GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE: HUMAN SYSTEMS Flashcards
major cultural regions: Latin America
- predominant language and religion
- economy
- cultures
a. Spanish or Portuguese are the predominant language and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion
b. economic development and political stability vary between countries
- EX. Brazil: high economic inequalities which contribute to social instability
c. cultures of modern Latin America have been heavily influenced by several ethnic and cultural groups
- Cuba: influenced by Spanish, African, and Indigenous traditions
- Argentina: Spanish, Germany, and Italian traditions
major cultural regions: the Pacific Islands
a. comprises 20,000-30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean lying south of the Tropic of Cancer
b. the pacific islands are also grouped into high and low lands
major cultural regions: East Asia
- countries
- religions
a. China, South Korea, and Japan
b. countries in South Korea and Japan have developed economies, high standards of living, democratic govs, and high literacy rates
c. China: the world’s largest pop., experiencing a stage of rapid economic development, which has improved the standard of living and grew to be one of the most powerful nations in the world
d. Buddhism and Chinese philosophies (Confucianism) played a significant role in the development of most of the diverse cultures
major cultural regions: south Asia
a. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
b. high birth rates and high pop. densities
c. India: second largest pop., a democratic country experiencing a pd. of economic development
d. diverse - inhabitants speak a wide range of language and practice unique customs
e. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism are the most dominant religions in the region
major culture regions: Southeast Asia
a. consists of the countries south of China, east of India and north of Australia
b. Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, and Animism are the most predominant
c. economic and political systems vary between countries
- EX. Vietnam and Burma have authoritarian govs, while Malaysia and Singapore have representative forms of gov.
major cultural regions: Western EU
a. west countries of EU, the non-Communist states that allied w/ the US during WW2
b. highly developed, wealthy countries characterized nu mixed-market-free-enterprise economies
c. high life expectancy rates, per capita income, literacy, etc.
d. principle religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
major cultural regions: Eastern EU
a. reflects Byzantine, Orthodox, and some Ottoman influences
b. since 1989, these states have become more aligned w/ Western philosophies and ideals
c. less wealthy and have lower standards of living then western EU
major cultural regions: the US and Canada
a. wealthy nations w/ mixed-market free-enterprise economies, democratic political systems, and high literacy rates
b. the protection of civil liberties encouraged a wide range of religious, ethnic, and cultural groups to thrive
major cultural regions: the Middle East and North Africa
a. consists south-western Asia and Egypt
b. the Muslim countries of North Africa are often culturally included w/ the Middle East
c. Islam is the most predominant religion
- Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and the Baha’i Faith originated in this region
d. ethnic groups: Arabs, Turks, Persians, Jews, Kurds, Assyrian, Armenians, Greeks, etc.
e. languages: Arabic, Persian, Turkish
f. economies range from very poor (Gaza and Yemen) to extremely wealthy (Qatar and Saudi Arabia)
major cultural regions: Sub-Saharan Africa
a. south of the Sahara Desert
b. the poorest region in the world
- suffers from economic mismanagement, corruption in local gov., and inter-ethnic conflict
c. more than 40% of the pop. is younger than 15 years old // 50% is rural, w/ no access to electricity
d. displays immense diversity
- more than 1000 languages, 1/6 of the worlds total
the establishment, organization, and functions of human settlements
a. factors that establish settlements: availability of a fresh water source, fertile soil for farming, mild climate, accessibility to transportation routes, goods and services, natural resources, and ability to defend territory
b. settlements can take on many forms. mechanisms of change include: urbanization, suburbanization, succession, natural disasters, growth of trends, war
c. once a settlement is established: cultural objects and ideas spread, social classes form, etc.
population distributions around the world
a. the world is unevenly populated: 90% of the pop occupy < 20% of the land
- 85% of the pop. lives in non-globalized zones, w/out the amenities of those in core regions
b. populations:
> regions w/ the largest pops: East, South and Southeast Asia, EU, and eastern North America
> regions largely inhabited: central and northern Asia, northern and western North America, and the interior areas of South America, Africa, and Australia
c. pop. tends to be highest in areas where land is productive, the climate is temperate, and the topography is forgiving
d. demographic structure is characterized by: birth rates, death rates, total fertility rates, and age and gender distribution
e. regional demographics are important bc they serve as an indicator of the standard of life for a geographical area
- EX. industrialized countries share characteristics such as high life expectancy literacy rates, and per capita income
migrations of human populations: push and pull factors
a. push factors: factors that motivate people to leave
- unstable weather conditions, religious persecution, political oppression, lack of economic opportunities, etc.
b. pull factors: factors that encourage people to select a new area
- good schools, nearby families, lower taxes, more freedom and economic opportunities, etc.
significant migrations throughout history:
a. the EU migration (19th c.)
b. the Bantu migration throughout Africa
c. the Russian expansion eastward
d. migration of Jews (20th c.): post WW2, many migrated to the British Mandate of Palestine, now known as Israel
e. the partition of India in 1947: Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India and Muslims migrated to Pakistan → boundary disputes and wars
categories, patterns, and networks of Economic Activity
a. geographers use the Human Development Index (HDI) to categorize nations based on economic, social, and demographic indicators of development
- they use GDP, productivity, consumption, and per capita income
- leading in these variables are, the EU, Australia, Canada, the US, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates
- the US, EU, and India lead in world economic growth
b. less developed countries (LDCs) consist of an economy that’s mainly primary and secondary sector
- their economies were designed to assist previous colonial powers
- they offer attractive markets to global powers due to fewer restrictions and availability of cheap labor
c. trade of raw materials and processed goods is typical of the economic system set up during the colonial times
- EX. LDCs in Africa are focused on extraction of raw materials
d. processed goods are distributed mainly to wealthier MDCs who maintain greater global control of the world’s resources
e. post-industrial change occurs when a region’s economy shifts from manufacturing to service employment - more common in developed countries that rely on exports in the primary and secondary sectors
