World Regional GeographyWorld Regional Geography
March 10, 2010March 10, 2010
Reading: Marston Chapter 6 pages
272-283, 286-300306-319 (beginning with
Rural Poverty)
Goode’s World Atlaspages 67-69, 88-89
Next Week: Map Quiz #3
North AmericaUSA & Southern Canada from space at night
Canada: Political MapCanada: Political Map
Historical Notes: US & CanadaHistorical Notes: US & Canada• Different paths to independence• Similar settlement patterns
• East-to-West• Canadian expansion inhibited by Canadian Shield• Plains & Mountain regions initially by-passed
• Industrialization• Northeast US• Limited in Canada
• Urbanization• Similar to industrialization pattern in US• Canadian core• North / South variations
Culture: US & CanadaCulture: US & Canada• Immigrant Nations
• Wide variety of cultural influences• Mixing of musical and artistic styles• Ethnic enclaves
• World-wide connectivity• Export of America• Import and inclusion of foreign culture
•Sports•Export or American/Canadian sports•Import of foreign players
Economies: US & CanadaEconomies: US & Canada
• Sectoral Shifts• Regional Variations• Inequality
• United States: world’s largest economy• Canada: 9th largest economy
Measured by Gross National Product (GNP), the value of all goods and services produced by countries citizens/companies, regardless of location.
Canadian EconomyCanadian Economy
•Staples economy•Early dependence on resource extraction
•Lack of large industrial sector•Shift to services
• Regional Variations• Atlantic provinces• Quebec/Ontario• Prairies• British Columbia
American EconomyAmerican Economy
•Three major shifts• Agriculture• Industrialization• Services & the New Economy
American EconomyAmerican Economy
• Regional Variations• Northeast• Upper Midwest (“Rust-Belt”)• South & Southwest (“Sun-Belt”)• Great Plains• Mountain West• West Coast
Wealth & InequalityWealth & Inequality“Rich getting richer and poor getting poorer”
• US Poverty Rate: 13.2%• 39.1 million people• Child poverty rate: 17%• 58% of Americans will spend at least 1-year in poverty
• Why?• Low government benefits• Stagnation of lower income wages
Wealth & InequalityWealth & Inequality
•Rural vs. Urban Poverty
Wealth & InequalityWealth & Inequality
•40% will experience poverty
Geographic DisparitiesGeographic Disparities
$16,036
$43,670$31,781
$77,519
$74,346
$34,987
MigrationMigration
• Migrant or mover?• Mobility or migration?
• Temporary / Seasonal workers• Commuters
• What is permanent?
Any permanent change in residence involving the detachment from daily activities at one place and the engagement in daily activities at another.
Who is a migrant?Who is a migrant?
Types of Migration Types of Migration
• Internal• International
In both cases, migration is a significant contributor to the demographic transition.
• Internal migrants are in-migrants and out-migrants.
• International migrants are immigrants and emigrants.
Types of International MigrantsTypes of International Migrants
• Legal• Illegal• Refugee• Asylee
Why do People Migrate? Why do People Migrate?
• Pull factors: characteristics of the receiving region that draw migrants
• Push factors: characteristics of the sending region that drive out-migrants
• Benefits (B)• Push & pull factors
• Costs (C)• Distance• Social changes
The Migration Decision: A Social Science ModelThe Migration Decision: A Social Science Model
If B > C, then a migration occurs
Who Migrates? Who Migrates?
• Age Schedule
Standard Curve
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Age
Mig
rati
on
Rat
e
Age Schedule of Migration
FemaleMale
Who Migrates? Who Migrates?
• Variations in schedules• Rural / Urban• Labor / Family
Immigration to the United StatesImmigration to the United States
Three Major Waves• 1820-1870• 1870-1920• 1970-Present
Immigration to CanadaImmigration to Canada
• Early Immigration (Pre-1750)• Largely French
• Post-1750• Similar to US patterns• Significant increase in British and Irish• 1810 - British restrict American immigration to Canada
•Present Day•Asians account for 50% of immigrants•Hong Kong – Vancouver•10% of Canadians speak a language other than English or French.
Internal Migration: US & CanadaInternal Migration: US & Canada
• US: Four Major Shifts• Rural-to-urban• East-to-West• South-to-North• Urban-to-Suburban
Another shift??
• Northeast & Midwest to the Sun-belt
• Canada: Two Shifts• Rural-to-urban• East-to-West
Internal Migration: USInternal Migration: US
Assimilation vs. MulticulturalismAssimilation vs. Multiculturalism
US Model: Assimilation• The “Melting Pot”• A mixture of many cultures fusing into one
unique American culture.
Canadian Model: Multiculturalism• Right to retain individual cultures• Languages• Peaceful coexistence
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