Geography Fundamentals: Branches, Cartography, and Maps

Fundamentals of Geography: Core Concepts

Geography is the study of the Earth's surface, focusing on the spatial distribution of phenomena and their relationships.

Key Geographical Concepts

• Location: Where a geographical phenomenon is situated.
• Scope: The extent of its location in time and space.
• Causality: The factors that cause or influence the phenomenon.
• Relationships: How the phenomenon relates and connects to other phenomena.

Three Branches of Geography

• Physical Geography: The study of the causes and development of natural phenomena on Earth (e.g., water, climate, flora).
• Human Geography: The study of the causes and consequences of human activity on the Earth or the anthropic environment (e.g., economics, urbanization).
• Regional Geography: The study of a specific physical area and all the natural and human factors within it. It combines the study of physical and human geography.

Cartography and Geographic Coordinates

Cartography is the study of the representation of the Earth, primarily through the use of maps.

Geographic Grid System

Parallels and Meridians are imaginary lines drawn on a map forming a grid system used for precise location.

• Equator: Divides the Earth into two halves: the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• Latitude: The distance of any point from the Equator, measured in degrees North or South.
• Meridians: Lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole.
• Greenwich Meridian (Prime Meridian): Divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Map Projections

Map projections are methods used to represent the spherical Earth on a flat surface.

• Cylindrical Projection: Projects the sphere onto a cylinder.
• Azimuthal Projection: A flat circular projection, typically viewed from above.
• Conical Projection: Projects the sphere onto a cone.

Scale and Map Types

Geographic Scale

Scale is the proportional relationship, or ratio, between an area on the map and its real size on the ground.

• Numerical Scale
• Graphic Scale

Types of Thematic Maps

Maps are categorized based on the information they convey:

• Base Maps: General reference maps, including physical and political maps.
• Isoline Maps: Use lines connecting points that represent the same value (e.g., elevation, temperature).
• Flow Maps: Use symbols like arrows to indicate a phenomenon that involves movement (e.g., traffic, trade).
• Choropleth Maps: Use colors or shading in regions to mark the frequency or density of a phenomenon.
• Cartogram Maps: Use diagrams or bars placed geographically to indicate statistics.
• Proportional Symbols Maps: Use symbols of varying sizes to indicate the magnitude or importance of a phenomenon.
• Anamorphic Maps: Distort the shape of an area to represent the size or value of a specific phenomenon.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Landscapes

Global Positioning System (GPS)

The GPS allows us to locate the precise position and altitude of an object or person at any time by connecting to at least three satellites.

Understanding Landscapes

A Landscape is a geographical space that contains both natural and man-made features.

Key Features of a Landscape

• Relief: The difference between the highest and lowest points of the land (topography).
• Water: Includes both salt and fresh water bodies and water courses.
• Climate: Defined primarily by temperature and precipitation patterns.
• Soil: This factor affects vegetation and human activities such as agriculture.

Human Features of Landscapes

Human features are often categorized by economic sectors:

• Primary Sector (e.g., agriculture, mining)
• Secondary Sector (e.g., industry, manufacturing)
• Tertiary Sector (e.g., services, commerce)