The five themes of geography are location, place, movement, region, and human-environment interaction. Location describes where places are on Earth using absolute or relative terms. Place refers to the physical and cultural characteristics that make one area unique. Movement involves the transfer of people, goods, and ideas between locations. Region divides the world into areas with similar traits. Human-environment interaction is how humans impact and are impacted by their surroundings.

1. 5 Themes of Geography

2. What are the five themes?
• Tools geographer’s use to study features on
earth.
– Location
– Place
– Movement
– Region
– Human Environment Interaction

3. Location
Describes where places are at on earth.
ABSOLUTE: exact location on earth
(fixed)
• Doesn’t change
– Latitude/Longitude
– Hemispheres
– Grid System
– Address

4. Examples of Absolute Location
• Examples:
– New York City is located at
40 N, 74 W
Argentina is located
in the southern
hemisphere

5. RELATIVE: compared to other places (variable)
Changes dependent upon where you’re comparing it
to.
Miles
Distance
Direction

6. Place
Refers to the physical and human factors that make
one area different from another
– Physical characteristics – Specific to that place,
created by nature
– Cultural characteristics – Specific to that place,
created by man or invented (IE language)

7. Physical Characteristics Examples
The Amazon River flowing in
Brazil The Rocky Mountains in
Colorado

8. Cultural Characteristics Examples
The Mayan Ruins in Mexico
Portuguese is the
Official language of
Brazil

9. Movement
Refers to the shifting of people, goods, and ideas from
one place to another
• Examples
– Immigration from Latin America to US.
– War in Iraq (troops, supplies, ideas, people)
– UNL (people, ideas)
– Facebook, Twitter (ideas)

10. Region
shared characteristics that set it apart
• The world is divided into different regions based
upon similarities & differences.
– Climate
– Location
– Beliefs
– Languages
– Ethnicity/Race

11. Human-Environment Interaction
Refers to ways people interact with their
environment
• Consequences to those actions depend
upon how people choose to interact with
the world and use their resources.
– Positive/Negative
– Intentional/Accidental
– Favorable/Destructive

12. • Current Environmental Issues:
– Climate Change (global warming)
– Energy Resources
– Water Conservation
– Deforestation

13. Assignment
5 Themes of Geography Poster
Create a visual representation of each of the 5
themes of geography, and describe what each one is.