WORLD GEOGRAPHY NOTES

TO INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

(Spring Term 1999 Lecture Notes)

A. GEOGRAPHY IS A WORD WITH MANY MEANINGS

1. A major part of reality, important aspects being:

2. A field of study, variously defined as:

3. An organized scholarly discipline, subdivided into:

B. SPATIAL ASSOCIATIONS IS A CORE CONCEPT OF GEOGRAPHIC STUDY.

1. Major types of spatial associations include:

 2. Spatial associations are infinite in number, the aim, of course, is not to memorize them but

to Athink geographically@ by thinking in terms of them.

C. LOCATION IS A CENTRAL CONCERN OF GEOGRAPHIC STUDY.

 1. AWhere?@ and AWhy there?@ are persistent geographic questions. Absolute space is measured in units of distance.

3. Relative Location expresses a locational relationship between a place and one or more places or geographic phenomena. Relative location is divided into two parts: 1) time space

and 2) cost space.

a. Relative Space deals with space in relation to other areas of space

i. Time Space - Different Distances travelable at different times of day

ii. Cost Space - i.e.: train ride - cost from city to city

b. Map transformation - taking a balloon with a picture on it - one cannot see details, but blow it up and the details become clear.

2. Mathematical location is expressed in terms of the worldwide grid of latitude and longitude.

a. Latitude: The Equator (0E) is known as a Great Circle, the rest are smaller circles. There are 180E from pole to pole . These are called parallels. A SMALL CIRCLE is any latitude other than the equator.

b. Longitude: Meridians from pole to pole. These meridians are equal in size to each other because they each make a perfect circle from pole to pole.

c. One Degree of latitude equals 69 miles .

d. The English selected Greenwich England and North Pole as dividing line for east and west this is the 0E meridian. or PRIME MERIDIAN. (most of England is west of the

Prime Meridian while Europe is east of the Prime Meridian)

e. Half way around the world at the 180E is the INTERNATIONAL DATELINE. This is just past Hawaii. This line was established in the 1800's.

f. Any two points along a Great Circle Route represent the closest distance between those two points. Thus, Great Circle Routes = shortest distances between any two points along individual routes.

g. MERCATOR PROJECTION is a style of map. Distortion is greatest in the poles, and it is due to the fact that meridians are drawn parallel to one another on the Mercator Projection. This projection is used to determine straight line paths or Great Circle Routes between two points on the earth=s surface.

LINES OF LONGITUDE (MERIDIANS)MEETS AT THE POLES

LINES OF LATITUDE ARE PARALLEL TO THE EQUATOR

Distance between longitude meridians becomes smaller as you travel to the poles. The widest point between meridians is found at the equator where the distance between one meridian and the next is equal to 69 miles between one degree (or meridian) and the next. However, at the North Pole all meridians merge and the distance between one meridian and the next is 0 miles.

First Homework Assignment (5 pts.): On Graph Paper, please draw an X-Y coordinate system and locate the following cities:

Dallas, Texas USA New York City, New York USA

Moscow, Russia Athens, Greece

Cairo, Egypt Bombay, India

Cape Town, S. Africa Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bogota, Columbia Sydney, Australia

Please use the index of your Goode=s Atlas to find the x,y coordinates for each of the 10 cities.

D. GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE IS ESSENTIALLY MAP KNOWLEDGE.

1. Since locations are best expressed by maps, the map is the geographer=s main tool.

2. Maps depict selected parts of reality by symbols, the amount of information that can be shown is determined by the scale of the map.

3. Every flat map of the earth=s curved surface introduces some distortion in the map=s properties, distance, shape, and area. Varied map projections allow the map maker to choose the kind of map to achieve the purpose of presenting locational data in an effective

way.

4. Scales of Maps:

a. 1 mile - 5,280 feet x 12 " = 63,360 inches

b. 1:1,000,00 / 63,360 = 1 inch equals 15.78 miles

c. 1:5,000,000 /63,360 = 1 inch = 78.91 miles

5. Large Scale Maps versus Small Scale Maps:

a. 1:10,000 to 1:249,999 = Large Scale Map (close up/ great detail) . For a map with the scale of 1:10,000, 1 inch = .157 while for a map with a scale of 1:40,000, 1"=.63 miles

i. Less area, more detail, i.e.: blueprints of homes or subdivisions

b. 1:250,000 to 1,000,000 = Medium Scale Map 1 inch = 15.78 miles

I Medium area, medium detail i.e.: large states

c. >1:1,000,000 & up - Small scale map less detail

I. More Area, less detail - far away - whole United States or World

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #1: Large Map, Small Scale; Small Map, Large Scale,

E. THE REGION IS A DISTINCTIVE TYPE OF SPATIAL ASSOCIATION AND PLACE.

1. Regions may be distinguished on the basis of a single criterion or multiple criteria.

2. Regions may be distinguished on a physical, cultural, economic, social, political, or composite basis.

3. Geographers recognize three main categories of regions, each associated with a particular idea.

a. Homogeneous or (formal) regions are associated with the idea of generalized areal

homogeneity.

b. Functional or (nodal) regions are associated with the idea of coherent functional organization.

c. General or (vernacular) regions are associated with the idea of local (large-scale) distinctive (e.g., Coastal Bend Area, The Rio Grande Valley, Dixie, etc.) or small-scale regional distinctiveness (e.g., Anglo-America, Latin America, Europe, The Orient, etc.)

HOMOGENEOUS REGION (a.k.a. FORMAL) - One thing in common: i.e.,: water, population, language.

FUNCTIONAL (a.k.a. NODAL) - One common functional denominator - data oriented i.e.: Money, division of retail, telephone calls, commuting to and from work, etc.

#Stores or

Diagram Customer Flow: Quantity/ offers

Neighborhood convenience Stores Lots/little

Community Shopping Center (Norton Plaza) Less/more

Regional Shopping - Parkdale Plaza Less/more

Major Shopping Center-Sunrise, Moore Plaza Few/more

Central Business District (Downtown) One/most

GENERAL (a.k.a.: VERNACULAR) REGION - Areas such as Coastal Bend, "The Valley", "Midwest", The Great Plains, AOld South@ - Areas also which might be identified by speech patterns or words such as Dixie, Cajuns etc.

F. PLATE TECTONICS - CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORIES

1. Land Forms

a. Mountains in Western Hemisphere go North South: Rockies, Appalachians, SA's Andes

b. Mountains in Eastern Hemisphere go West East - Himalayas, Alps, etc.

2. Concept of Plate Tectonics: Alfred Wegener developed the concept of Continental Drift (Arthur Holmes and Arthur Suess)

3. Studies that lead to proofs of plate tectonics and that were presented by Wegner to verify his hypotheses are:.

i. Bedrock in the Sierra De La Ventana Mts. in S. Amer match Great Karroo Mts. in Africa exactly - Same fossils and lithology, etc.

ii. Great Glen Fault - Loch Ness in Upper Scotland, fracture may be drifting - same as S.

America and Africa did?

iii. New Cabin Fault in Newfoundland, Canada corresponded to the Great Glen Fault.

iv. South America, Africa, India, and Australia had been glaciated.

v. Tropical plant fossils were found in Greenland.

iv. South America=s rock formations did not have their magnetism aligned with the true

North until you align the South American continent with Africa.

4. ORIGINAL LAND MASS SPLITS

PANGAEA (original land mass)

Laurasia Gondwanaland

/ \ /

N. Amer Eurasia [Africa

[S. America

[Antarctica

(The Indian Ocean was TETHYS SEA) [Australia

(The Pacific Ocean was PANTHALASSA) [India

[Madagascar

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment # 2: Continental Blue Plate Special: Fetuccine Alfredro Wegener, pages 163-164.

5. Concept of SEA FLOOR SPREADING

Diagram of Sial/Sima Continental Mass

i. MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE: Volcanic Ridge 3 kilometers high, with crater 600-2000 feet deep, 50 kilos wide at base (1 kilometer equals .621 mile.)

ii. SEA FLOOR SPREADING, lava moved floor 2 inches per year. This is action causing the continents to move. East Africa is the model for this action as it is still happening here.

iii. Earths Crust - surface is Silica Magnesium (Sima), goes under continents and is 10 miles

deep. (Lava is Magma). In Africa, a fissure starts at the Sea of Galilee down the red sea and follows river strands on right side of Africa. Rift Valley located on right side of Africa and surrounds Lake Victoria. The Upper Valleys are sinking. As these valleys (Rifts) sink, water gathers, these are called graben or rifts - Graben based on word Grave - a steep sided hole. Mt. Kilimanjaro is a volcano

iv. (San Andreas Fault is a slip slide Fault)

Diagram of Rift:

Movie in class - Per Dr. Rodriguez take good notes - questions will be on test.

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #3: There=s a Hole, There=s a Hole, There=s a Hole at the Bottom of the World: Ozone Depletion in Antarctica, pages 141-143.

Movie: National Spacial Data Infrastructure (Economic Geography) for copy call

703-648-5514. Federal Geographic Data Committee Wash DC TRT 915 Sept. '93.

Movie: "The Heat Within"

Review of Movie

AThe Heat Within@

I. Continental Drift Theory

A. Pangaea

1) Laurasia //North American & Eurasia

2) Gondwanaland // Africa, S. America, Antarctica, Australia, India,

Madagascar

II Heat Within

A Iceland is most volcanic island in world

1) Fissures - cracks on the surface where lava flows

2) Smokers - under ocean and as Travertine in country of Djibouti

(Africa) (Concentration of minerals pouring out)

B. Rift Valley, Africa

1) Blanket Effect - concentration of heat under continent which leads

to cavities

2) Rift Valley - occur leading to final break of continent as water from

ocean pours into widening rift.

3) Sea Floor Spreading - process through which continents break up.

4) Gold in South Africa within the Witwaterrand area surrounding

Johannesburg.

C. Himalaya Mountains

1) Migration of India toward Asia

2) Islands formed between two continents

3) fossils found high in mountains - squids, shells, etc.

4) How India became submerged below Asia

5) Whales had their evolutionary history within the sound between India & Asia

before India ran together.

6) Geological evolution of Mountains from Asia to Europe

D Creation of Ores in and around smokers

1) Film focused on Cyprus (Island in Mediterranean sea) where copper

is first discovered - caused here by collision .

2) Discussion of how copper became concentrated through smoker action.

3) The ore in the smokers was transported by SEA FLOOR spreading which

transported the African plate against Asia. The collision produced the Island of Cyprus.

E. The formation of ores such as copper, gold and silver which resulted in

formation of veins of copper and other elements.

1) Concentration a result of copper crystals within water which rested above a huge magma formation.

2) Cracks resulted from pressure, water escaped & left minerals behind

in cracks or veins.

3) Tectonic forces lifted up copper ore in South America along the Atacama Desert.

F. Largest Copper Mine in world is in Chile, and it is the Chuquicamata mine. Chile is

the leading exporter of copper.

G. Water is the key to formation of ore veins.

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #4: Keeping Your Head Above Water: Sea Levels and Global Warming, pages 144-146.

III SHIELDS OF THE WORLD - Oldest portion of a continent. This area never has submerged

below the sea.

Shields are very high in minerals; They may be rocky and barren as the Canadian Shield..

(Ethiopia Mountains are not real mountains. They are the result of an old, eroded plateau.)

A) N. America - Canadian Shield (Laurentian) covers NE part of upper

Canada and Islands.

B) S. America - Brazilian Shield (including the Guiana Highlands covers

all of Brazil and small oval patch directly above Brazil.

C) India - Indian or Deccan Shield large triangle shape slight off center to

right.

D) Australia - Australian Shield covers western portion of continent

E) Europe - Fenno-Scandinavian Shield covers Finland and part of

Sweden.

F) Asia - Anagara Shield - The central area in Siberia forms the heart of the shield in

Russia.

G) Africa - Basically the whole continent.

Second Homework Assignment: (5pts.) For the instructions on how to color your coloring book, read the section on how to color this book at the beginning of this book and learn what the various symbols represent. Then, color Plates 1a-1b; 2a-2b only. You are responsible for the readings in this section and in the other sections that we cover throughout the coloring book.

IV WIND PATTERNS - Global Wind Patterns

A. Diagram of wind flow patterns

B. Illustrations of air pressure cells

C. CORIOLIS FORCE impacts air circulation of air pressure cells.

Air at the Equator rises because heat creates a low pressure zone, until gravity stops the air flow in the uppper layer of the troposphere. Temperature drops 3.5 degrees F per 1,000 feet of altitude. Dew point refers to the degree when condensation occurs in the atmosphere.

Then, air flows move toward the poles. At the 30E N/S latitude, the air begins to descend because the air has become much cooler, creating a high pressure areas over the oceans of the world at 30E N/S latitude. The descending air on the earth surface absorbs more water vapor and there is less rain in these areas. These areas also experience stagnant air makes higher pressure readings. Readings over oceans become Air Pressure Cells which are responsible for air climate patterns. Then, these high pressure cells create air currents that lead to low pressure areas where an atmospheric vacuum occurs.

CORIOLIS FORCE deflects air flow to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere because of the earth=s rotation on its axis. .

From 30E N/S to the Equator (0E) trade winds dominate. In the northern hemisphere they are called the northeast trade winds and in the southern hemisphere they are called the southeast trade winds.

At 30E - 60E N/S latitude the westerlies (winds) dominate.

From 60E-90E N/S latitude air temperatures become colder. Therefore, between 60E and 90E N/S the polar easterlies dominate because of the coriolis force.

North Pole - pole turns counter clockwise

South Pole - pole turns clockwise

EARTH WIND DIAGRAM

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #5: Koeppen, Schmerpen: How Can Botany Possibly Aid Climatology?, pages 157-160.

a=warm, b=cool, c=cold, d=very cold, e= extremely cold - Arctic

V. CLIMATES OF THE WORLD Climate Map is on page 10-11 in Atlas

A. Af climate is defined by temperatures that never go below 18E C (or

64.5E F) and has Rainfall through all months. CREATES AN AREA

KNOWN AS THE INTRA-EQUATORIAL TROUGH.

1) The "A" stands for the tropics are also defined by this temperature of

18E C or 64.5E F)

2) Rainfall varies from 80-200 inches up to 400 inches in some areas of

the world.

3) The "f" means sufficient rainfall during ALL months.

4) This rainfall creates large rain forests.

5) Rain forest contains all of the nutrients of the environment and form 3

storied levels.

a) Diagram of trees: TREE CANOPY

b) Top trees get majority of water, second and third levels get less and

less water so that almost no direct rain ever gets to ground although it is

humid at this level. The plant life that lives here does not like to be wet.

such as African violets and Gloxinia.

6) Diversity of Plants 2 types of vegetation

a) Autotrophic - much chlorophyll

1) self supporting - trees, violets, gloxinia

2) non self-supporting

i) Climbers - Lianas (grape vines)

ii) Stranglers - Ivies

b) Hetrotropic - not much chlorophyll

1) parasite plants - Bromiliads, Mistletoe

2) Saprophytes - moss, bacteria,* fungi* & ferns

*Decomposers

c) Problem of this wet terrain is that the water leaches out all the

nutrients from the soil leaving Aluminum Oxide and Iron Oxide as only

nutrients in the ground. All nutrients are replaced by decaying plant and

animal life.

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #6: Act Locally, Think Globally, pages 187-189.

d) Current Trends And Rates of Destruction of the Rainforest

i) There are many cures in the rainforests of the world: Cure for AIDS/ Taxol

ii) Old, Mayan Curandero - Don Eligio Panti who died at the age of 103 was a

direct link to the healing traditions of the ancient Mayans. His apprentice Dr. Rosita Arvigo has carefully compiled his life=s work of formulas and remedies using medicinal plants from the rainforest.

iii) Smoke Clouds

iv) Indonesia and Zaire

v) Brazilian Gold Rush

vi) Iron Mining Plants in Brazil

vii) Dams Along the Amazonian Tributaries

TABLE 1: Number of Species lost To extinction for every 4 sq miles of Rain Forest Cut Down:

Flowering Plants 1500

Trees 750

Mammals 125

Birds 400

Reptiles 100

Amphibians 60

Butterflies 150

Investigate NEEM TREE (Relative of Mahogany Tree) many medicinal traits and repels

insects.

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #7: How Would You Like Your Animals----Rare?: Vacancies at the World Zoo, pages 134-136.

Third Homework Assignment: Film Reviews (10 pts). Please see one of the following movies to write your first film review. The films include: AThe Burning Season@, AMedicine Man@, AAt Play in the Fields of the Lord@, AFlight Over the Equator@, and AThe Emerald Forest@. For this film review, I expect a 2- page film review that is typewritten. I will NOT read any film review that is handwritten; and if directions are not followed, no credit will be given to the student who fails to follow instructions. In addition, I will expect you to provide me with the following information with respect to the film review:

1. In the introductory section describe the plot of the film;

2. In the next few paragraphs tell me about the association between culture and geography ( i.e., how did the people live and how they utilized their environment and natural resources for their survival?);

3. Thirdly, tell me how the film enhanced your knowledge of a different culture and region (i.e., what did the film tell you of the area=s culture and people that you did not know); and

3. Fourthly, tell me whether the film had a positive or negative impact on you and why it did. (Please use this film review format to review all other film reviews that you hand in for extra credit.)

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #8: AThe Untouchables: A Caste of Millions@, pages

25-27.

B. Aw Climate - Savanna Climate: (This climate was named by the Arawak Indians and it means grasslands) Humid but with Dry season during winter months.

A = Humid, w = Dry season during the winter months, rain in summer, with no rain during the winter months. This is not a good climate for cattle or people. The grass that does grow is poor in vitamins and serrated - cuts a cattle=s mouth. The least % of people in all world live in the Savanna climates of the world.

1) Wet/Dry Seasons, summer rains, Insects!!

2) Soil low in nutrients

a) flat pans/hard pans of Aluminum Oxide here

b) soils are Latosols (leached)

3) Climate is poor for ranching activities

4) Vegetation

a) at AF border 40-50 miles wide, tall trees (1 level) 175 ft. further

apart jungle undergrowth

b) in 50 miles from border, Tropical Woodlands mix - tall grass,

palm trees and pines

c) central and outer edges grass savanna 6" grass

B. Am - Monsoon Climate by India, June - Sept. wet cycle hits Himalayas and

causes typhoons/monsoons. Starts & stops abruptly. It is seasonal.

1) Soil lacks Iodine & nutrients.

2) Vegetation has been stripped due to population pressures.

C. BSh - Steppe Climate - boundary between Aw & BSh is where 680 ml (41")of

rain occurs (more is Aw, less BWh) border to BAH is 20.7 inches.

1) Soil - Chernozem = black soils (Iowa Bread Basket) Most Fertile Soils

in world.

2) Grass climate eliminates soil erosion

a) Nitrogen rich bacteria feed soil

b) grass produces organic material remaining in soil.

**US climates move N-S because of Rockies blocking westerly winds,

Eurasia climate runs E-W because mountains run E-W.

Pocket Guide Activity Assignments #9: Somewhere Over the Rain Shadow, pages 147-149.

D. BW = Desert, less than 20.7" rain annually (BWk - cool desert, i.e., South. America=s.

western coastline)

1) Soil - sand - comes from eroded mountains - soil rich in nutrients because no water to wash it away. If managed carefully, will produce much food.

2) Vegetation - empty spaces between clumps of cactus (thorny) and wiry

brush - Deeper deserts - no vegetation.

E. Cfa - Humid Sub tropical Climate primarily between 20 & 40 deg. latitude

1) Warm Summers - warmest above 71.6 degrees

2) f = precipitation all year

3) Found on SE corner of all continents

4) most productive climate for food production

5) Soils - Red/Yellow Podszols - leached soils

6) must be managed, fertilizing causes chemical pollution problem

7) vegetation - broad leaf & pine stands

*Acid in pine cones kills undergrowth.

F. Csa & Csb - Mediterranean Climate 30-40 degrees on West Coasts

1) Temperate climate with dry summers

a) a = warmest month above 71.6 degrees

i) Only found int the Mediterranean Sea area. It is warmer than, say, California because the Mediterranean Sea is insulated from the open sea.

b) b = warmest month below 71.6 with at least 4 mos below 50

i) b designations are affected by the cold water currents making fog and decreasing rain.

2) This climate is very productive when irrigated, can produce large amounts of food.

3) Soil is mixed due to mountains areas.

4) Vegetation is CHAPARRAL - scrub brush, scrub oak, grass cover, etc.

This vegetation is XEROPHYTIC.

G. Cfb - MARINE WEST COAST - temperate with cooler summers

between 40E and 60E N/S latitude on the western coastline of all continents .

*In the U.S., the Rocky Mountains block air flow moving westerly and therefore this climate is not expressed extensively inland.

In Europe, the mountains extend East to West while the wind also flows from East to West, and this allows moisture to penetrate large segments of Europe year round. Europe also has cooler summers because it is high up in latitude.

1) f = Rain all year

2) b = cool summers

3) Expressed widely in Central Europe

4) This climate is temperate for its latitude due to the warm North

Atlantic Drift Current (Gulf Stream Current)

5) Vegetation - Broadleaf Deciduous, Coniferous, North-Pines

6) Soil - mixed because of M.S.., grey brown podzols.

H. Dfa - Humid Continental Climate (USA Only)

D = Snow, f = rain all year, a=warm months above 71.6 degrees

1) defined by massiveness of continent (Asia wider than N. America)

2) colder in Asia than N. America because of larger land mass

3) will produce food with much care

4) soil grey brown podzols, high acid from pines

5) veg - broad leaf deciduous w/ coniferous mix

6) Northern sections of climate characterized by TAIGA forests or

BOREAL Forests

I. Tundra Climate - POLAR- name comes from vegetation - tundra - consists of

moss, & lichen (no chlorophyll, color comes from algae)

1) Vegetation - Tundra

2) Soil - Tundra: Tundra Veg & frozen water PERMAFROST and

organic matter. Soil is delicate and susceptible to rotting when warm .

Pocket Activity Guide Assignment #10: You Are My Density, pages 47-50. (Supplementary material will be provided to you in order to complete this exercise.)

J. THE LEADING POPULATION CLUSTERS.

1. Population density refers to the number of people per unit area.

2. The major areas of high population density are: East Asia, South Asia, Europe, Eastern North America, including an area between Boston and Baltimore known as Megalopolis.

3. Urbanization is the process by which humanity gathers into point locations or urban clusters rather than remaining thinly distributed across agricultural areas. Metropolitan areas are large cities that have expanded into vast urban areas that are composed of the older core or central city and a surrounding outer suburban ring of cities.

4. Four reasons why population densities cluster in several areas of the world:

a. People live in favorable or climates that they like

b. Ample rain fall

c. Farmable (Arable) land

d. Water transportation

FINI