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

The Geography of Iran

Key Statistics and Defining Features

• Iran is the 17th largest country in the world, covering 1,684,000 sq km.
• It is the 16th most populous country globally, with approximately 70 million inhabitants.

Iran is defined, above all, by its mountains, which largely form its frontiers.

Physical Geography and Borders

Major Mountain Ranges

The most important mountain range is the Zagros Mountains. This range stretches approximately 900 miles, adjoining Turkey and Armenia in the northwest and extending southeast toward Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz.

Along the Caspian Sea to the east are the Elburz Mountains. These mountains serve as a crucial bridge connecting the Caucasus-Zagros range with the Afghan mountains.

International Borders

Iran'... Continue reading "Iran's Rugged Landscape: Mountains, Oil, and Geopolitical Significance" »

Global Population Dynamics

China's Population History and Challenges

• 1949 Baby Boom: Significant post-war population increase.
• 1958 Crisis: Following 2 million deaths (due to flooding/famine), the population was encouraged to have babies, leading to a second baby boom.
• 1979: Implementation of the One-Child Policy.
• 2015: Policy adjusted to the Two-Child Policy.
• Current Issues: Unbalanced population ratio (more men), the 4-2-1 problem (high age dependency ratio).

Population Density and Growth Rates

• Canada: Underpopulated (2.32 people per km²), but experiencing population growth (0.7% annual increase).
• Tanzania: Overpopulated (153 people per km²).

Russia: Factors Contributing to Underpopulation

• Low fertility rate and high death rate.
• Low GDP resulting in

The Industrial Revolution in Britain: 1750-1850

Britain transformed into an industrialized nation between 1750 and 1850. The Industrial Revolution dramatically altered the lives of people living in Britain. The population during this period was approximately 11 million people, primarily residing in villages and earning their livelihoods through agriculture. However, by 1850, the population had surged to about 21 million. People began to migrate to cities and work in factories, leading to a significant shift in their way of life. This essay will argue that the Industrial Revolution was spurred by three crucial factors: population increase, raw materials, and transportation.

Population Growth and its Impact

One of the primary reasons for industrialization... Continue reading "Industrial Revolution in Britain: 1750-1850" »

Understanding the Primary Sector

The primary sector includes economic activities related to obtaining resources from nature.

Main Economic Activities

Agriculture: Cultivating the Land

Agriculture is the cultivation of land to obtain:

• Grasses
• Vegetables
• Bushes
• Trees

Livestock Farming: Raising Animals

Livestock farming is the breeding of animals in order to obtain products for human use.

Fishing: Harvesting from Water

Fishing is any activity which obtains natural products from the sea. Products obtained include canned goods, frozen goods, and oils.

Factors Influencing Primary Production

Natural Factors: Climate and Land

Climate: The growth of plants depends on the temperature, humidity of the land, and the amount of light received.

Land Relief: The best lands... Continue reading "Understanding Primary Economic Activities" »

Consequences of the Industrial Revolution

A. Society

They were divided into social classes marked by money. Three groups:

• Upper bourgeoisie: bankers, landlords, owners of large factories.
• Middle bourgeoisie: traders, senior officials, professionals (lawyers, doctors).
• Lower bourgeoisie: shopkeepers, employees, artisans.

Workers: less important than the bourgeoisie. The factory workers and peasants were the proletariat.

B. Cities

General changes

• The cities grew.
• City walls were demolished.

The cities were divided

• Wealthy part of the city: water and sewage systems, rich houses, well constructed and with green areas.
• Workers' part: overcrowded, no hygiene, houses were small, dark, damp and dirty; streets unorganized, epidemics, no health services, no sewers,

Global Transformations: 1870–1991 Historical Dynamics

Population Growth and Urbanization (1870–1914)

Between 1870 and 1914, the European population accelerated its growth, rising from approximately 300 million to 400 million people.

Emigration Abroad: Emigration was favored by improved and less expensive means of transport. It initially originated from:

• The United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Scandinavia

The main destinations for these migrants were the United States, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Urbanization: Cities significantly increased their population. By the late 19th or early 20th century, cities were home to a third or half of the population, and some major centers, like Paris or London, held over one million people.

Imperialism and Colonialism:

Environmental Movement

A social and political movement that seeks to protect and improve the quality of the environment.

Environmental Value System

A worldview that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive environmental issues. This will be influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political context.

• Conservationist: Their emphasis was on the sustainable use of the environment and the management of its resources to allow for future development.

• Preservationist: They advocate for the preservation of land and its resources in pristine untouched condition.

EVS Main Approaches

• Ecocentric (nature centred): They say that humans need to work within natural systems to conserve the ecological processes on which all life depends.

Feudalism in Europe

Political Changes in Europe

England

A civil war for the throne, known as the War of the Roses, raged between the Houses of York and Lancaster. The monarchy grew stronger during the reign of Henry VIII.

Spain

The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, unified all of the Iberian Peninsula except for Portugal.

Characteristics of Authoritarian Monarchy

• National Territory: Considered the patrimony of the royal family.
• Bureaucracy: Managed by civil servants who controlled the territory.
• Permanent Court: Ended the tradition of traveling courts from the Middle Ages.
• Permanent Army: Established a standing army.
• Diplomatic Service: Utilized ambassadors for international relations.
• Taxation System: Implemented a system for collecting