IntroductionWorld Regional GeographyWhat is Geog.docx

Introduction
World Regional Geography
What is Geography?Geography is the study of…. the earth, its
features (physical and human-made) and the interaction between
these featuresGeographers ask…WHERE are things located?
and-WHY are things where they are? Geography is a
multidisciplinary discipline
What is World Regional Geography?The study of the world by
breaking it down into realms and regionsA realm is…The
largest unit the inhabited world can be dividedThe result of the
interaction between human societies and natural environmentsA
representation of the great population clusters of humankindA
changing entity over timeMarked by transition zones at its
boundaries with other realms
We will be studying the world by realms and regions. For
example, one of the realms we will be studying is North
America. North America is a realm and is also broken down into
regions that we will also study: The Maritime Northeast, The
South, etc.
*

What is World Regional Geography?A region is…An area on
the earth’s surface marked by specific criteria that we
establishSpecific criteria in this class focus on four themes:
physical, cultural, economic, and historical geographyAll
regions have…Area BoundariesLocationAbsolute location –
specific measurable point on the earth’s surfaceRelative
location – location with respect to other regions
What is World Regional Geography?All regions include statesA
state is…a politically organized territory that is administered by
a sovereign government and is recognized by a significant
portion of the international communityA state must contain:a
permanent resident populationan organized economya
functioning internal circulation system
*
Your book and geographers- refer to countries as states.
How would you divide the world?
Think about what kind of criteria you would use to divide the
world and try to come up with a division scheme on your own.
The book divides the world based on geographic similarities
that include physical (the natural environment), cultural,
economic, historical, and political (in some cases).
*

Themes of the Course:
Physical GeographyPhysical Geography…The study of the
earth’s natural landscapes (the array of landforms and physical
features that constitute the earth’s surfaceWhat are some
examples of natural landscapes?Physiography – synonymous
with physical geography; literally means landscape description
Physical GeographyQuestion 1: Why do we have mountains,
earthquakes and volcanoes in some places and not others?Enter
the Theory of Plate TectonicsThe Theory of Plate Tectonics
states that…the world is divided into large slabs of rock called
tectonic plates that move slowly over the earth’s surfacethe
movement of these tectonic plates create mountains and cause
earthquakes and volcanoes along their boundariesTypes of
tectonic plate boundaries:Convergent – two plates collide, one
plate dips below another plate (subduction), creating mountains
and causing earthquakes and volcanoes (ex.
Himalayas)Divergent – two plates spread apart (ex. Great
African Rift Valley) Transform – two plates slide past one
another (ex. San Andreas Fault)Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’
Why do we have mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes in some
place and not others?Plate tectonics is one of the major theories
of our time.Look at the map of lithospheric plates and the map
of volcano/earthquake distribution. Do you see any
similarities?Hint: Take the Nazca plate near South America as
an example. Notice how volcanoes and earthquakes form the
outline of the Nazca plate. Now look at some more plates and
then look at volcano/earthquake distribution. Most volcanoes

and earthquakes occur along plate boundaries.Now look at the
Pacific plate on the volcano/earthquake distribution map. Why
do you think the Pacific plate is called the ‘Ring of Fire’?
*
Tectonic Plates
Where are the continents located and why are they there? Be
able to explain this based on the information you are given
about continental drift and Pangaea.
*
What do you notice about the distribution of
earthquakes/volcanoes
and tectonic plates?
Convergent
Boundary
Divergent
Boundary

Transform
Boundary
The San Andreas Fault
Pacific Plate
North
American
Plate
Physical GeographyQuestion 2: Where are continents located
and why are they there? Earth’s continents are located where
they are because of plate tectonicsEarth’s continents rest upon
tectonic platesContinental Drift – the theory that the continents
have moved throughout geologic timePangaea – supercontinent
that existed 225 million years ago
Where are the continents located and why are they there? Be
able to explain this based on the information you are given
about continental drift and Pangaea.
*

The Big Picture…in a nutshell
Try to find the different boundaries on this map so you can see
what is going on at each.
*
Physical GeographyQuestion 3: How can the world be divided
up by climate?Koppen-Geiger Climatic RegionsA climates –
humid, tropical (monsoon, rainforest, savanna)B climates – dry
(desert, steppe)C climates – humid, temperate (mid-latitude)D
climates – humid, cold (continental)E climates – cold, polar
(tundra, icecap)H climates – highland (most like E climates –
why?)
World Climatic Regions
Look at the climatic categories. How do the climates change as
you move from the equator toward the poles (this is a way to
remember these categories and where they are located)?
*
Physical GeographyAn aside…Climate ChangeClimates change

over timeIce Age – a stretch of geologic time during which the
earth gradually coolsGlaciation – a period of lowered
temperatures, ice surges, and dropping sea levelsLast glaciation
ended 10,000 years ago…many features we know today are
remnants if this glaciationInterglaciation – relatively warm
spells that separate periods of glaciationWhy was the ‘Fertile
Crescent’ so fertile 10,000 years ago? What has happened
since?What is going on with climatic change now?
What I want you to understand about climate change is that the
climate on the earth has changed throughout earth’s history. The
earth has experienced warm periods and cold periods
intermittently over the course of millions/billions of years.
What are we experiencing now?Why was the ‘Fertile Crescent’
so fertile 10,000 years ago? What has happened since?Look in
your book for this chapter and read the section under “Decline
and Decay” of the Fertile Crescent civilizations. Climate change
affects civilizations. The advent of agriculture is thought to
have occurred in the Fertile Crescent because the climate in this
area was more temperate 10,000 years ago than it is today.
Large ice sheets covered much of Europe and moderated the
climate in the Fertile Crescent. When the ice sheets retreated,
this area became drier and drier until it became what we see
today, very dry and desert-like.
*
Themes of the Course
Cultural GeographyQuestion 1:How can the world’s peoples be
divided up?Culture – the sum total of the knowledge, attitudes,
and habitual behavior patterns shared and transmitted by
members of a societyWhat are some characteristics of American
culture? Other cultures?Geographers are concerned with how

culture is imprinted on the landscapeCultural Landscape – the
composite of human imprints on the earth’s surfaceWhat are
some differences between the U.S. west coast and east coast?
Between a U.S. city and European city?
Think about some of the characteristics that distinguish one
culture from another and make a list.
*
Cultural GeographyComponents of culture…Ethnicity – the
combination of a people’s culture and racial ancestryOthers
components?
Cultural GeographyQuestion 2: How are people distributed
across the surface of the earth? Do you see clusters?
Cultural GeographyWorld Population Clusters:East Asia South
AsiaEuropeEastern North America
Clusters of populationEast Asia centers on ChinaSouth Asia
centers on IndiaEuropeEastern North America – interesting that

we in Maryland are in one of the four major population clusters
in the world!
*
Cultural GeographyQuestion 3: Where do people cluster?Near
coastsAlong rivers or other freshwater sourcesOn flat terrainIn
temperate climates (what climatic classification is this?___)In
places with fertile soil (river valleys, volcanic soils
etc)Question 4: Why do people cluster in these areas?
Think about what people need in order to survive and then look
at where people cluster. It should make sense.
*
Cultural GeographyBasic Terminology…Population Distribution
– the way people have arranged themselves in geographic
spacePopulation Density – number of people per unit
areaCartogram – a map where the area of a country does not
reflect territorial area but population numbers

Cultural GeographyAn Aside…Population Growth
(Overpopulation)The J-curve
Just by looking at the J-curve, why would population growth –
or overpopulation- be considered an issue?
Just by looking at the J-curve, why would population growth –
or overpopulation- be considered an issue?Hint: For 7000 years,
the human population has increased very slowly. What has
happened within the past couple hundred years in terms of
human population growth?
*
Economic GeographyEconomic Geography – the study of the
spatial aspects of how people make a living and the subsequent
patterns of production, distribution, and consumption of goods
and servicesQuestion 1: How can the world be divided
economically? World Bank division of countries/states…High-
incomeUpper-Middle-IncomeLower-Middle-IncomeLow-Income
World Bank Economic

Division of the World
Economic Geography
Other Methods of Dividing the World…HavesCore
AreasAdvantagedDevelopedFirst World Have
NotsPeripheriesDisadvantagedUnderdevelopedSecond, Third,
Fourth, Fifth World
Economic GeographyMeasures of Economic
Development…GNP per capitaGNP (Gross National Product) –
the total value of all goods and services produced in a country
(including citizens’ foreign investment and other external
sources) in a given year GNP per capita means the gross
domestic product per personExample: India has a GNP of $336
billion while Switzerland has a GNP of $288 billion – which
state is economically more well off?
*Measure of Economic DevelopmentGNP per capitaIndia’s GNP
is $336 billion and Switzerland’s GNP is $288 billion – which
state is more advanced?Switzerland because of GNP per
capitaIndia’s GNP per capita is $340 while Switzerland’s GNP
per capita is $40,630Population growth – in general, what is the
economic condition of states with high population growth? Low
population growth?Occupational structure of the labor force –
in an ‘underdeveloped’ country, what is the predominant way to

make a living?Urbanization – in general, a high urbanization
rate correlates with what kind of state – developed or
underdeveloped?Consumption per capita – think about access to
technology (cell phones, computers, TV etc) and energy
useInfrastructure – roadways, railways, waterways etc.
Economic GeographyMeasures of Economic Development
cont…Population growthIn general, poorer countries have more
rapid rates of population growthPopulation growth rates (or
natural increase percent) usually range from (-)1%-(+)4% - what
does this mean?The Rule of 70If a country has a population
growth rate of 1% its population will double in 70 years (i.e. the
rule of 70)How long will it take a country’s population to
double with a population growth rate of 2%? 3%? 4%?Look at
Table G-1 at the back of the Introduction chapterWhat countries
have the highest population growth rates?What countries have
the lowest population growth rates?
Divide 70 by 2 and that is the number of years it will take a
country’s population to double if that country has a natural rate
of increase of 2% annually. What about 3%? 4%? All you need
to do is 70/3 and 70/4 to find the answers.
*
World Population Growth Rates
Image obtained from www.worldbank.org
Where are population growth rates the highest? The lowest?

*
cont…Occupational structure of the labor forceWhat do we
mean by occupational structure? Think about what type of jobs
predominate in poorer countries vs. richer countries.
Urbanization – percentage of a country’s population living in
urban areasWhich countries would Consumption per capita – of
what?Infrastructure – the foundations of a society: urban
centers, transport networks, communications, energy
distribution systems, farms, factories, mines and social services
such as schools, hospitals, postal services, police and armed
forces
Consumption per capitaThink about technology. What do we
have/use in the U.S. that people in other
countries/regions/realms might not have access to? If you still
can’t figure it out, then think about how you are taking this
class. Do all people in all countries have the ability to take a
class like you are right now?
*
cont…Social conditionsHuman Development Index (HDI): life
expectancy, education (adult literacy), and GNP per
capitaAddresses the failings of merely using GNP to measure
the ‘success’ or ‘wealth’ of a country

This is a more widely used index because it includes the well-
being of human beings as opposed to merely how much money a
country accumulates. Look at the map in the next slide.
*
Human Development Index
by Country
Dark Green = highest HDI
Dark Red = lowest HDI
Where are the highest HDI’s located? The lowest? Are you
getting a picture here of what areas are well-off and what areas
are not well-off?
*
Economic GeographyAn Aside…Globalization (pp.20-
21)Globalization – the gradual reduction of regional contrasts at
the world scale, resulting from increasing international cultural,
economic, and political exchangeWhat are some indications of
globalization?Is globalization a positive or a negative thing?
How do the authors of your book view globalization? How do
YOU view globalization?
*

Globalization
McDonald’s in Saudi Arabia (upper left), Kazakhstan (upper
right), and Nigeria (bottom right). Ronald McDonald in
Thailand (bottom, center).
*
Economic GeographyAn Aside…Globalization cont…The World
Trade Organization – “the only global international organization
dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are
the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the
world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The
goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and
importers conduct their business”Who does the WTO favor? To
join the WTO, countries must: agree to open their economies to
foreign trade and investment and to adhere to a set of economic
rules. What are the problems with the WTO?
The WTO favors the developed countries of the world. Problems
with the WTO: Many developed countries subsidize their
products, especially farm products. Subsidize - to aid or
promote (as a private enterprise) with public money…meaning
the U.S. gives farmers money so they can sell their products
more cheaply. What happens, however, is that once a country
opens their economy and starts competing on the world market,
they find they are at a disadvantage against those countries that
subsidize their products. So, for example Mexico cannot
compete on the world market with the U.S. in terms of corn
because the U.S. subsidizes corn. This makes American corn
cheaper and Mexican corn more expensive. Is any country going
to buy the more expensive corn? Certainly not. Extra credit: you

look up some more problems with the WTO and email me your
answers in an email for extra credit.
*
Historical GeographyQuestion 1: What is the history of the
human race?Culture Hearths – a place of origin of a major
culture; a heartland, source area, and innovation centerMajor
Culture Hearths:Mesopotamia Nile Valley Indus Valley Wei-
Huang Valley Ganges Valley Mesoamerica West Africa Andean
America
Historical Geography
Image obtained from
http://www.harpercollege.edu/mhealy/geogres/maps/othergif/he
arthgr.gif
Historical GeographyQuestion 2: Other than wars, what events
have significantly impacted the geography of the world today?
Colonialism – rule by an autonomous power over a subordinate
and alien people and placeImperialism – the drive toward the
creation and expansion of a colonial empire and, once
established, its perpetuationEarly

Empires:GreeksRomansChineseArab-IslamicOttomanOthers?
Colonialism is blamed for many of the problems countries face
today. The extent of the blame goes back and forth (in terms of
colonialism being totally to blame or colonialism being
somewhat to blame etc) as the years progress. However, one
thing is certain; colonialism significantly changed the shape and
course of most of the world’s countries. Much of what is going
on now in the world can be understood under the framework of
colonialism. We will be looking at this throughout the semester,
especially during the first two modules.
*
Historical GeographyEuropean ColonizationEuropean control of
the earth’s land:1500: 9% 1800: 35% 1878: 67% 1914: 85%
Two waves of colonization:First wave: 1415-1825Western
Hemisphere mainly settlement colonies/immigrants major
powers: Spain and Portugal conquest, plunder, slavery,
annihilation of indigenous peoplesSecond wave: since the
1800’sAsia, Africa, and the Pacific colonies of occupation
rather than settlement major powers: Great Britain and France
colonies seen as sources of cheap resources
Historical GeographyEuropean colonization cont…Whom was
involved?United Kingdom (controlled 24% of land surface)
France Portuguese Spain Germany Italy Denmark the
Netherlands Belgium Others United States Russia China Japan

What were the effects?
Historical GeographyAn
Aside….NeocolonialismNeocolonialism – the idea that the past
colonial system of international exchange and capital flow has
not changed in the postcolonial era (the entrenchment of the old
colonial system under a new guise)Is neocolonialism a reality?
Many of the world’s less developed countries accuse the more
developed countries of perpetuating colonialism in a different
guise. Much of the world’s trade and economy is controlled by
the more developed countries. Less developed countries argue
that they cannot compete with more developed countries for
various reasons and that they are forced to play by the more
developed countries’ rules if they want to develop, hence
neocolonialism. What do you think about this argument?Many
people argue that things like the WTO create colonial
conditions where one country is dependent on another.
*
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDICES ASSIGNMENT
BACKGROUND: All countries are not economically equal.
According to the World Bank, countries can be divided up into
four categories (see the Introduction PowerPoint for a map of
which countries are classified in which categories):
1. High Income Economies
2. Upper Middle Income Economies
3. Lower Middle Income Economies, and

4. Lower Income Economies
You might also see the use of the terms More Developed
Countries (MDC’s) and Less Developed Countries (LDC’s) to
differentiate between countries and their level of economic
development (this is more politically correct). More Developed
Countries are countries like the United States. Less Developed
Countries are countries like Somalia.
GOAL: In this assignment I want you to understand the
difference in economic development between countries by
looking at the indices that measure economic development.
DIRECTIONS: Re-read the part of the Introduction Powerpoint
on ‘Measuring Economic Development’. Along with the United
States, choose four more countries (one from each of the World
Bank’s categories) and fill out the table below. Use the links
provided to find the data. When you are done filling out the
table, answer the questions below.
LINK- http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-
groups
World Bank Country Rank by Income
P.S. You will need to calculate the doubling time on your own.
Remember the “Rule of 70”. If you do not remember, or know,
what this rule is then re-read the Introduction presentation. The
urbanization rate can be found in the table at the back of the
Introduction chapter.
Economic Development Indices Table
World Bank Category
High Income
Upper Middle Income
Lower Middle Income
Lower Income

Country
United States
Population (in millions)
Natural Increase Rate (%)
Population Doubling Time (years)
Life Expectancy (years)
Infant Mortality Rate (number of deaths/1000 live births)

Literacy (% population)
GDP per capita
Labor Force Structure (put in farming, forestry, and fishing %)
Urbanization Rate (%)
Unemployment Rate (%)
Population Below Poverty Line (%)

Electricity Consumption (kWh)
Oil Consumption (bbl/day)
World Bank Category
High Income
Upper Middle Income
Lower Middle Income
Lower Income
Country
United States
Telephones – Mobile Cellular
Internet
Users

Airports (number in general)
Railways (total number in km)
Roadways (total number in km)
Waterways (total number in km)
Questions
Directions: Compare/contrast all the data in the table above and
answer the following questions. Put all of your answers in
BOLD.
Population Stats
1. What country has the:
a. highest population growth rate?
b. shortest doubling time?

c. highest infant mortality rate?
d. lowest life expectancy?
e. lowest literacy rate?
2. How does the World Bank classify this country?
3. Would you classify this country as an MDC or an LDC?
Economic Development
4. What country is:
4a. the richest?
4b. the poorest?
4c. What development indice did you use to determine this?
5. The labor structure of a country can indicate its level of
economic development.
a. What country has the lowest percentage of people in the
farming, forestry and fishing (agriculture) sector and what is
this country’s World Bank category?
b. What country has the highest percentage of people in the
farming, forestry, and fishing sector and what is this country’s
World Bank category?
c. Look at the labor structure category and finish the following
sentence: In general, countries that have a smaller percentage of
the population employed in the farming, forestry, and fishing
sector are more/less developed countries.
d. Look the urbanization rate and compare it to the percentage
of people employed in the farming, fishing, and forestry sector.
Is there a correlation between the urbanization rate and the
percentage of people employed in the farming, forestry and
fishing sector? Why?
6. What country has the
6a. highest percentage of people below the poverty line?

6b. lowest percentage of people below the poverty line?
7. What country has the
6a. highest unemployment rate?
6b. lowest unemployment rate?
Consumption
8. What countries would you consider consumer countries and
what countries would you consider non-consumer countries?
Justify your answer by using the indices data in the table above
(i.e. prove your point with hard numbers and facts).
Infrastructure. Infrastructure usually includes miles of roads,
railroads, and waterways and the number of airports.
9. What countries would you consider to have good
infrastructure and which countries have poor infrastructure?
Again, justify your answer by using hard numbers from the
indices data in the table above.
Economic Classification
10. What countries would you classify as MDC’s and what
countries would you classify as LDC’s? Use the answers you
gave to the questions above to justify your answer.
11. Develop a list of five generalizations you can make about an
LDC vs. an MDC. (For example: An LDC generally has a high
population growth rate – DO NOT USE THIS ONE!).
12. Look at each country’s indices data again. Find two
examples of an indice that does not coincide with the World
Bank category in which the country has been classified. (For
example, a low income country with a low population growth
rate would be considered an example). List the country and
explain why the indice does not match up with the World Bank
category.
13. Many people have been critical of the World Bank’s

classification system because it relies too heavily on income (in
particular GDP) and does not look at the overall health and
well-being of a country’s people. The argument is that a country
that has a large income (GDP) might have a very unhealthy and
unhappy population (maybe most people are living below the
poverty line and all of that wealth is going into the hands of a
few). Devise a new method of categorizing the countries that
you have chosen for this assignment. Describe each category,
list the country that would go into that category, and explain
what indice(s) you used to determine each category. Finally,
justify why your categorization is better than the World Bank’s
categorization. Full points will only be given to those who do a
superior job of describing, explaining and justifying their
categorization. (200 words atleast)

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