How does the environment impact humans?

Settlement Patterns

The climate impacts where people can live. People have a difficult time living where:

A. The climate is too hot

B. The climate is too cold

C. There is no water

Settlement Patterns

Examine the following maps and see if you can explain the population patterns. Are people living next to fresh water? Are people avoiding deserts or cold areas?

Population density map of Africa

Population density

map of Finland

Population density map of China

Housing Materials

People tend to make their houses out of available materials. What would you make your house out of if you lived in…

A. A desert or arid region?

B. An area with a lot of snow?

C. A jungle?

Adobe mosque in Mali, Africa.

A street in Timbuktu, Mali.

How would you like to live in a house made of dirt? Sod

houses were common on the great plains of the United

States because there were very few trees.

A traditional Inuit igloo. Inuit’s made igloos for hunting

shelters or semi-permanent family dwellings. They also

made houses out of whalebone, hides, and dirt.

Inside of an igloo, comfy!

Tree house in Papua New

Guinea. Natives build houses

like this in order to escape

the bugs and heat on the

forest floor. They also used

to help protect people from

their enemies.

In countries near the Mediterranean Sea such as

Italy, Spain, and Greece tile roofs are common

features of the architecture.

The bright red tile roofs

in Florence, Italy give

the city a distinctive

look.

A wooden church in Siberia, Russia. This area has a

huge coniferous forest called the Taiga.

Agricultural Activity

The environment has a huge impact on what types of food humans can grow, how they grow them, and where they can grow them.

Agricultural Activity

Agricultural activity can be affected by:

A. Topography - Is the land flat or mountainous?

B. Climate - Certain types of crops can only grow in certain temperatures. If there is not enough rainfall humans must irrigate crops.

Agricultural Activity

Only a small percentage of the land on earth is arable. Arable land is land that can be used for farming. Examine the following maps and look at an atlas. See if you can explain the types of crops these countries grow and why some land is not used for farming.

Land use map of Jamaica, an island in the Caribbean Sea.

Land use map of Belgium, a small country in Western Europe.

Land use map

of Brazil, the

largest country

in South America.

Land use map of South Africa.

Types of Recreation

Some types of recreation depend on the climate.

Explain This

Country Gold Medals

Silver Medals

Bronze Medals

Total

Germany 11 12 6 29

U.S. 9 9 7 25

Austria 9 7 7 23

Russia 8 6 8 22

Canada 7 10 7 24

Results of 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Types of Recreation

Lame sports around the world:

A. Curling - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXeXNHRPMMI

B. Elephant Polo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjQdoM8REbc

C. Cheese Rolling –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GdVnzDFyLg

Transportation Patterns

The environment, especially topography and climate, can have an impact on transportation patterns.

Transportation Patterns

Mountains are barriers to trade because it is difficult to build roads over mountains.

People use rivers and the ocean for transportation routes because boats transport goods more efficiently.

Extreme weather, such as the cold, can make it difficult to transport goods.