THE FIVE THEMES OF GEOGRAPH

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What are the Five Themes? Location Place Region Human-Environment Interaction Movement

Location Absolute location allows us to

pinpoint the exact location of any point on the surface of the earth using latitude and longitude or a grid system

Location Relative location refers to the way a place

is perceived and how that place relates to other places. Can be measured in terms of time--

“twenty minutes away” Important for decision-making.

Alaska is closer to Russia than it is to the “lower 48,” but that is not how we perceive it.

Absolute Location

Relative Location

Our perceptions are based on relative location.

Place Physical Characteristics of Place:

Place Physical Characteristics of Place:

Topography

Climate

Vegetation

Place Human Characteristics of Place:

Place Human Characteristics of Place:

Agriculture

Architecture

Religion

Economics

Region The region is the basic unit of geographic study Criteria for defining regions depends on the geographer’s purpose. One place can be part of several different regions.

Texas, US, and World culture regions

Region Formal regions are based on some

common feature.

The Corn Belt

Political entities

Where Islam dominates

Region Functional regions are

created by movement.

Austin metropolitan area

Eanes attendance areaAmazon River Basin

Region Perceptual regions exist in people’s

minds.

Human-Environment Interaction

Humans adapt to their physical environment.

clothing stylesBuilding materials

Human-Environment Interaction

Humans modify their environment.

Terracing for rice farming

Open-pit mine

Human-Environment Interaction

Human interaction with the environment can have important consequences.

Movement Physical processes, people, goods, and ideas move

across the earth’s surface. The geographer is concerned with the effects of this

movement.

What is important to understand about the Five Themes?

They give us a “geographic lens” through which to view the world.

Throughout the year, we will be using these themes to view different parts of the world and their cultures.

Homework! You will be given a current news article by

the teacher. Tonight, you need to read this article and

annotate it anywhere you find examples of the five themes.

For example, “The tropical storm began in the Gulf of

Mexico as a hurricane but was downgraded when it hit the coast.” (MOVEMENT)

“The climate on Mars is very similar to deserts on Earth.” (PLACE)