The Five Themes of Geography

History is the study of events over time.

2000 BC

900 AD

1492 AD

1621 AD

Geography - the study of distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the earth.

Geographers use a variety of tools:MapsPhotographsChartsGraphs and TablesScale Models

Five Themes of Geography

Geography Terms

► Parallels – Another name for lines of latitude. They are always parallel to the equator. Parallels north of the equator are labeled with an N, and those south of the equator are labeled with an S.

► Meridians – Another name for lines of longitude. ► Prime Meridian – imaginary line that runs through Greenwich,

England, from the North Pole to the South Pole. ► Degrees – Measurement used when using latitude & longitude.

Symbol for degrees is ° . Degrees are further divided into minutes, for which the symbol is ‘. There are 60 minutes in a

degree.

Geography Terms

►Grid – Pattern of lines that circle the globe in east-west and north-south directions.

►Latitude – lines drawn in an east-west direction and measure distance north & south of the equator. Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles apart.

►Longitude – lines of longitude are drawn in a north-south direction and measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian. At the equator, a line of longitude is 69 miles apart. The distance shrinks down to zero at

the poles. ►Equator – imaginary line that circles the globe halfway

between the North Pole & South Pole.

Geography Terms

► Hemispheres – The world is divided into 4 hemispheres. The equator divides the earth into a Northern & Southern

Hemisphere. The Prime Meridian divides the earth into a Eastern & Western Hemispheres.

► Continents – The earth’s land surfaces are organized into 7 continents. North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia,

Australia, and Antarctica. ► Oceans – The largest division of water surfaces. There are 5

major oceans. Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, & Southern Ocean.

LatitudeImaginary lines north and and south from the equator.Equator

N

S

100

200

100

200

300

00

300

900

900

W E

Prime Meridian

100

200100

200

300 300

00

18001800

LongitudeImaginary lines east and west from the Prime Meridian.

Together, latitude and longitude form a GRID SYSTEM.

Locate the following using the map on pages 4-5.

1. City closest to 30S / 150E2. Country bounded by 0S, 15S, 15E, 30E3. City closest to 60N / 45E4. Islands between 15N, 30N, 150W,

165W5. Country through which 75N, 40W pass6. You are at 15S / 90E. Do you need a car

or a boat?7. What is at 90N / 180W?8. Country through which 55N, 0E pass.

Hemispheres

The Earth is divided at the equator into two halves. Each half is called a hemisphere or half-circle.

Equator 00

S900

Northern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

N900

Use the map on pages 2-3 to determine the hemisphere in which each place is located. Write North or South.

1. United States2. Congo Basin3. Rio de Janeiro4. Gobi Desert5. Red Sea6. Cape Horn

Hemispheres

The Earth is also divided east and west.

Western Hemisphere

Eastern Hemisphere

Prime Meridian 00 Longitude

Western Hemisphere

Eastern Hemisphere

International Dateline 1800 Longitude

Use the map on pages 2-3 to determine the hemisphere in which each place is located. Write East or West.

1. Siberia2. Aleutian Islands3. Puerto Rico4. Arabian Peninsula5. Andes Mountains6. Mariana Islands

Five Themes of GeographyLocation: where is it?Place: what is it like?Region: how are places similar or different?Human-Environment Interaction: how do people relate to the physical world? Movement: how do people goods, and ideas move from one place to another?

LOCATIONWhere is it?

Absolute Location: the exact place on earth where a geographic feature, such a city, is found. Latitude/Longitude or street address. Relative Location: describes a place in comparison to other places around it.

Three types of regions

Formal Regions: defined by

REGIONHow are places similar or

different?

Climate Culture

Vegetation Continental area

Land use

Functional Regions: defined interactions and connections between places. Ex.

Perceptual Regions: defined by what people perceive or “see” as characteristic of the region. Ex. The Heartland

REGION

HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

How do people relate to the physical world?

Jobs

Animals

Crops

Transportation Clothes

Houses

Engineering

Food Sources

Protection

MOVEMENTHow do people goods, and ideas move from one place to another?

Linear Distance: how far

Time Distance: how long

Psychological Distance: how far away we think or feel a place is.

Map Projections

Attempts to portray the surface of the earth or a portion of the earth on a flat surface. Some distortions of conformality, distance, direction, scale, and area always result from this process.

Types: Mercator, Robinson, Goode’s Interrupted Equal-Area, Winkel Tripel

Winkel Tripel MercatorAzimuthal

Goode’s interrupted Equal Area Robinson