World Geography

1
World Geography
2
SSWG1

• The students will explain the physical aspects of
  geography.

3
Physical Geography

• Is the study of how physical characteristics (
  land, climate, bodies of water, animal life and
  etc).
• A place is an are of land that shares common
  features or id defined by common characteristics.
  
• For Example The Appalachia region is the portion
  of the US in North Carolina South Carolina,
  Georgia Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia that
  is part of the Appalachian Mountains. ) define by
  it mountainous surrounding and distinct mountain
  culture)

4
Life

• The way people live is often determined by
  climate and physical features of their
  environment. In the mountains of West Virginia,
  coal mining has long been a way of life for many
  people because of the abundant resources of coal
  in the area.

5
Human Geography

• Human characteristics include language, religion,
  political systems and economic systems,
  population and way of life.
• Population settlement patterns refer to the types
  of people who live in a place.
• The population of a region and its culture play a
  key role in defining a place geographically.
• Example Southeastern US- regions geography id
  ideal of raising crops like tobacco, sugar, rice
  and cotton. Prior to 1865, South relied heavily
  on African slaves to work large agricultural
  plantations that maintained its economy. Today
  slavery is outlaw but a good number of African
  Americans still in the South and help define its
  culture and economy,.

6
Human Activities

• Define a place
• Agriculture is prominent in much of the
  Midwestern United States because the climate
  makes it ideal for farming.
• Northeast and parts of the northern Midwest are
  know for industries like automobile and steel
  manufacturing.
• Southern cities continue to grown in importance
  as center of international business and banking.

7
SSWG2

• Cultural Aspects of Geography

8
Culture

• Is the system of shared beliefs, values, customs,
  behaviors that transmitted from generation to
  generation. Some aspects of culture are religion,
  language, art, music clothing and manners.
• Example- In many cultures, Senior citizens are
  revered and ancestors are even worshipped.

9
Nomadic Lifestyles

• People of Africas desert( Sahara Desert in
  Africa) and plains regions have traditionally led
  nomadic lifestyles meaning they often move from
  location to location in search of fresh water
  supplies and areas for their livestock to graze.
  Religions practiced in these desert region often
  depict Paradise as a place of abundant water
  supplies, because water is so scarce and valued
  among such people.

10
Impact of Culture

• People who live on island, near ocean coasts, or
  along major rivers, like the Nile in Africa or
  the Amazon in South America usually have culture
  which rely heavily on these bodies of water.
• Japan tend to rely on a diet that features large
  amounts of seafood.

11
Physical Impacts on Culture

• Physical features( water, climate) impact
  culture by determining what resources are and
  what kid of shelter and clothing will be
  available.
• Climate often determines how people dress, how
  much they migrate, what kinds of crops thy can
  grown and how much they must modify their
  lifestyle based on different seasons of the
  year.

12
Cultural Characteristics Define Place

• Customs and Traditions- ways of doing things
  passed down form one generation of a people
  groups or society to the next.
• Examples wedding rituals, burial ceremonies,
  traditional celebration and holidays, methods of
  showing respect, the manner in which business is
  conducted, rites of passage from child hood to
  adulthood.

13
Sample Questions WG.1and 2

• Lakes, mountains, oil reserves, deserts, and open
  plains are all
• Aspects of culture
• Physical characteristics of geography
• Human characteristics of geography
• Physical characteristics of culture
• The way a particular society conducts weddings,
  expects honorable people to carry on business,
  and who it views as the most important citizens
  are all examples of
• Physical geography
• Cultural religions
• Customs and traditions
• Population settlement patterns

14
SSWG3North Africa and Southwest Asia

• Together Middle East
• Similarities in climate and culture.
• Complex area with a fascinating and violent
  history.
• Closeness to Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and
  Mediterranean Sea- links three continents-importan
  t terms of commerce and world trade-fought wars
  in region trying to secure trade routes and
  protect themselves

15
North Africa

• Variety of physical features.
• Mountains-three main
• Deserts ( areas receiving less than 10 inches of
  rainfall per year) . Sahara- worlds largest
  desert
• Sahel-belt of dry grasslands south of he Sahara
  desert

16
Bodies of Water

• Persian Gulf- important for trade and military
  purposes
• Strait of Hormuz-narrow waterway connecting the
  Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea-export oil supplies
  from here-receive goods from other foreign
  nations
• Mediterranean Sea- largest body of water in the
  region- access to travel and trade
• Tigris and Euphrates- important rivers- home to
  some of the oldest civilizations ( beginning of
  civilization) in the world-important water travel
  and trade- they meet in Iraq-
• Nile River- longest rive in the world-flows north
  provides water and nutrients to grow crops

17
Sinai and Suez

• Sinai Peninsula- land bridge between North Africa
  and Southwest Asia-connects the two regions
• Suez Canal- man-made waterway connecting the
  Mediterranean and Red Seas-crucial waterway
  allowing ships to sail from one sea to the other
  without having to go all the way around Arica.-
  trade and travel

18
Climate

• Southwest Asia and North Africa-dry with deserts
  ( nomads)
• Oasis- fertile areas within desert regions that
  provide water and vegetation

19
The Impact of Religion

• Three Major Religions-monotheism- belief in one
  gad
• Judaism-looks to ancient prophet Abraham as its
  founder-oldest-teaches that the Jewish people are
  Gods chosen nations
• Christianity- founder is Jesus-Bible
• Islam- the youngest religion- Mohammed is the
  founder- Koran

20
Conflicts Over Culture

• Traditional societies- customs and
  tradition-laws-
• Some Westernized- not traditional more like US
• Terrorism-violence against innocent people in the
  name of a cause

21
SSWG4Sub-Saharan Africa

• Portion of the continent below North Africa
  (highlands-north and west and lowlands-north and
  east)
• East African Mountains-farmers depend on
  mountains for water from snowfall-
• Mount Kilimanjaro-highest mountain
• Great Rift Valley- has huge lakes-Lake
  Victoria-largest lake and second larges
  freshwater lake in the world
• Nile River
• Congo River-major means of travel and trade for
  interior
• Zambezi River- waterfall- Victoria Falls

22
Climate

• Desert Climate- hot and little rain
• Semiarid-high temperatures a little more rain
• Tropical climate- rainy and dry season
• Savanna- flat grassland
• Equatorial-high temperatures and rain-rainforest.

23
People

• Population distribution- where people live-
  affected by physical features and climate
• Major cities along waterways and coastal regions
• Dry and Rainforests- less people
• Urbanization growth and development of cities
• Modernization- process of a society leaving
  primitive methods behind to adopt more modern
  techniques
• More advanced technology, better job
  opportunities and the ability to live a more
  modern life- attract many people to cities.

24
The Rest of Asia

• South Asia-Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal,
  Pakistan Maldives, Sri Lanka
• Southeast Asia-Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
  Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines Singapore,
  Thailand and Vietnam
• Eastern Asia-Japan, China, Korea

25
WWG5South Asia

• Northern Mountain Rim- include Hindu Kush and
  Himalayas ( tallest mountains on earth)-location
  of Mt. Everest
• Northern Plains Indus and Ganges run through
  plains- agriculture
• Deccan Plateau- large portion- rich mineral
  deposits- home of elephants
• Sri Lanka and the Maldives- beautiful
  islands-vulnerable to natural disasters

26
Climate

• Three Main Seasons
• Cool-high elevations
• Rainy-tropical-monsoon season
• Hot-tropical southern India

27
SSWG5Southeast Asia

• Physical Features
• Mainland- Malay and Indochinese peninsulas
• Mekong River-longest river
• Land-Locked- surrounded by land- Laos
• Archipelagos- group of island in Season (
  Singapore, Borneo, Philippines and Indonesia)

28
Climate

• Two Seasons
• Rainy-mid to late summer-farming
• Dry

29
SSWG5Eastern Asia

• Physical Features
• China- largest country
• Most of China is covered by Himalayas
• Plateau of Tibet- highest plateau in the
  world-northwest part of China
• Taklimakan and Gobi desert-northwest part
• Major Rivers- Huang He-nickname yellow
  river-causes floods, Chang Jiang- longest ,Xi
  Jiang
• Japan- country of islands- four main island0
• Mount Fuji- tallest mountain ( Ring of Fire- high
  volcanic activity)
• Korea- peninsula bordering northwest Chins-
  object of Japanese military invasion ( because
  west of Japan) North Korea- communist and South
  Korea- capitalist democracy

30
Climate

• China- some part have subtropical while northern
  and mountainous areas snowfall and freezing
• Chinas major rivers help provide fertile
  land-farming
• Japan- covered in forest and mountains- monsoons
  play a major role in the climate
• Korea- hot, humid summers and winter that are
  cold and day

31
Population and Climate

• Climate and topography affect where people live
  in a given region and the type of culture that
  develops.
• The Himalayas, other mountain ranges , and often
  bodies of water act as natural barriers that have
  contributed over centuries to the development of
  diverse cultures in various areas. Few people
  live in mountain areas and desert areas
• Urban areas developed along coast and rivers
  provide trade and travel
• Most people who live in Southern and Eastern
  Asian countries- live in the countryside
• Quality of life in different nation varies
  greatly
• Japan- major capitalist and industrialized
  nation- wealthy nation
• China- cities packed and rural population
  struggle-is developing at a fast pace
• India-country- poor and cities industrialized
• South Korea- capitalist nation- prosperous
  economy
• North Korea- poverty and live under totalitarian
  socialist regime

32
Practice Questions

• The Himalayas are part of the
• Deccan Plateau
• Island of Southeast Asia
• Larges Muslim nation in the world
• Northern Mountain Rim
• China, Japan and Korea are
• The three major countries of Eastern Asia
• The three major countries of South Asia
• Island nations in Eastern Asia
• Nations outside the Ring of Fire
• Urbanization and modernization means that large
  populations tend to live in
• a. cities
• b. rural areas
• c. mountainous regions
• d. deserts

33
SSWG6

• Europe-second largest continent
• Physical Features- surrounded by several major
  bodies of water ( Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean,
  and Mediterranean Sea)
• Peninsula -land surrounded on three sides by
  water)-good many of them- Iberian ,Scandinavian
• Ural Mountains-natural barrier dividing Europe
• Most of Europe is mountainous ( Alps and
  Pyrenees) serve as barriers for different
  cultures
• The Great European Plain- rich farmland
• Major Rivers- Rhine, Danube, Volga

34
Climate

• Siberian Tundra- region has wide-open spaced
  covered with ice and snow by the year-round
  freezing temperatures
• Alps and Pyrenees- act as natural barrier between
  regions of Europe
• Winter in high elevation very cold
• Coastal areas- milder climate

35
Population, Economic Development and World
Influence

• Europes geography has greatly impacted it
  stability to develop and influence the rest of
  the world.
• Europes mountain ranges serve as a natural
  barrier, many nations developed on the same
  continent. Pyrenees separate the people of Spain
  and Portugal form France and Germanic people.
• Water serves as a barrier. The UK sits on island
  just off the coast of mainland Europe.
• Europe- birthplace of industrial revolution
• Today Western Europe( nations that remained free
  of communist rules after WWII) continues to
  prosper and be an important center of
  international business
• Eastern Europe( national that fell under the rule
  of the USSR and its communist government after
  WWII_ has suffered economically.
• Ethnically diverse- people from many different
  background and they all live close to one another
  in the cities
• Urban areas- large areas where people live and
  work

36
European Union

• Group of European nations that have joined ranks
  to encourage economic and political progress.
  Euro-common currency

37
Practice Questions

• Southern Europe is best described as
• extremely cold
• similar to Africas equatorial region
• fall of fjords
• mild and dry
• The Pyrenees, Alps and Urals are
• Important rivers in Europe
• Major mountain ranges in Europe
• Key peninsulas in Europe
• Native Iberian people groups

38
SSWG7

• Latin America-Mexico, Central America, South
  America and the Caribbean
• Physical Features-mountainous region occupy much
  of Latin America-
• Mexico- 2 major mountain ranges- Sierra Madre
  Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental and in
  between is Mexicos Central Plateau
• Central America- mountain ranges covered in
  rainforests
• South America- Andes- longest series of mountain
  ranges in the world
• Caribbean Islands- volcanoes- openings in the
  earths surface ( usually a mountain) through
  which lave, volcanic ash and gases escape
• Earthquakes- Latin American prone to earthquakes-
  tectonic plates shift
• Amazon Basin- ( Columbia, South America) largest
  lowland area on the continent
• Amazon River- longest river in the Western
  Hemisphere
• Amazon Rainforest-covers portions of nine
  countries and represent more that one half of the
  world's remaining rainforest.
• Major Rivers- Rio Grande ( separate Mexico and
  US) Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
• Panama Canal- built across the isthmus ( thin
  stretch of land) of Panama by the US so ships
  could travel between Atlantic and Pacific ocean
  without having to travel around South America
• Deforestation- destruction of rainforests- this
  is a side effect of every-growing population and
  industrial and economic development causes
  environment concerns

39
Climate

• Tropical Climate- Equator runs through northern
  and South America- large portion of region are
  hot and dry and rainy seasons
• Atacama Desert- one of the driest place on earth
  (along Chiles coast)
• Hurricanes- due to warm waters of Caribbean Sea
  these storms form over the ocean with winds
  greater than 75 mph
• El Nino- phenomenon usually occurs around
  Christmas every few year- features warmer than
  usual ocean currents which form in the Pacific
  off the coast of northern South America-currents
  warm the normally cool air tends to change
  normal weather patterns causing different part of
  the globe to be dryer or experience more rainfall
  than normal

40
People and Population Distribution

• Home to a diverse ethnic population.
• Many live today in urban areas
• Mexico City one of the most populated cities in
  the world offers great opportunities for jobs,
  education, business and culture
• Pollution in Mexico City Area- air trapped and
  lingers because of the mountains
• Most populated areas rest in the fertile areas of
  the plains or along the coasts or waterways
• Thick rainforest areas- less dense in population
• High rugged mountain terrain- less dense in
  population

41
SSWG8United States and Canada

• US and Canada- part of continent known as North
  America-third largest continent
• Canada- largest country in North America and
  second larges in the world
• Physical Features
• Rocky Mountains- stretch over 3,00 miles from the
  southwestern US to Alaska
• Appalachian Mountains- hot as high as Rockies but
  are much older and feature beautiful scenic areas
• Between Rockies and Appalachia- Great Plains-
  covers central portion of both countries
• Mississippi River System larges in North
  America-includes two longest river in the US0
  Mississippi and Missouri
• Mackenzie River- longest in Canada-
• Great Lakes ( between US and Canada)
• Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of
  California, Hudson Bay, St. Lawrence River, Gulf
  of Alaska and Bering Sea

42
Climate of Canada and the US

• North of Canada and Alaska- tundra- frozen land
• South of tundra- thick, evergreen forests
• Pacific Coat- wet, climate with chilly winter and
  comfortable summers
• Pacific Mountains-block moisture and have deserts
  in Nevada, Utah, Arizona
• Great Plains- hot summers and cold snow-filled
  winters
• Northeastern US- cold, snowy winters and mild
  summers
• Southeast- chilly winters with little snow and
  hot, humid summers
• Droughts- like Georgia now- period without rain

43
Population Distribution and Regional Growth

• Most citizens in US and Canada live in urban
  areas
• Many cities grew up along major rivers and along
  ocean coasts because of the access to travel and
  opportunities for trade and commerce such bodies
  of water provided.
• New York city- largest urban area in
  US-immigrants came here
• Canada- large cities along Great Lakes area
• Northeastern US- more populated than other areas
  of US
• Southern area of US- growing in population( Sun
  Belt)

44
Practice Questions

• The largest river system in North America is the
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Mackenzie
• Appalachian
• Canada is
• The largest country in terms of land area in the
  world
• The largest country in terms of population in the
  world
• The largest country in terms of land area in
  North America
• The second largest country in terms of land area
  in North American

45
SSWG9Oceania

• Oceania- Australia, New Zealand,
  Antarctica-20,000 island stretching across the
  Pacific Ocean
• Australia- smallest continent on earth and
  country
• Antarctica- South Pole- uninhabitable buried in
  ice -70 of the worlds fresh water

46
Physical Features

• Great Dividing Range- series of mountains and
  hilly regions
• Great Barrier Reef- lies along northeastern
  coast-home to multitude of underwater wildlife
• New Zealand-consists of two main islands- sandy
  beaches, rolling green hillsides, various
  plateaus and mountainous regions with peaks
  covered in snow
• Volcanoes

47
Climate

• Australia-coast- receive rainfall
• Mountains prevent much of the moisture from every
  reach the dry interior
• New Zealand- mild and rain
• Island- tropical climate wet and day seasons
  temperature hot year round
• Antarctica frozen climate

48
Practice Questions

• What two parts of Oceania are sometimes
  considered separate form this region because they
  are continents?
• Australia and New Zealand
• The outback and Great Barrier Reef
• Antarctica and Tasman
• Antarctica and Australia