Back to BasicsThe Basics of Geography

What does that mean?

• Continent – large landmass bigger than an island.

• Country - A region, territory, or large tract of land distinguishable by features of topography, biology, or culture

• State - one of the constituent units of a nation having a federal government

• Province - an administrative district or division of a country

What is Geography

• Geography – (words were derived from the Greek)

– Geo – the earth

– Graphy- description of the earth

• Geography is the study of the earth in all of its variety

• There are many different types of geography– Physical (we study this in class)– Cultural – Political– Just to name a few

What is Geography

Why Study Geography

• Geography is necessary in our everyday lives. • Every time we walk outside, we are entering

into a part of geography• Getting around the school you use geography• You wouldn’t be able to go on vacation

without geography

What Do You Think

Tell me ways that you use geography in you everyday life.

The Continents

• There are 7 continents on the Earth’s surface• The order in terms of size are

– Asia– Africa– North America

– Each continent contains countries. For example Asia the continent has China as a country.

– North America the continent has the United States as a country

7 Continents

• Europe and Asia are sometimes referred to as this? – A: Eurasia

• Millions of years ago the continents were all connected and called this? ________________________– A: Pangea

Tell Me What You Think

• Which is the country, and which is the continent?– Paraguay and South America– Asia and Russia– Egypt and Africa– Europe and Greenland– England and Europe

Globes• A round scale model of the earth• The most accurate way to depict the earth• They accurately represent distance and

direction (ratio)• Discovered by the Greeks

Maps• Flat drawing of all or part of the earth’s

surface.• This is the name of a person who makes

maps?– A: Cartographer

• Maps are good because you can show small areas in great details

• There are many types of maps

Types of Maps• Physical Maps• Political Maps• Special Purpose Maps• Interrupted• Robinson• Mercator• Great Circle• Relief

Types of Maps• Physical & Political Maps are known as

__________________ purpose maps.– A: General

• Physical Maps:– ____________ shows how flat or rugged the land is.– A: Relief– ____________ the height above sea-level. (colorful)– A: Elevation– ____________ also show elevation, however they use lines

to display them. (________ lines) – A: Contour

Political Maps

• Generally very bright and colorful• Show political boundaries, countries, roads

etc.

Special Purpose Maps

• Maps that talk specifically about one thing. • Special purpose maps can be physical and

political • Examples: Rainfall, population, climate zones,

roads etc.

Interrupted• Resembles a peeled, flattened orange.• Represents continent land area close to true

form.• Good for comparing land area among

continents.

Robinson Maps• Minor distortions• Land on the Western and Eastern sides of the

map appear much as it does on a globe• Largest distortions occur in North and South

Poles

Mercator Maps• Shows true direction and land shapes

accurately• Size and distance are distorted• Areas that are far from the equator are largely

distorted usually appearing larger.

Types of Maps

• Small Scale Maps – Shows very little detail.

• Large Scale Maps - Show a small area with a lot of detail.

Large Scale Map

Small Scale Map

Large Scale & Small Scale Maps

Parts of a Map• There are five parts of a map– Title– Legend or Key– Compass Rose– Scale– Latitude & Longitude

Title & Key (Legend)

• Map title tells you what the map is about– Example: the Population Distribution of Mexico

• Key or Legend– Tells you what each symbol on a map means

Compass Rose• Compass Rose – tells you what direction

the map is referring to– North does not always have to be toward the top

of a page

Direction

• Cardinal Directions – four main directions, they include– North– South– East – West

Direction

• Intermediate Directions – Directions between the cardinal directions, they include– Northeast– Southeast– Northwest– Southwest

Scale

–Scale – gives the comparison of real distance to the distance on a map.• Can be shown by ratio•Miles• kilometers

Distance• Distance on a map is measured by a scale– Ratios– Kilometers/milesDistance makes the actual distance of an area easy

to find.

Hemispheres• When you look at the earth, you will find

that it is broken into 4 sections.–These four sections are known as

_______________.• A: Hemispheres

• The four hemispheres are • Northern• Southern• Eastern• Western

Latitude & Longitude• Latitude & Longitude - helps you

find an exact location on a map• The lines of latitude and longitude

form a grid system• Grid systems use letters and

numbers and do not give an exact location

Latitude & Longitude

• Latitude & Longitude are the lines on a map or globe that allows you to find an exact point (location)

• Lines of Latitude & Longitude criss-cross each other forming a grid.

Latitude

• Also called parallels• Are measured from the equator

• Equator is 0 degrees latitude

• North Pole – highest point of latitude is 90 degrees N latitude.

• South Pole – lowest point of latitude is 90 degrees S latitude.

• The highest degree of latitude is 90 degrees.

• Latitude lines measure north or south of the equator

Latitude

• Tropic of Cancer – 23 ½ degrees North Latitude – This line distinguishes the end of the tropics in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Tropic of Capricorn – 23 ½ degrees South Latitude – This line distinguishes the end of the tropics in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Arctic Circle – 66 degrees North latitude• Antarctic Circle – 66 degrees South latitude

Longitude

• Also called meridians• Are measured from the Prime Meridian• Prime Meridian is 0 degrees Longitude• International Dateline is 180 degrees

Longitude (time zones)• Longitude lines measure left or right of the

prime meridian • The highest degree of longitude is 180 degrees.

Latitude & Longitude• Always say latitude first

– 45 N, 70 W

Now lets practice(use pages RA2 & RA3 in textbook)

23 N, 45 E 66 S, 100 W

Oman Antarctic Circle

Hemispheres

• The four hemispheres are divided by the major lines of Latitude and Longitude. – Equator – divides the earth into the ________ &

____________ hemispheres. • A: Northern & Southern

– Prime Meridian – divides the earth into the ___________ & _____________ hemispheres. • A: Eastern & Western

Hemispheres

• Northern Hemisphere – above the equator• Southern Hemisphere – below the equator• Eastern Hemisphere – Right of the Prime

Meridian• Western Hemisphere – Left of the Prime

Meridian

Time Zones

• ______________________ starting point for all time zone

• A: Greenwich Mean Time

• Ending point for the time zones is ____________________– A: International Dateline

• Each time zone is 15 Degrees apart on the earth’s surface. ( 0-14, 15-29, 30-44 etc)

• Going east of GMT, time gets an hour later for each time zone.

• Going West of GMT, time get an hour earlier for each time zone

Time Zones• The re are 4 time zones in the continental

United States.– Eastern– Central – Mountain– PacificAlaska & Hawaii are not included in these time

zones, they have their own time zones.

Graphs• Bar Graphs• Line Graphs• Circle Graphs/Pie Charts• Pictograph