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

The tertiary sector and its activities

Evolution of the service economy

This sector plays an increasingly important role in the global economy. However, its relative weight depends on a country’s level of economic development. There are significant differences between developed and developing countries in terms of the quantity and quality of the services provided.

In developed countries, which rank high on the HDI, services tend to be located in large urban areas and tourist areas. They employ more than 60% of the working population. In major cities, like Madrid and Paris, the percentage employed by this sector is over 80%. The quality of the different services available gives the population a significant level of well-being.

In developing countries,... Continue reading "The Tertiary Sector: Evolution, Public vs Private, Financialization" »

The Western Roman Empire followed a different evolution to the Byzantine Empire.

byzantine

The lands of Western Europe were occupied by peoples of Germanic origin.

germanic

The Germanic people came from Central Asia and settled for centuries near the borders of the Roman Empire.

nomadic

Germanic people mainly lived in villages and camps.

farming

Germanic people were organised into tribes, led by a tribal chief.

assembly

warriors

An increase in population and the need to seek pastures for cattle caused the Germanic people to move to Western Europe.

western

Some of the Germanic tribes that pushed the boundaries of the Roman Empire during the 3rd century took advantage of its weakness to settle there.

weaknessThese tribes settled in the territory of the Western... Continue reading "The Fall of the Western Roman Empire: Germanic Invasions" »

Old Regime

• Agriculture: Continues with feudalism. Land is the basis. Problem: growing population.
• Craftsmanship: Controlled by guilds and follows steps to produce.
• Foreign Trade: Controlled by the state and monopolized (king has all power).
• Innovations: Domestic system.
• Social Structure: Three Estates system - privileged and non-privileged.
• Politics: From modern state to absolutism, increasing king's power.
• Culture: Religion justifies society and politics.

Enlightenment

Small changes in the Old Regime: keep monarchy but remove absolute power.

• Thinkers: Bourgeoisie and nobles.
• Context: In France and America in the 18th century.

Ideas

• Everything based on reason.
• Follow experiments.
• Progress and constant improvements.
• Follow happiness.

Thinkers

• Locke: Natural rights

Industrialization and the Rise of Nationalism/Imperialism

Theories for Migration for Work in the 21st Century

Population

Population is the number of people who inhabit a particular place. Population is influenced by physical environment, settlement patterns, economic activities, and the history of an area.

Before the 19th Century

• Climate changes around 10,000 years ago led to the Neolithic Revolution. As agriculture developed and population became more sedentary, towns and cities were established. Population grew slowly because it was dependent on the resources available.
• Wars, epidemics, and large-scale migration also either limited or promoted population growth. In the first century A.D. the world population was about 256 million. It increased until the Black Death of 1342. By the mid-17th century, the world population surpassed 500 million, and in 1800

The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain

The Agricultural Revolution

In Great Britain, a set of legal reforms called the Enclosure Acts were passed by the British Parliament. These laws allowed large landowners to own and enclose open fields and common land. This led to various transformations: selective breeding, new crops, mechanization, and new drainage systems. Landowners had a practical and entrepreneurial mindset.

The Demographic Revolution

• Demographic Growth: The rapid population growth was caused by an increase in food production and advances in science and sanitation.
• Rural Emigration: Consequences of the modernization of agriculture were negative for the peasantry, leading to a rural exodus.

Economic Factors

Abundant coal and iron ore... Continue reading "Industrial Revolution in Great Britain: Key Factors and Impacts" »

The Prestige Oil Spill Disaster

Opening: In 2002, off the coast of Galicia, an oil tanker called the Prestige got into difficulty and eventually broke up. The entire coast was contaminated with 60,000 tons of oil.

Consequences of the Oil Spill

Body: The consequences of the oil spill were:

• First, about 26,000 people in Galicia have jobs connected to the sea, and after the oil spill, all fishing was banned for several months.
• Second, more than 22,000 dead birds were found, but it is believed that many more died.
• Lastly, the most affected were the cormorants which breed on the Cíes Islands; their number has dropped by 50% since the disaster.

Closing: In conclusion, the Prestige oil spill was the largest natural disaster in Spain in recent years, because... Continue reading "Prestige Oil Spill: Impact on Galicia's Coast" »

The Demand for Water

Fresh water is a renewable resource, but it is in increasingly scarce supply on our planet.

Pollution, overexploitation of aquifers, and wasteful use of this resource pose serious dangers, especially due to high consumption in developed countries.

The availability of drinking water for people and animals doesn't solely depend on a country being dry or wet, but significantly on its level of development. Countries in Central Africa often lack adequate sewerage systems or water networks.

Therefore, the availability of water depends more on the level of development than on the climate.

Current Economic Blocs Across the World

• Asian Tigers: Technological development and growth in some countries has led to the emergence of a group

1. Agrarian Space

Agrarian space encompasses economic activities focused on obtaining resources from nature. This includes:

• Agriculture: Cultivating land for plants and food, providing sustenance, industrial materials, and livestock feed.
• Livestock Farming: Raising animals for various purposes, including food, industrial materials, and sometimes labor.
• Silviculture: Utilizing woodland for food and raw materials.
• Fishing: Harvesting aquatic animals for food and other products.

1.1 Definition: Agrarian space specifically refers to land used for agrarian activities.

1.2 Global Impact: In 2013, agrarian activities employed 36.8% of the global population. This sector employs over 50% of the population in many underdeveloped countries, contributing significantly... Continue reading "Understanding Agrarian and Rural Spaces: Activities, Factors, and Impacts" »

The Suburbs

In the 20th century, particularly between the 1950s and 1980s, urban growth led to the creation of vast suburban outskirts adjacent to historical cities. These areas were subject to characteristic zoning laws that segregated them into residential, industrial, and service-sector zones.

Residential Zones

Residential zones vary based on residents' buying power, resulting in social segregation: slums for disadvantaged or marginalized groups; tower block neighborhoods of varying sizes and qualities for the middle and lower classes; and exclusive single-family housing developments for the upper classes.

Industrial Zones

Industrial zones house factories that have relocated from city centers, as well as new industries seeking lower land prices... Continue reading "Suburbanization: Urban Growth and the Creation of Rural-Urban Areas" »