal Internal combustion engine –

petroleum Computer chips – demand for skilled

labor

Differences between developed and developing nations

Access to natural resources Access to capital resources Numbers and skills of human

resources Levels of economic development Standards of living and quality of life Relationship between economic

development and quality of life

Comparative Advantage Comparative advantage: countries

will export goods and services that they can produce at lower relative costs than other countries

Specialization of goods and services that a country can market for a profit

Some Countries’ Use of Resources Japan – Highly industrialized nation

despite limited natural resources Russia – Numerous resources many

of which are not economically profitable to develop

United States – Diversified economy, abundant natural resources, specialized industries

Cote D’Ivoire – Limited natural resources, cash crops in exchange for manufactured goods

Switzerland – Limited natural resources

Examples of Economic Unions

Industrial labor systems (factories replaced cottage industries)

Migration from rural to urban areas Industrialized countries export labor

intensive work to developing nations Growth of trade alliances Growth of service industry Growth of financial services

networks and international banks Internationalization of product

assembly Technology that allows instant

communication among people in different countries

Modern transportation networks that allow rapid and efficient exchange of goods and materials

Widespread marketing of products (Nike, Coke)

EU – European Union NAFTA – North American Free Trade

Agreement ASEAN – Association of Southeast

Asian Nations OPEC – Organization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries

Advantages of Economic Unions More efficient industries Access to larger markets Access to natural, human, and capital

resources without restrictions Greater influence on the world

market

Disadvantages of Economic Unions Closing of some industries Concentration of some industries in

certain countries Agribusiness replacing family farms Difficulty in agreeing on common

economic policies

What do I need to know about physical geography?

Climate Characteristics World Climate Regions

Temperature Precipitation Seasons(hot/cold; wet/dry)

Climate Elements Influence of latitude (It gets colder

the farther north or south of the equator you go)

Influence of winds Influence of elevation (It gets

colder when you gain elevation) Proximity to water (water has a

moderating influence on climate – the summers are cooler and the winters warmer)

Mountains Rocky Mountains create rain

shadows on leeward slopes Himalayas block rain to create

steppes and deserts in Central Asia

Low latitudes – tropical wet, tropical wet and dry, arid, semiarid, highland

Middle latitudes – semiarid, arid, Mediterranean, humid continental, humid subtropical, marine west coast, highland

High latitudes – subarctic, tundra, icecap

Vegetation Regions Rain forest (Amazon rain forest

Brazil) Savanna (tropical grassland in Africa) Desert (Arid) Middle latitude forests Taiga (in subarctic climate, coniferous

trees) Tundra (cold grassland with some

bushes, lichens, and mosses located in northern Canada, Russia)

Weather Phenomena Monsoons – Seasonal wind that brings

rain to South and Southeast Asia. Causes flooding but provides water for crops

Typhoons – Same as hurricane in Pacific Ocean

Hurricanes – Atlantic Ocean Tornadoes – United States

Effects of Climate Crops – Different crops grow in

different climates Clothing Housing – log houses in areas with

many trees, adobe houses in dry areas, tiled roof in Mediterranean

Natural hazards – droughts, floods

Physical and Ecological Processes Earthquakes Floods Volcanoes Erosion

Human Impact on Environment

Water Diversion Aral Sea – shrinking due to over

irrigation, located in Central Asia Colorado River – location of Hoover

Human Impact on Environment

Environmental Changes Acid rain (causes by air

pollution/problem in Black Forest in Germany and Eastern North America

Dam, used for irrigation in Southwest U.S.

Aswan High Dam – located on Nile River, built to stop flooding of river and provide water for irrigation and hydroelectric power

Canals, reservoirs, irrigation

Changing Landscapes Agricultural terracing (China and

Southeast Asia) Polders (reclaimed land from the

sea in the Netherlands) Deforestation (Nepal, Brazil,

Malaysia) Desertification (expansion of arid

conditions into non-arid areas – basically the desert is getting bigger, big problem in North Africa near the Sahara and parts of Asia)

Pollution (air pollution in Mexico City, nuclear pollution near Chernobyl, oil spills

Influence of Technology

Agriculture (fertilizers, mechanization), people can grow more food now because of tractors and better growing practices

Energy usage (most countries use fossil fuels but some countries have nuclear power

Automobiles – the automobile has impacted the environment because people have to make roads, parking lots, and cities have grown with suburbs

Airplanes – airport expansion/noise

Environmental Impact on Humans Settlement patterns (some places are

too hot or cold) Housing materials Agricultural activity Types of recreation Transportation patterns

Picture of an arid climate zone (desert) Picture of agricultural terracing in Asia

Picture showing ship sitting on the bottom of the Aral Sea

Picture of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River

Map showing the direction of the seasonal wind to South and Southeast

Asia (monsoon)

Diagram showing how a polder is made in the Netherlands. Note the windmills, a

common cultural landscape in the Netherlands.

Picture of two cooling towers of a nuclear power plant