Culture differs between groups and changes over time. A chapter discusses the key ideas that culture is shared beliefs and practices, the world has many culture groups, and new ideas lead to culture changes. Population patterns and statistics like birth and death rates are important for understanding changes. Countries have different governments like democracy or monarchy, and economic systems ranging from traditional to market-based. Geographers group countries by development level. Globalization links countries through culture and trade, and the world community addresses global issues.

1. Culture
The Big Idea
Culture, a group’s shared practices and beliefs, differs from group to group and changes over time.
Next
World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Ideas
• Culture is the set of beliefs, goals, and practices that a group of people share.
• The world includes many different culture groups.
• New ideas and events lead to changes in culture.
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2. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 1: Culture is the set of beliefs, goals, and practices that a group of
people share.
Culture
• The set of beliefs, values, and practices that a group of people has in
Culture Traits
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common
• Includes many aspects of life, such as language and religion, that we
may share with people around us
• Each is unique
• An activity or behavior in which people often take part, such as
language spoken or sports played
• Can be shared by people around the world
• Can change from place to place

3. World Geography
Chapter 4
Development of Culture
Culture traits are often learned or passed down from one generation to
the next.
•Within families as traditions, foods, or holiday customs.
•Laws and moral codes within societies
Cultures develop as people learn new culture traits.
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• Immigrants who move to a new country

4. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 2: The world includes many different culture groups.
• A culture region is an area in which people have many shared
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culture traits, such as religious beliefs, language, or lifestyle.
–A single country may include more than one culture
region within its borders.
– A culture region may stretch across country borders.
• Often, culture regions are based on ethnic groups—groups of
people who share a common culture and ancestry.

5. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 3: New ideas and events lead to changes in culture.
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How Ideas Spread
•The spread of culture traits from
one region to another is called
cultural diffusion.
− Occurs when people move
from one place to another
− Takes place as new ideas
spread from place to place
How Cultures Change
•Innovations—new ideas or ways of
doing things
•As societies come into contact with
each other, cultures can change.

6. World Geography
Chapter 4
Population
The Big Idea
Population studies are an important part of geography.
Main Ideas
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• The study of population patterns helps geographers learn about the world.
• Population statistics and trends are important measures of population change.

7. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 1: The study of population patterns helps geographers learn about the
world.
• Population, or the total number of people in a given
area
- Influences business, transportation, schools, and
more
• Geographers study human population
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− Interested in patterns that emerge over time
− Study information such as how many people
live in an area, why people live where they do,
and how populations change

8. World Geography
Chapter 4
Population Patterns
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Where People Live
• When an area is thinly populated, it is
often because the land does not
provide a very good life.
− Rugged mountains
− Harsh deserts
− Polar regions
• Areas with denser populations tend to
be regions with fertile soil, reliable
sources of water, and a good
agricultural climate.
Population Density
• Population density—a measure of the
number of people living in an area
• High population density areas
− Land more expensive
− Roads crowded
− Buildings taller
• Low population density areas
− More open spaces
− Less traffic
− More available land

9. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 2: Population statistics and trends are important measures of population
change.
• Geographers examine three key statistics to learn about population changes.
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− Birthrate—the annual number of births per 1,000 people
− Death rate—the annual number of deaths per 1,000 people
• Population growth rates differ from one place to another.
− In some countries, populations are growing very slowly or even
shrinking.
− In most countries, populations are growing.
− In countries with growing populations, governments face many
challenges.

10. World Geography
Chapter 4
Population Change
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World Population Trends
• Earth’s population has exploded in
the last 200 years
− Better health care
− Improved food production
Migration
• Migration is the process of
moving from one place to live in
another.
• A common cause of population
change

11. World Geography
Chapter 4
Government and Economy
The Big Idea
The world’s countries have different governments and levels of economic development.
Main Ideas
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• The governments of the world include democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and
communism.
• Different economic activities and systems exist throughout the world.
• Geographers group the countries of the world based on their level of economic
development.

12. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 1: The governments of the world include democracy, monarchy,
dictatorship, and communism.
• Governments:
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− Make and enforce laws
− Regulate business and trade
− Provide aid to people
− Help shape the culture and economy of a country as well
as the daily lives of people who live there

13. World Geography
Chapter 4
Other Types of Government
Monarchy
•One of the oldest types
of government
•Ruled directly by a king
or queen, the head of a
royal family
•In some, power is in the
hands of just one person.
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Dictatorship
•A single, powerful
ruler has total control.
•Leader is called a
dictator.
•Often rules by force
•People have few
rights and no say in
their own government.
Communism
•A political system in
which the government
owns all property and
dominates all aspects of
life in a country
•People have restricted
rights and very little
freedom.

14. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 2: Different economic activities and systems exist throughout the world.
• The economy is a system that includes all of the
activities that people and businesses do to earn a
living.
• Countries use a mix of different economic activities
and systems.
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15. World Geography
Chapter 4
Economic Systems
Traditional Economy
•System in which people
grow their own food and
make their own goods
•Trade may take place
through barter, or the
exchange of goods
without the use of
money.
•Often found in rural and
remote communities
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Market Economy
•System based on private
ownership, free trade, and
competition
•Individuals and businesses
are free to buy and sell what
they wish.
•Prices determined by the
supply and demand for goods
•Sometimes called capitalism
Command Economy
•System in which the
central government
makes all economic
decisions
•Government decides
what goods to
produce, how much to
produce, and what
prices will be.

16. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 3: Geographers group the countries of the world based on their level of
economic development.
Economic Indicators
Developed and Developing Countries
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• Measures of a country’s wealth used by geographers to decide if a
country is developed or developing
• One measure used is gross domestic product (GDP)—the value of all
goods and services produced within a country in a single year.
• Developed countries have strong economies and a high quality of life;
have solid infrastructure and manufacturing
• Developing countries have less productive economies and a lower quality
of life; do not have solid infrastructure most people still farm

17. World Geography
Chapter 4
Global Connections
The Big Idea
Fast, easy global connection have made cultural exchange, trade, and a cooperative world
community possible.
Main Ideas
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• Globalization links the world’s countries together through culture and trade.
• The world community works together to solve global conflicts and crises.

18. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 1: Globalization links the world’s countries together through culture and
trade.
• Globalization is the process in which countries are increasingly linked to
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each other through culture and trade.
− Caused by improvements in transportation and communication
over the last 100 years
• Popular culture refers to culture traits that are well known and widely
accepted.
− Examples include food, sports, music, and movies.
• Expansion of global trade has increased interdependence—the reliance of
one country on the resources, goods, or services of another country—
between countries.

19. World Geography
Chapter 4
Main Idea 2: The world community works together to solve global conflicts and
crises.
• Because of globalization, the world seems smaller.
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− Places are more connected
− What happens in one part of the world can
affect the entire planet