Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Geography

Dual-Use Technology

Technology that might be used normally for civilian purposes but can also apply to military applications. An example of dual-use technology is nuclear power. Uranium enrichment process can have two applications: Electricity and Weapons. Thirty countries use nuclear power for electricity, operating 460 commercial nuclear power plants, supplying 14% of the world’s electricity; and 56 countries operate 250 research reactors. The problem is that the material produced by commercial nuclear reactors (Plutonium) can explode; therefore, some countries use it for military purposes, as a threat for other nations such as North Korea. An example would be missiles, which were used for military aggression during the Cold War but also... Continue reading "Dual-Use Tech, Nuclear Treaties, and Global Economic & Political Concepts" »

Erosion, Transport, and Sedimentation

Erosion: The process that wears out rocks on the surface with the help of ice, water, and humans. Plateaus are high plains resulting from the erosion process.

Transport: The movement of eroded materials.

Sedimentation: The deposition of materials in another location.

Landforms

Mountains and Valleys

Mountains: Elevated landforms with significant relief.

Mountain Ridges: Linear chains of connected mountain peaks.

Valleys: Elongated areas of low land between mountains.

Basins and Plains

Basin: Depressed areas where a river and its tributaries flow.

Plains: Areas of flat land with an elevation below 300m, often found near the coast or in river basins.

Plateaus and Depressions

Plateaus: High, raised areas of flat land.

Depressions:

FRANCE (Hegemony)

1. Louis XIV: Personal government
2. Paradigm of absolutist government
3. Deep administration reform
4. Nobility submission
5. Submission justice courts
6. Control governments cities
7. Expansionist foreign policy until 1684 (Regensburg)
8. Since 1684 loses its hegemony

HABSBURG EMPIRE:

1. After Westphalia loss of imperial power (Germany)
2. Preserves heritage states: Bohemia + Moravia + Hungary
3. Geographical name
4. Divisiveness among heirs
5. 350 states
6. Elector of Brandenburg
7. Strengthening and powerful army
8. Absolutist model
9. Origin kingdom of Prussia

NORTHERN EUROPE

1. Rivalry for control of the Baltic
2. Ascent Sweden (short)
3. Confrontation with Russia

RUSSIA

1. Romano vs access to the throne
2. The incorporation of Ukraine
3. Siberia expansion (Pacific (1649), Internal problems: second serfdom, Peter

Cuban Missile Crisis

It was the worst diplomatic crisis during the Cold War (1962), three years after the Cuban Revolution's success of communism in Cuba led by Fidel Castro.

Vietnam War

The worst military conflict during the Cold War, it happened between (1955-1975). Initially, it started between (communist) Northern Vietnam and (capitalist) Southern Vietnam.

Great Leap Forward

It was an economic plan performed by Mao Zedong between (1958-1961). The plan was to convert the Chinese countryside into farms to produce steel. The consequences were that due to the very bad climate, the crops were bad and many people died.

Cultural Revolution

It was the last period of Mao Zedong governing China (1966-1976).

May 1968 Student Protests

Was the beginning of a... Continue reading "Cold War Events and Leaders: Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, and More" »

Emerging and In-Transition Countries

Emerging Economies

These countries experience significant economic growth but still face challenges such as social inequality and limited civil rights and democracy.

Examples:

• China and India: Strong economic growth and large populations have positioned them among the most active economies globally.
• Arabian Peninsula: Significant economic growth is coupled with issues like gender discrimination.

Countries in Transition

These countries are moving out of the developing category due to factors like natural resources, industrial relocation from developed countries seeking lower production costs, and pro-business policies.

Examples:

• Southeast Asia: Experiencing significant industrial growth and a rise in tourism.
• North

PRIMARY SECTOR

PRIMARY SECTOR

The primary sector involves activities related to obtaining natural resources for manufacturing or food:

• Agriculture involves farming the land to produce raw materials, such as cereals, cotton, and fruit.
• Livestock farming involves raising animals for food and for raw materials, such as leather and wool.
• Forestry consists of exploiting the wood from trees in forests and plantations, along with other raw materials, such as resin, cork, and rubber.
• Fishing involves catching or farming fish, molluscs, and crustaceans.

SECONDARY SECTOR

SECONDARY SECTOR

The secondary sector involves manufacturing raw materials and producing capital goods:

• Mining consists of removing rocks and minerals from the subsoil. Although this activity

LANDSCAPE:

Ok. I’m going to start talking about the landscape of Tasmania. In Tasmania there is a very different variety of landscapes, we can find from very green landscapes full of trees and different types of plants to very large deserts. The Tasmanian medium temperature is 23ºC during all the year as you can see this isn’t like Victoria (HAHAHAH), Victoria it's so cold and the summer lasts 2 months more than here.

The Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is a species of dasyuromorphia marsupial of the Dasyuridae family. It is the largest carnivorous marsupial existing today, after the extinction of the marsupial wolf. It can arrive to 15 km per hour. Live in herds, that means you do not hunt or eat alone. As we have said before, they are... Continue reading "Discovering Tasmania: Landscapes, Wildlife, and Conservation" »

Carbon dioxide, fossil fuels, global warming, greenhouse effects, industrialized countries, natural habitats, sea levels, climate change, endangered species, greenhouse gases, heat waves, ice caps, solar power, nuclear power, developing countries, carbon emissions

turbine, panels, energy-saving, stand by (en funcionamiento), footprint, organic, thermostat, recyclable, hybrid, dryer

Should, ought to – express advice / have to – obligation and order / mustn’t – prohibition / must – obligation / need to – necessity / needn’t or don’t have to – lack of obligation

(Match the verbs to make collocations) clear the ground, fell trees, graze cattle, grow crops, raise public awareness, struggle for survival (Match adj with nouns to make... Continue reading "Environmental Issues, Energy Sources, and Job Sectors" »

San Francisco and Sacramento

San Francisco is one of the most famous cities in California. It's located on the West Coast of the United States, at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. This peninsula is connected to Marin County via the Golden Gate Bridge. The territory of San Francisco was first explored by Gaspar de Portolá. Seven years later, in 1776, the Mission San Francisco de Asis was founded by Juan Bautista de Anza.

After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico and was named Yerba Buena, the original name of San Francisco. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War, Yerba Buena was claimed by John B. Montgomery and became part of the United States. When Mexico officially ceded the territory at... Continue reading "San Francisco and Sacramento: History, Landmarks, and Attractions" »