Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geography

Tourism poses a serious threat to the environment. Tourism is defined as the activities that people do during their trips in places other than the ones they live. Tourism activities have negative economic, socio-cultural, and ecological consequences.

Negative Effects of Tourism

• Less work affecting the economy of its citizens
• Social discrimination
• Pollution
• Wastewater treatment
• Waste management
• Resource depletion
• Soil erosion due to the impact of visitors
• Deterioration and destruction of the local fauna and flora

Positive Effects of Tourism

On the other hand, tourism brings the improvement of health care, greater tolerance and well-being, and the rehabilitation of monuments, buildings, and historical places.

Sustainable Tourism

All countries should work... Continue reading "The Environmental Impact of Tourism: Negative Effects and Sustainable Solutions" »

Globalization

Markets and companies tend to spread around the world, reaching a dimension that overtakes the national borders, and that is globalization. It is achieved through the exchange of goods, services, information, knowledge, and culture. Due to technology and its advances, communications, science, transports, and industry, globalization has grown faster in the last few years.

According to the World Bank, it is important to know that economic globalization is not a new tendency, but it has always existed in the history of humanity. In fact, what we currently know as developed countries was formed at the end of the nineteenth century.

According to the World Bank, the international economic integration pace sped up in the 80s and 90s decades,... Continue reading "Understanding Globalization: Impact, History, and Future" »

Total Costs/SMH = (Fixed Costs) + (Variable Costs * UT%) + (Labor Cost)

Economist Robert Lucas argues that cities would be economically unviable were it not for the productivity effects associated with endowments of human capital.

National growth studies find a clear link between the economic success of cities and their human capital, measured by the level of education.

The Perspective of Creative Capital

From the perspective of the theory cited above, economic growth will occur in places where the population has a high level of education.

Through interviews conducted by the author, we can see that people were not following jobs or places, but that highly educated people were attracted to places that were inclusive and diverse. Creative people drive regional economic growth, and these people prefer innovative, diverse,... Continue reading "The New Geography of Creativity: Technology, Talent, and Tolerance" »

The Secondary Sector

The secondary sector transforms raw materials and natural resources into semi-finished or processed products.

The Tertiary Sector

The tertiary sector provides services to people and other economic sectors.

Balance of Payments

The balance of payments includes all the country's monetary transactions, such as goods, services, and capital.

Balance of Trade

The balance of trade is the difference in value between the goods that the country exports and the goods it imports.

Energy Sources

Non-renewable energy sources:

• Coal: fossil rock currently used for thermal production
• Natural Gas: it is used as fuel, for electricity and thermal generation, and in the chemical industry
• Oil: fossil material with important uses, such as electricity generation
• Nuclear

Seagrass Ecological Contributions

Seagrasses release pollen for cross-pollination, produce seeds for propagation, and spread through rhizomes, colonizing seafloors.

Fauna of Seagrass Beds

Turtles

Green sea turtles graze on seagrass, similar to deer pruning shrubs, stimulating growth and adding nitrogen to the ecosystem.

Manatees

Manatees forage in estuaries and seagrass beds, consuming large quantities of seagrass and using their bristles to clear and uproot plants.

Seagrass Habitat Preferences

Turtle Grass

Dominant below low tide mark to ten feet.

Shoalweed

Dominant closest to shore; best tolerance for freshwater.

Manateegrass

Mixed with Turtle grass; Dominant below ten feet.

Caribbean Seagrass

Mixed with Turtle grass and Shoalweed.

Sponge, Rock, and Reef

1. The Discovery

Urban Growth and Land Use Patterns

Urbanization signifies an increase in the proportion of people residing in towns and cities. Historically, most people tended to work and live in rural areas. However, throughout the 20th century, people continued to migrate to urban areas, seeking better opportunities such as improved jobs, housing, schools, hospitals, and shopping facilities.

Urban Land Use Models

A model is a theoretical framework that doesn't physically exist but helps to explain reality.

• Burgess: Proposed that all towns and cities have a *Central Business District* (CBD) at their core. His model depicted concentric circles, with zones based on the age of houses and the wealth of their occupants.
• Hoyt: Proposed his *Sector Model* after observing

Key Factors in Industrial Location

Physical and Environmental Factors

• Raw Materials: The factory needs to be close to these if they are heavy and bulky to transport.
• Energy Supply: This is needed to work the machines in a factory. Early industries were near to coalfields. Nowadays, electricity allows more freedom.
• Natural Routes: Some laws forbid the setting up of industries in places where they could destroy a valuable environment.
• Site and Land: Most industries require large areas of cheap, flat land on which to build their factories.

Human and Economic Factors

• Labour: A suitable labour force is essential. Cost and skill levels are important.
• Transport: A good transport network helps reduce costs and make the movement of materials easier.
• Capital: