Year 8 Geography Christmas Exam

What is Geography

The 3 types of Geography

Geography can be split into three areas: human geography, physical geography and environmental geography.
Human geography is the study of societies, cultures and economies.
Physical geography is the study of landscapes and environments.
Environmental geography is the study of how humans impact the Earth.

Examples of the different types of Geography

Human geography

Human geography relates to the people who live on our planet, Earth. In this area of study, geographers might explore the following things:

population - how the number of people in the world is growing and why
migration - why people make the choice to move
urban patterns - where people live and what these places are like
societal changes - development, globalisation, resources and conflict

Physical geography

Physical geography relates to the natural world around us. In this area of study, geographers might explore the following things:

how our landscape is created and changes over time
how rivers and glaciers change the environment around us
why areas experience the weather and climate they do
different ecosystems and biomes of the Earth
the hazards humans face from volcanoes, earthquakes and tropical storms

These lists are not exhaustive and cover only a small part of what geographers investigate.

Environmental geography

The study of interactions between humans and the physical world is known as environmental geography. This can be considered the third type of geography.

A physical process, such as an earthquake, will affect the human geography of a country, destroying settlements and disrupting development. Just as physical processes impact upon humans, humans also impact upon the Earth.

In this area of study, geographers might explore the following things:

pollution
the destruction of habitats
climate change

Although humans only appeared on Earth around 200,000 years ago, we have made enormous changes to our environment. We have cleared forests to farm and build settlements. Most scientists agree that human action such as the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of the rainforest is contributing to climate change.

Map Skills & Making Connections

European Capital Cities

Contenients and Oceans

Compass Directions

Cardinal and ordinal directions

The four cardinal directions are North (N), East (E), South (S), West (W).

This can be remembered using the mnemonic Naughty Elephants Squirt Water.

The directions are at 90° angles on the compass rose.

The four ordinal directions are Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), Southwest (SW) and Northwest (NW).

They are halfway between the cardinal directions.

For example, Northwest is halfway between North and West, which is 45° from both North and West.

Drawing a Sketch Map

Sketch maps are simple drawings of the landscape. They show things that are sometimes hidden in photographs or maps, eg the impact of tourists on a landscape.

Sketch maps may be shown as a bird's-eye view or as a drawing of the horizon. They can be drawn whilst on fieldwork or from a photograph. It is useful to annotate sketch maps or include a photograph alongside it.

Map Symbols

Grid References

A grid of squares helps the map-reader to locate a place. The vertical lines are called eastings. They are numbered - the numbers increase to the east. The horizontal lines are called northings as the numbers increase in an northerly direction.

Things to remember:

When you give a grid reference, always give the easting first: "Along the corridor and up the stairs".

Four-figure grid references can be used to pinpoint a location to within a square. To find the number of the square:

Start at the left-hand side of the map and go east until you get to the bottom-left-hand corner of the square you want. Write this number down.
Move north until you get to the bottom-left corner of the square you want. Look at the number of this grid line and add it to the two-digit number you already have. This is your four-figure grid reference.

In this case, the tourist information office is in grid square 4733.

Sometimes it is necessary to be even more accurate. In this case you can imagine that each grid is divided into 100 tiny squares. The distance between one grid line and the next is divided into tenths.

First, find the four-figure grid reference but leave a space after the first two digits.
Estimate or measure how many tenths across the grid square your symbol lies. Write this number after the first two digits.
Next, estimate how many tenths up the grid square your symbol lies. Write this number after the last two digits.
You now have a six figure grid reference. In this instance, the tourist information office is located at 476334.

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