The Geography of Religion

AP Human Geography - Damon - 2016

Active Duty Sikhs in the U.S. Military

What Is Religion?

Stories, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to life, often relating to a

higher power.

How Is Religion Expressed on the Cultural Landscape?

3 Major Categories of Religions

• Monotheistic - belief in the existence of one deity (god)– Judaism, Christianity, Islam

• Polytheistic - belief in the existence of more than one deity or representation of that deity– Hinduism

• Animistic - belief that objects, places and creatures possess spiritual qualities

Hearths of the 5 Major Religions

• Hinduism - Indus River Valley (modern day Pakistan)• Buddhism - Indus River Valley (modern day

Pakistan)• Judaism - Eastern Mediterranean (modern day

Israel)• Christianity - Eastern Mediterranean (modern day

Israel)• Islam - Arabian Peninsula (modern day Saudi Arabia)

Religious Hearths

Source: CIA World Factbook 2010

2 Explanations for Diffusion of Religion

• Universalizing religions - attempt to appeal to many people throughout the world– Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

• Ethnic religions - appeal primarily to a specific group of people in a specific place– Judaism, Hinduism

World Religions Today

Remember these are broad generalizations!Where are you most likely to encounter Hindus? Buddhists? Jews?

Christians? Muslims? Followers of traditional religious beliefs? Why in those locations? How does it affect those locations?

Muslim Distribution Map

More Muslims in Indonesia than any other single country.

Sunni and Shi’a Muslims

Sunnis more diffused, Shi’ites predominantly in Iran and parts of Iraq and Afghanistan

2012 AP HuG Exam FRQ

Push and pull factors!

city structure - hint: how do we see local culture in urban area?population structure - hint: pyramids!

Unit 2: Population GeogUnit 3: Cultural GeogUnit 7: Urban Geog

Where are you most likely to encounter Catholics? Baptists? Mormons? Lutherans? Methodists? Followers of other Christian religions? Non-Christian

religions? Why in those locations? How does it affect those locations?

2009 AP HuG Exam FRQThis is a

2Ws question.

Where is it? Why is it there?

Unit 1: Intro to HuG

Unit 3: Cultural

Geog

Rise in SecularismBelief that religious beliefs should not be part of public life

Rise in FundamentalismBelief that religious beliefs should be strictly adhered to

Religion and ConflictReligion Usually One of Many Factors, Not the Only Factor

• INTERfaith boundaries: geographic divisions between different religions– Examples:

• Israel and Palestine - Jews and Muslims• Northern and Southern Africa - Muslims and Christians

• INTRAfaith boundaries: geographic divisions within the same religion– Examples:

• Northern Ireland - Catholics and Protestants (both Christians)• Middle East - Sunni and Shi’a (both Muslims)

1948: United Nations Establishes Israel as Jewish Homeland

• Conflict continues over this land between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs, whose ancestors have lived in the region for centuries.

Religion and Ethnicity in Iraq

Extremist Elements Within Many Religions