Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Geography

Sustainable Cities

Today, more than half of humanity lives in cities, and this figure is expected to rise to 6 billion by 2050. This requires a rethink of urban planning and management, as rapid urbanization puts unprecedented pressure on the environment and public health. Sustainable cities must be environmentally, economically, socially, and politically healthy, both for the current population and for future generations. These cities are based on four pillars of sustainability:

• Environmental: concerns the ecological footprint, resource consumption, and pollution.
• Economic: concerns job opportunities and attracting investment.
• Social: focuses on quality of life, public health, and social integration.
• Institutional: includes democratic participation

Grasslands

In general terms, a grassland ecosystem is characterized by huge open lands where the vegetation includes different types of grasses with very few trees. There are six main types: tropical grasslands, temperate grasslands, flooded grasslands, tundra grasslands, montane grasslands, and xeric grasslands. Tropical grasslands receive 50-130 cm of rainfall, while temperate grasslands receive 25-75 cm.

Key Characteristics of Grasslands

• Limited annual rainfall
• Dry climate
• Lack of nutrients in the soil
• Frequent droughts and uncertain precipitation
• Frequent forest fires due to semi-arid climate and flash lightning
• Poor vegetation dominated by grasses
• Home to a variety of animal species

Deserts

Most hot deserts occur in high air pressure areas where... Continue reading "Major Ecosystems and Environmental Concepts" »

The Rise of the Bourgeoisie and Industrial Change

What changes led to the industrial and bourgeois revolution?

The development of businesses increased the wealth of the bourgeoisie, surpassing the traditionally wealthy nobility and clergy whose wealth was based on land ownership. This shift in economic power led to increased social and political influence for the bourgeoisie, despite their unequal treatment as members of the Third Estate.

What were the two new production systems?

• Domestic System: Organized by merchants who supplied artisans with raw materials, collected finished products, and managed their sale.
• Manufacturing: Large workshops employing numerous artisans to produce weapons and luxury items like glass.

Population Growth and Agricultural

Economic Systems of the World

Subsistence System

• Based on the primary sector, families produce what they consume in small quantities. If necessary, they sell or exchange goods on the local market.
• Prevalent before the Industrial Revolution.
• Today, it is only found in less developed societies due to limited access to technology.

Communist System

• The state controls the economy, owning companies and deciding production (what and quantity), prices, distribution of profits, etc.
• Previously common, it is now used in Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, and China.
• The Chinese system is a hybrid between communism and capitalism.

Capitalist System

• Means of production are privately owned (technology, companies, machinery, etc.). The motivation to make a profit drives

Disentailment (First Half 19th Century)

Historical Context

Beginning in 1836, the disentailment was driven by Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, Minister of Finance in the liberal government. This reform aimed to modernize the Spanish economy and reduce the power of the Church.

Objectives

• Debt Reduction: Obtain revenue to reduce the massive public debt.
• Agrarian Modernization: Modernize agriculture by transferring lands from dead hands to private owners for exploitation.
• Weakening Church Power: Reduce the economic and social power of the Catholic Church, which owned vast tracts of land.

Consequences

• Economic: Public debt was reduced and state resources increased, but land distribution favored the wealthy, worsening inequalities.
• Social: Many peasants and small

4.2. Economic inequalities.

·Developed countries:

High investment in Research and Development.

Advanced and modern technology.

Access to large markets with a high demand.

Very competitive.

They buy raw materials and sell manufactured products.

Positive Comercial Balance.

Green sources of energy.

Industries more respectful with the environment.

·Emerging countries:

Foreign investment.

Modern technology

Most of the profits go to foreign countries.

Cheap labour and low salaries.

Increasing market, but still not very structured and with a low demand.

Investment in infrastructures.

Technology less respectful with the environment.

Possitive Comercial Balance.

·Underdeveloped countries:

Lack of investment in Research and Development.

Lack of infrastructures, transport... Continue reading "The secondaty sector" »

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Today I come to talk about a very important topic, what is pollution. Today many of the products we consume and the industries that produce them generate pollution. We find air pollution in the air we breathe, in our food, in our clothes and cosmetics… Furthermore, plastic has literally flooded our lives. Pollution is not a long-term problem but it is currently affecting each one of us, for example air pollution that causes respiratory diseases, or deforestation that kills our fauna and vegetation.

The accumulated waste in our seas has become tons and tons. All of our beautiful cities, with our beautiful beaches, our incredible market stalls, could disappear. That is why we must reduce waste, nuclear energy, oil ... All this can be achieved... Continue reading "sswsss" »

Global Systems

Distinguish space from place and explain why these concepts matter to geographers
Space – The physical locations of events and phenomena. Where things can occur often represented on maps
Place – Space is organized into places often thought of as bounded settings in which social relations and identity are constituted.
- For environmental invasive projects, such as pipelines it is important to consider the place and what social relations are ongoing in that space.

Role of population, consumption (affluence) and technology as drivers of environmental change – including the consequences of prioritizing one over others

More people, more resources needed, therefore more pollutants
Consumption(Affluence) – Consumption per person

Panama

• Panama also has the world's second largest free trade zone, the COLON Free Trade Zone at the mouth of the Atlantic side of the canal.
• The trip through the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean will take a little less than one DAY.

Haiti and Mexico

• Haiti is classified as a(n) LOW economy by the UN.
• Mexico is classified as a(n) UPPER MIDDLE economy by the UN.

Latin America and the Caribbean

• By 2050, the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is estimated to reach about 725 million.
• Humid subtropical climates are found in areas of Brazil and URUGUAY.
• Peru has large deposits of silver, tin, lead, and COPPER.
• Coffee and maize (corn), fruit trees, and vegetables are typical crops grown in Latin America's altitudinal life zone