The powerpoint I presented in class today on Thursday, July, 30, 2015

1. What is a Region?What is a Region?
A region is an area withA region is an area with
one or more commonone or more common
features that make itfeatures that make it
different fromdifferent from
surrounding areas.surrounding areas.

2. People within the region may have a distinctPeople within the region may have a distinct
“sense of place” or an identity with certain“sense of place” or an identity with certain
cultural elementscultural elements

3. CULTURAL LANDSCAPECULTURAL LANDSCAPE
• a combination of cultural, economic and physicala combination of cultural, economic and physical
featuresfeatures
• Defined by Carl Sauer as an area fashioned from natureDefined by Carl Sauer as an area fashioned from nature
by a cultural groupby a cultural group
• ““regional studies” approach initiated by Paul Vidal de laregional studies” approach initiated by Paul Vidal de la
Bloche and Jean Brunhes around the turn of the 20Bloche and Jean Brunhes around the turn of the 20thth
centurycentury
• Later adopted by American geographers includingLater adopted by American geographers including
Robert PlattRobert Platt
• Region’s uniqueness comes from a combination ofRegion’s uniqueness comes from a combination of
human and environmental factorshuman and environmental factors
• People are the most important agent of changePeople are the most important agent of change
on the earth’s surfaceon the earth’s surface

4. Cultural LandscapeCultural Landscape
The visible human imprint on the landscape.The visible human imprint on the landscape.
Religion and
cremation
practices diffuse
with Hindu
migrants from
India to Kenya.

5. 2 main classifications of2 main classifications of
regionsregions
• Countries that shareCountries that share
common featurescommon features
• Or localities in a country thatOr localities in a country that
share common featuresshare common features

6. VERNACULAR or PERCEPTUALVERNACULAR or PERCEPTUAL
REGIONREGION
• PLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXISTPLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXIST
AS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITYAS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
• MENTAL MAPS—PERSONALMENTAL MAPS—PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVE

7. How are regions defined?How are regions defined?
They are defined by theirThey are defined by their
physical & humanphysical & human
characteristicscharacteristics

9. Formal:Formal: same as a uniformsame as a uniform
region—has someregion—has some
characteristic in common thatcharacteristic in common that
is measurable —such asis measurable —such as
language, crop, climate.language, crop, climate.
Ex. State, country, wheatEx. State, country, wheat
belt, etc.belt, etc.
They can be generalizationsThey can be generalizations
and not always precise.and not always precise.

10. Functional RegionFunctional Region
• Nodal region—centered around a focalNodal region—centered around a focal
pointpoint
• Characteristic diminishes away from focalCharacteristic diminishes away from focal
pointpoint
• Linked by communication or transportationLinked by communication or transportation
• Usually economicUsually economic
• Newspaper circulation, tv stations, etc.Newspaper circulation, tv stations, etc.

11. VERNACULAR or PERCEPTUALVERNACULAR or PERCEPTUAL
REGIONREGION
• PLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXISTPLACE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE EXIST
AS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITYAS PART OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
• MENTAL MAPS—PERSONALMENTAL MAPS—PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVE
• US map assignmentUS map assignment

12. Other names for regions:Other names for regions:
• Formal: uniform or homogenousFormal: uniform or homogenous
• Functional: nodalFunctional: nodal
• Vernacular: perceptualVernacular: perceptual

13. What are GeographicWhat are Geographic
Concepts, and How are theyConcepts, and How are they
used in Answeringused in Answering
Geographic Questions?Geographic Questions?
Key Question:

14. Geographic ConceptsGeographic Concepts
Ways of seeing the world spatially that areWays of seeing the world spatially that are
used by geographers in answeringused by geographers in answering
research questions.research questions.

15. Geographic inquiryGeographic inquiry
focuses on the spatial:focuses on the spatial:
- the spatial arrangement of- the spatial arrangement of
places and phenomena (humanplaces and phenomena (human
and physical).and physical).
-- how are things organized onhow are things organized on
Earth?Earth?
-- how do they appear on thehow do they appear on the
landscape?landscape?
-- why? where? so what?why? where? so what?

16. Regional Integration of CultureRegional Integration of Culture
Culture is an all-encompassing term thatCulture is an all-encompassing term that
identifies not only the whole tangibleidentifies not only the whole tangible
lifestyle of peoples, but also theirlifestyle of peoples, but also their
prevailing values and beliefs.prevailing values and beliefs.
- cultural trait- cultural trait
- cultural complex- cultural complex
- cultural hearth- cultural hearth

17. Culture—cultus (to care for)Culture—cultus (to care for)
• Two very different meaningsTwo very different meanings
* to care about (cult)* to care about (cult)
(ideas, beliefs, values, customs)(ideas, beliefs, values, customs)
* to care for (cultivate)* to care for (cultivate)
(ways of earning a living, obtaining(ways of earning a living, obtaining
food, clothing and shelter)food, clothing and shelter)
• Geography examines both conceptsGeography examines both concepts

18. • Human-environment relationshipsHuman-environment relationships
• Alexander von Humboldt and Carl RitterAlexander von Humboldt and Carl Ritter
encouraged geographers to use scientificencouraged geographers to use scientific
data to determine natural lawsdata to determine natural laws
• They emphasized how the physicalThey emphasized how the physical
environment caused social development—environment caused social development—
this approach is called “environmentalthis approach is called “environmental
determinism”.determinism”.

19. • POSSIBILISMPOSSIBILISM says that the physicalsays that the physical
environment may limit human actions but peopleenvironment may limit human actions but people
have the ability to adjusthave the ability to adjust
• Crop choices vary by climateCrop choices vary by climate
• Some human impacts are casual and someSome human impacts are casual and some
reflect deep-seated cultural valuesreflect deep-seated cultural values
• Level of wealth can influence attitude towardLevel of wealth can influence attitude toward
environmentenvironment
• Modern technology has greatly influenced thisModern technology has greatly influenced this
relationshiprelationship

21. World Climate RegionsWorld Climate Regions
Fig. 1-14: The modified Köppen system divides the world into five main climate regions.
RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE ARE MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY

22. • VEGETATIONVEGETATION
– 4 MAIN BIOMES: FOREST, SAVANNA, GRASSLAND AND4 MAIN BIOMES: FOREST, SAVANNA, GRASSLAND AND
DESERTDESERT
• SOILSOIL
– 10 ORDERS OF SOIL10 ORDERS OF SOIL
– DESTRUCTION OF SOILDESTRUCTION OF SOIL
– NUTRIENT DEPLETIONNUTRIENT DEPLETION
– SALINIZATIONSALINIZATION
• LANDFORMSLANDFORMS
– GEOMORPHOLOGY—STUDY OF EARTH’S SURFACEGEOMORPHOLOGY—STUDY OF EARTH’S SURFACE
– PEOPLE PREFER FLATTER LANDPEOPLE PREFER FLATTER LAND
– TOPOGRAPHIC MAPSTOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

23. GlobalizationGlobalization
A set of processes that are:A set of processes that are:
- increasing interactionsincreasing interactions
- deepening relationshipsdeepening relationships
- heighteningheightening
interdependenceinterdependence
without regard towithout regard to
country borders.country borders.
A set of outcomes that are:A set of outcomes that are:
- unevenly distributedunevenly distributed
- varying across scalesvarying across scales
- differently manifesteddifferently manifested
throughout the world.throughout the world.

24. Globalization of the EconomyGlobalization of the Economy
Fig. 1-17: The Denso corporation is headquartered in Japan, but
it has regional headquarters and other facilities in
North America and Western Europe.