August 22, 2013
Table of Contents:15. Region Types Review16. Geographic Technologies Notes17. Advertisement
EQ- How do geographers identify a place?
Agenda:1. Review HW2. Discuss Uniqueness of
Place3. Discuss Region Types4. Region Types Review
(graded)5. GIS/GPS Technology
Homework- 1. Finish advertisement2. Study for Quiz3. Mental Mapping
Project due
Uniqueness of PlacePlace and Region
Place- Unique Location
Place Name
Toponym- the name of a place
Sitethe physical character of a
place (climate, water sources, topography, soil, vegetation,
latitude, elevation)
SituationLocation relative to other
places
Mathematical LocationAbsolute location on the Earth’s surface
Examples
Place Name
Douglasville, Georgia
Site
Humid Subtropical Climate
Situation
20 miles west of Atlanta, GA
Mathematical Location
33° 44' 59" N / 84° 43' 23" W
Latitude and Longitude
http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html
Latitude-• Circle the globe running E-W• 0° = Equator• Run to 90° North of the Equator and 90°
South of the Equator
Longitude-• Run N-S• 0° = Prime Meridian• Run to 180° W of Prime
Meridian and 180° E of the Prime Meridian
• Time Zones are based on longitude
Time ZonesEach 15° of longitude equals 1 hour
Regions- Unique Areas
Region= an area of the Earth defined by one of more characteristic
A Region is a area bigger than a
but smaller than a
Cultural Landscape
• The combination of cultural features (language, religion, etc.), economic features (agriculture, industry, etc.), and physical features (climate, vegetation, etc.) that we use to determine regions
• The cultural landscape approach (aka regional studies):• Carl Sauer and Robert Platt• Reach region has its own landscape based on the cultural
patterns of the people there and how they interact with the physical environment
• This is basically the approach of HUMAN GEOGRAPHY!
Carl Sauer
Types of Regions
FormalAKA Uniform Region or Homogeneous RegionEveryone (or most) in the region share a common cultural value, economic activity or environmental propetry- EX: countries, cities, average incomeA Region formed by something you can MEASURE
FunctionalAKA Nodal RegionA region organized around a focal pointThe characteristic dominates in the focal point and then diminishes in strength outwardEX: Delivery range for a pizza place, area served by Marta
VernacularAKA Perceptual RegionPeople believe that the region exists as a part of their own cultural identity; doesn’t necessarily exist geographicallyEX: “The South”
Formal Region
World Regions based on common language (cultural value)
Formal Region
U.S. Region- The Corn Belt (based on economic activity)
Formal Region
Climate Map of Africa (based on environmental property)
Formal Region
French Kissing(Formal Region by cultural value)
Functional Region
Region that felt the shaking of the DC Earthquake
Functional Map
Area of delivery for a restaurant.
Vernacular Region
