Introduction to World Geography

When we want to learn about a certain country, city, region, etc., we use the Five Themes of Geography. For each of the Five Themes, students should ask themselves the following questions about a particular country or region:

• Location The geographic question, Where is it? refers to location. Location can identify a precise spot or tell where one place is in relation to another. There are two ways to talk about location. Absolute location describes a place's exact position on Earth. You might call absolute location a geographic address. Geographers identify the absolute location by using two kinds of imaginary lines around the Earth: latitude and longitude. With these lines, they can pinpoint any spot on Earth. Geographers also discuss relative location. This explains where a place is by describing places near it. For example how near or far away it may be or a short or long drive...

• Place The question, What is it like? refers to place. Place includes physical characteristics as well as human ones, like language, religion, and politics. Physical Characteristics: landforms(mountains, plains,etc) bodies of water (oceans, lakes, bays, etc) ecosystems (soil, plants, animals, and climate). Human Characteristics: bridges, roads, buildings, culture and language.

• Region The question, How are places similar or different? refers to region. Region compares physical and human characteristics. What language(s) do people speak? What are the political divisions of the country (states, provinces, republics)? How is the country similar to any of its neighbors (traditions, language, climate)?

• Movement The question, How do people, goods, and ideas move from one location to another? refers to movement. How will you travel to the place (route, drive, fly, walk)? Does the country export goods to other places? If so, what and where? Does the country import goods from other places? If so, what and from where? Why would people leave or move to the country (jobs, family, climate, war)?

• Human-Environment Interaction The question, How do people relate to the physical world? refers to human-environment interaction. People learn to use and change what the environment offers them. People depend on the environment. People adapt to the environment. People modify the environment. How do people use the land (farming, herding, mining, industry)? How have people changed the land? Where do most people live (near a river or coastline, in the mountains)? Why do you think people settled there (water, safety, food, natural beauty)?