What is What is Geography?Geography?

An introduction to basic An introduction to basic concepts of geographyconcepts of geography

What defines Geography?What defines Geography? It is the study of the location of people and It is the study of the location of people and

places and the patterns in which they are places and the patterns in which they are arranged on earth.arranged on earth.

Physical Geography – focuses on physical Physical Geography – focuses on physical patterns of Earthpatterns of Earth

Human Geography – focuses on the political, Human Geography – focuses on the political, economic, or cultural aspects of human economic, or cultural aspects of human behaviorbehavior

Understanding how physical and human Understanding how physical and human geography interact and impact each other is geography interact and impact each other is largely what geographers focus on. Its the largely what geographers focus on. Its the interaction between people and their interaction between people and their environment!environment!

What are the What are the Geographer’s Tools?Geographer’s Tools?

Understanding how maps work is keyUnderstanding how maps work is key It is also important to understand how It is also important to understand how

maps can distort information maps can distort information Ex. Two dimensional versus 3DEx. Two dimensional versus 3D Planer Projection, Cylindrical Projection, Conic Planer Projection, Cylindrical Projection, Conic

ProjectionProjection Winkel Tripel Projection, Goode’s Interrupted Equal-Winkel Tripel Projection, Goode’s Interrupted Equal-

Area Projection, Robinson Projection, Mercator Area Projection, Robinson Projection, Mercator ProjectionProjection

2-D versus 3-D2-D versus 3-D

How is location How is location determined on a map?determined on a map? Latitude (equator)Latitude (equator) Longitude (Prime Longitude (Prime

Meridian)Meridian) The Global GridThe Global Grid Northern / Southern Northern / Southern

HemisphereHemisphere Eastern / Western Eastern / Western

HemisphereHemisphere

What types of maps What types of maps are there?are there?

NUMEROUS!! – all used to show all NUMEROUS!! – all used to show all kinds of different informationkinds of different information

Most maps show location and physical Most maps show location and physical featuresfeatures

Some other types are qualitative and Some other types are qualitative and flow-line maps.flow-line maps.

Good for showing historical changes and Good for showing historical changes and showing movement of people and things.showing movement of people and things.

Types of MapsTypes of Maps

Qualitative

Qualitative

Flow-line

Why use Geography?Why use Geography?

Your turn!Your turn!

What research methods What research methods do geographers use?do geographers use?

Direct observationDirect observation MappingMapping InterviewingInterviewing Analyzing statisticsAnalyzing statistics Using TechnologyUsing Technology

Geography as a career?Geography as a career? Look it up!!Look it up!! Bureau of Labor StaBureau of Labor Sta

tisticstistics