02 What is Geography

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Approaches, Themes, Concepts and Tools


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The study of the interaction of all physical and humanphenomena at individual places and of how interactionsamong places form patterns and organize space.

Bergman & Renwick, 2008

Geographers are interested in:

Where things happen and why (location, patterns, distributions).

How each place is made unique by the interaction of differentfeatures and phenomena (both physical and human).

How different places are interconnected through different physicaland human phenomena (i.e. systems, networks...).

The interrelationships between physical and human processes.

How and why the patterns and distributions we know are changing.

How we conceptualize, organize and transform space.


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Physical Geography

ClimatologyGeomorphology

PedologyHydrologyBiogeographyEarth Science

...

Human GeographyEconomic geographyPopulation geography

Cultural geographyPolitical geographyUrban geographyBehavioural geographyHealth geography

...

Geographic Techniques

Cartography

Remote sensingGIS

Regional Geography

EnvironmentalGeography


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Observation Fieldwork

Remote sensing

Using remotesensing to monitor

reforestation inNiger, West Africa.


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Remote sensing

Representation Maps


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Topographic


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Topological


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Thematic

Fertility Rates, 2008


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Cartograms


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Remote sensing

Representation Maps

Analysis Theories

Models

GIS


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Geographic Information Systems


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GIS used for mining exploration.
http://www.satimagingcorp.com/galleryimages/arcgis-geographic-information-systems-albania-lg.jpghttp://www.satimagingcorp.com/galleryimages/arcgis-geographic-information-systems-albania-lg.jpg


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Mapping theaffected areasof the 2010

Pakistan Flood.


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Using GIS for urban planning.


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GIS study of food deserts in Montreal (urban geography).


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Using GIS to determineaccessibility in the

Peruvian Amazon.


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Place and Space

Region

Location

Distance

Accessibility

Spatial Interaction (diffusion)

Scale


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Aplace is a specific geographicallocation that can be described by itsdistinctive physical and human features.

Place is space filled with meaningYi-Fu Tuan


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A region is an area delineated byone or more distinctive characteristics.


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A region is an area delineated byone or more distinctive characteristics.


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Location

Nominal

Absolute


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E.g. 45o15 30 N 12o25 40 E


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Location

Nominal

Absolute

Relative (a.k.a. Situation)


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The Montreal Forum

The Pepsi Forum
http://www.taylornoakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Historic+Landmarks+Montreal+During+NHL+Star+-cqvuH4fO43l.jpghttp://www.taylornoakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Montreal_Forum_1970.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Niger_saharan_medieval_trade_routes.PNG


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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Niger_saharan_medieval_trade_routes.PNG


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Location

Nominal

Absolute

Relative (a.k.a. Situation)

Cognitive


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Distance

Absolute

Relative

Cognitive


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Distance is a constraint of geography...

The friction of distanceAs the effort (cost, time, opportunity cost)required to overcome distance increases, thelevel of interaction tends to decrease.


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A shrinking world...


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Accessibility

Proximity

Connectivity

Economic, cultural and social factors...


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Spatial Interaction

Expansion diffusion

Relocation diffusion

Hierarchical diffusion


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Scale

Glocal

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