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

Tourism

Causes of Development

• Five business days: From Monday to Friday, a long weekend, and a period of paid vacation each year.
• Pensions for invalidity and old age: Workers freed from precautionary savings.
• Use of cars, planes, etc.

Tourist Travel

From the emitting center, tourist flows are directed towards receptor cities depending on the distance. Nuclei may be:

• Near tourist centers: Located within a radius of up to 200 km from the emitting centers. Tourists stay in hotels, with residents, camping, etc.
• Intermediate tourist centers: Located within a radius of 2,000 km from the emitting centers.
• Distant tourist centers: Located 2,000 miles from the broadcasting centers. This space includes, among others, most cultural tours and also vacation areas

Types of Services

Business Services: Market research, business banking services.

People Services: Health, education, culture.

Tertiary Causes of Growth

• The mechanization of production processes of primary and secondary sectors, which use little labor.
• The necessity of services in all phases of the production process: design, studies, market, distribution.
• Increasing the standard of living of the population, which causes more consumption of services.
• The state, in some countries, has as a priority to offer the whole of the citizenry a series of services that guarantee their well-being.
• The importance that research on information and communication have achieved in today's world.

Social Services: Fundamental activities are to ensure the welfare of people.... Continue reading "Service Sector: Types, Trade, and Tourism Impacts" »

3 European Integration

The treaty to join the European Community was signed on June 12, 1985. This culminated a process initiated by the UCD, but mainly due to France's reluctance, seeing Spain as a strong competitor for Mediterranean agricultural products. In January 1986, Spain and Portugal joined the European Union, and Spain underwent a period of economic revival. In 1992, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed. At the end of 1992, the initial euphoria gave way to a serious economic crisis fueled by strong investments and a global recession. Increased inflation sank consumer consumption, leading to business failures and rising unemployment. Spain's economy saw a policy of modernizing public expenditure, reducing job-containment salaries, publishing... Continue reading "Spain's European Integration and Societal Transformation" »

Ecosystems, Resources, and Sustainable Development

Ecosystem Components

An ecosystem consists of a physical environment, characterized by environmental factors such as temperature or salinity, the organisms that live there and form a community, and the relationships established between them.

• Biotope: The characteristic of the physical environment of a certain area, i.e., the non-living part.
• Biocenosis: The community of an ecosystem, i.e., the whole of the same species within the ecosystem.

Human Impact and Resources

Mankind gets resources from ecosystems and, consequently, produces impacts on the natural environment. These impacts are subject to natural hazards and eventually produce waste.

Natural resources: Everything that humanity derives from... Continue reading "Understanding Ecosystems and Sustainable Practices" »

Urban Space Transformation

From the end of the twentieth century, global cities have transformed urban space. Global cities are privileged places where major banks, stock markets, and financial production centers are concentrated. They are the most advanced services at a global level. They control capital, information technology, and all needed products.

New York, London, and Tokyo are indisputable centers of the global economy, representing global cities.

Other Global Economic Centers

Other important centers include Hong Kong, Osaka, Frankfurt, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Milan. Less developed cities use similar functions, e.g., Mexico City.

Transformations in Large Cities

To accommodate growth, large cities have been transformed,... Continue reading "Urban Transformation: Global Cities and Dispersed Areas" »

Ancient Egyptian Social Classes

The Privileged Class

Pharaoh: Considered a god-king, the pharaoh held absolute power over the land, controlling vast wealth and resources.

Nobility: Members of the pharaoh's family, they governed provinces, possessed extensive lands, and resided in opulent palaces.

Priests: They conducted religious rituals and held significant influence, managing temples and their associated wealth.

Scribes: Officials responsible for writing documents, managing records, and overseeing imports. While not considered privileged, they held a vital role in society.

Free People and Slaves

Peasants: The largest social group, they lived modestly, working the land to feed their families and pay taxes to the pharaoh, nobles, and priests.

Artisans:

New Sources of Energy and New Industries

The invention of the dynamo allowed electricity to be produced from hydropower, thanks to the alternator and the transformer. Electrical current had many possible applications in industry (driving force), in transport (trams), in communication systems (telephone), and in lighting. Oil started to be extracted as a motor fuel. The invention of the internal combustion engine enabled its use as fuel for automobiles and aviation. The first airplane flight was carried out by the Wright brothers in 1903. The use of a diesel engine in marine navigation increased the speed and capabilities of metal ships. There was a boost to create new metals such as stainless steel and aluminum. Thanks to the invention by Henry... Continue reading "Energy Sources and Industrial Revolution: Impacts and Innovations" »

Political Organization Over Time in Christian Kingdoms

Over time, the Christian kingdoms developed their own political institutions:

• The Monarchy: It had feudal allegiance, which established relations with their subjects. The king surrounded himself with officials who helped in the tasks of government. In Castile and Portugal, the monarchy was stronger than in Aragon and Navarre.
• The Cortes: They had their origin in an advisory body formed by people close to the king. Subsequently, they were constituted by representatives of the three estates: nobility, clergy, and residents of the cities and towns. Their role was to make laws and approve new taxes. In Aragon and Navarre, they had more decision-making power than in Castile and Portugal, and acted

Northern and Central Asia

This region encompasses the Russian Federation and several former Soviet republics. Russia, the world's largest country, has faced economic and social challenges. As a major producer of oil and minerals, its economy possesses a substantial industrial base, yet faces issues such as capital shortage, unemployment, and corruption. Many Northern and Central European countries primarily operate in primary and tertiary sectors, with diverse ethnic groups like Tajiks and Turkmen.

West Asia

Dominated by Islamic culture, West Asia includes Middle Eastern countries and the Jewish state of Israel, alongside various Christian communities. The region's diverse governance structures range from Islamic republics to parliamentary systems.... Continue reading "Geopolitical and Economic Landscapes of Asia" »

The Area of Urban Influence

Cities are central places supplying goods and services to a more or less extensive area, known as their area of influence. A system of settlements was proposed by Christaller in 1933. He classified central places according to the variety and quality of the functions they play and assigned them a hexagonal area of influence. The result is an organized territory resembling a hexagonal mesh formed by the areas of influence of each of the central places. The area of influence of cities is not homogeneous and is constantly changing.

• Madrid: Principal place of influence throughout Spain.
• Periphery: Nuclei of influence.

Following at an intermediary distance are the mid-range cities, and then nuclei of minor influence.

Hierarchy