Introduction to World Regional Geography

1
Introduction to World Regional Geography

• A Realms and Regions
• B Physical Setting
• C Cultures and Population
• D States
• E Development

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Realms and Regions
A

• Geography
• From the Greek Geo (the world) and Graphos
  (to write about or to describe).
• Studies the location and distribution of features
  on the Earths surface.
• Features
• Human activities.
• Natural environment.
• The relationship between the two.
• Answers where and why.

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Realms and Regions
A

• Classification Systems
• Many sciences establish a taxonomy
  (classification) of the elements investigated.
• Biologists, chemists, geologists, historians,
  astrophysicists, epidemiologists, etc.
• Geography does the same
• Tries to find a commonality to a certain area.
• Often a matter of scale.
• The smaller the scale the less likely the
  commonality.

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Realms and Regions

• Realm
• The largest geographic units into which the
  inhabited world can be divided.
• Based on both physical (natural) and human
  (cultural) characteristics.
• The smallest scale of commonality.
• The result of the interaction between human
  societies and natural environments
• A functional interaction.
• Represent the most comprehensive and encompassing
  definition of the great clusters of humankind.
• Geographic realms change over time
• Russia (disintegration of the former Soviet
  Union).
• European integration.

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Realms of the World
6
Realms and Regions

• Transition zones
• Where geographic realms meet.
• An area of spatial change where peripheries of
  two adjacent realms or regions join.
• Marked by a gradual shift (rather than a sharp
  break) in the characteristics that distinguish
  neighboring realms.

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Transition Zones
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Realms and Regions

• Regions
• Areas of the earths surface marked by certain
  properties.
• Based on an established criteria
• Human (cultural) properties
• Physical (natural) characteristics
• All regions have
• Area
• Boundaries
• Location
• Formal region
• Marked by a certain degree of homogeneity in one
  or more phenomena.
• Also called a uniform region or homogeneous
  region.

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A Regional Framework of the United States
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Realms and Regions

• Functional region
• A region marked less by its sameness than its
  dynamic internal structure.
• A spatial system focused on a central core.
• A region formed by a set of places and their
  functional integration.
• Also called a nodal region.

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Los Angeles Nodal Region
12
Physical Setting
B

• Physical Geography
• The study of physical processes in space.
• Continental drift / Tectonic plates / Subduction.
• Pacific Ring of fire.
• Weathering
• Decay and breakup of rocks on the earth's surface
  by natural chemical and mechanical processes.
• Erosion
• The wearing away of land or soil by the action of
  wind, water, or ice.

13
Tectonic Plates
14
World Seismic and Volcanic Activity
15
Cultures and Population
C

• Culture
• Shared patterns of learned behavior.
• Components
• Beliefs.
• Institutions.
• Technology.
• Cultural geography
• Spatial aspects of human cultures.
• Major components focus on
• Cultural Landscapes.
• Culture Hearths.
• Cultural Diffusion.
• Cultural Environments.
• Cultural Regions.

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Cultures and Population

• Cultural landscape
• The composite of human imprints on the earths
  surface.
• Take many shapes
• Agricultural tenure.
• Organization of cities.
• Architecture.
• Cultural hearths
• The source areas from which radiated ideas,
  innovations, and ideologies that changed the
  world beyond.
• Cultural diffusion
• Process during which a culture / religion spread
  to new areas.

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Core Cultural Hearths of Humanity
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Diffusion of Major Religions in Pacific Asia
Hinduism (4,000 B.C.)
Buddhism (563 B.C.)
Shinto
Traditional Chinese
Islam (571 A.D.)
Christianity (1510 A.D.)
Christian presence
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Cultures and Population

• Population distribution
• Linked with agricultural potential.
• 4 major clusters
• 1) East Asia
• 2) South Asia
• 3) Europe
• 4) Eastern North America

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World Population
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States
D

• Political geography
• The study of the interaction of geographical area
  and political processes.
• The spatial analysis of political phenomena (e.g.
  voting) and processes.
• State
• A politically organized territory.
• Administered by a sovereign government.
• Recognized by the international community.
• A state must also contain
• A permanent resident population.
• An organized economy.
• A functioning internal circulation system.

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States

• Nation
• All the citizens of a state (legal definition).
• Group of people with a strong linguistic, ethnic,
  religious and cultural commonality.
• Nation-state
• A country whose population possesses a
  substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and
  unity.
• Japan, most of Europe.

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Development
E

• Economic geography
• The study of economic activities in space.
• Particularly concerned about production and
  consumption.
• Economic conditions
• Significant variations in income.
• Developed and developing countries.
• From low to high-Income.
• Globalization
• A complex and highly dynamic process.
• New industrial regions.
• New markets.
• Global products.
• Three main poles of the global economy.

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Poles of the Global Economy
Western Europe
North America
East Asia
Economies
Underdeveloped
Developing
Newly Industrializing
Advanced
Oil Export / Rent