INTRODUCTION TO REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY

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• INTRODUCTION TO REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY

E.J. PALKA
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OUTLINE

• Geography The discipline
• Geographic Realms
• Transition Zones
• Regions
• Physical Setting

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GEOGRAPHY

• The study of place and space. The word,
  spatial is a purely Geographical concept. Does
  NOT refer to outer space.
• Divided into Physical Human. Studies human
  activity, the natural environment, and the
  relationship between the two.
• Studies the location and distribution of features
  on the Earths surface. Answers where and why
• Why is Timbuktu where it is, and why did the
  settlement evolve on this site? (see handouts)

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GEOGRAPHIC REALMS
Realms are based on Spatial Criteria

• The largest geographic units into which the
  inhabited world can be divided
• Based on both physical (natural) and human
  (cultural) criteria

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WORLD GEOGRAPHIC REALMS

• Geographic realms change over time.
• Where geographic realms meet, transition zones,
  not sharp boundaries, mark their contacts.

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TRANSITION ZONES

• 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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GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION
CONCEPT OF SCALE
The World
Realms
Regions
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REGION

• Marked by a certain degree of homogeneity
  (sameness) in one or more phenomena. In other
  words, areas of similar characteristics.
• Also called a uniform region or homogeneous region

Examples Corn Belt Megalopolis
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REGIONS

• Scientific devices that enable us to make spatial
  generalizations
• Based on criteria we establish
• Criteria can be
• Human (cultural) properties
• Physical (natural) characteristics
• or Both

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REGIONS

• All regions have
• Area
• Boundaries
• Location

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THE PHYSICAL SETTING

• Physical Geography
• Alfred Wegner
• Tectonic plates
• Continental drift
• Pacific Ring of fire

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CLIMATE

• Hydrologic cycle
• Precipitation patterns
• Climate regions

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CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

• A wide-ranging and comprehensive field that
  studies spatial aspects of human cultures
• Culture Shared patterns of learned behavior
• Components Beliefs Institutions and Technology

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CULTURAL LANDSCAPE

• The composite of human imprints on the earths
  surface.
• Carl Sauers definition the forms superimposed
  on the physical landscape by the activities of
  man

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CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
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CULTURE HEARTH

• The source areas from which radiated ideas,
  innovations, and ideologies that change the world
  beyond

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POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

• A subfield within the human branch of geography
• The study of the interaction of geographical area
  and political process
• The spatial analysis of political phenomena and
  processes

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STATE

• A politically organized territory
• Administered by a sovereign government
• Recognized by a significant portion of the
  international community.
• A state must also contain
• a permanent resident population
• an organized economy
• a functioning internal circulation system

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NATION
Must a nation be a place?

• Some examples of stateless nations the Cherokee
  Nation, the Palestinians, the Kurds (see next
  slide).

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KURDISH REGION
THE KURDS
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POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

• 4 major clusters
• 1) East Asia 2) South Asia
• 3) Europe 4) Eastern North America

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PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT

• Economic geography Core areas vs. peripheries
• Economic conditions (World Banks groupings)

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PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT
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THE GEOGRAPHERS PERSPECTIVE