World Regional Geography
Spring 2004
Chapter 10 & 11: The
Review for Test 6
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language
(Spanish or Portuguese)
§
indigenous
populations and cultures
§
colonial systems
with
§
social systems
and classification
§
Roman Catholic
religion
§
common economic
development
§
within
Treaty of Tordesillas (1492)- demarcated land between
Maya (200-900 AD)-
Aztec (1100-1500 AD)- Empire with central rule, based in Tecnochtitlan.,
slavery was common, Empire throughout
Inca (1400-1500 AD)- Based in
Portuguese were responsible for shipping of over 4
million slaves from
Biggest Cities in
Largest Rain forest -
Altitudinal Zonation-
position along the
Plateaus and river basins
dominate
Environmental Problems
Tropical deforestation
Worst Air pollution-
Second largest population (100 million) in the region
(after
Maquiladora Program- border towns can import components w/o duty.
Which area of
Banana
Republics- due to economic
dependence on one or two export crops- Coffee.
Issues (
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Civil unrest
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Natural Disasters
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Broken social
fabric
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Physical
infrastructure
§
Economies
The
Main changes- local inhabitants killed by introduced, European
diseases, forced migrations of Africans to the islands and extensive sugar
cultivation.
Settled
by Spanish, Dutch, French, British, Americans and African slaves
In former British, French, and Dutch Caribbean islands,
the dominant ancestry is African.
Economic leakage results from the flow of
profits from tourist facilities to foreign owners.
Region of rugged terrain and high relief. Traditional mountain culture groups. Illegal drug trade has created an illegal
elite class- one of the world's primary drug-producing regions.
Pacific War
(1880's)-
Largest
country in terms of area/population (170 million)/economy (8th).
Language- Portuguese, Religion-
Roman Catholic
Flavor of
Brazil- Portuguese, African,
World's
largest Roman Catholic Country
Favelas- shantytown- 7
million in
Hyperinflation (2,000%)- rising prices
feed a cycle of inflation- in
Japanese Brazilians are largest Japanese community
outside of
Portuguese Royal Family moved the monarchy and
capital of
Highest percentage of people of European descent on
the continent.
2000- Economic production-
US,
Canadian French- 25% of population (Francophone) - control
First
North American Products- Agriculture (tobacco (first crop grown), sugarcane,
rice, cotton, etc.),timber, fish and furs.
Native
Americans- over 250 years of genocidal
wars and forced deportations had taken place. Native Americans were few in number (less
than 1 percent of the total population.)
Economic
innovation and development center on manufacturing and changing the world economy:
1.
Economies of scale - larger and more productive factories (Building larger factories to make more goods and thus reduce the price of
an individual item)
2.
Horizontal integration allowing for expanded market share. (one owner acquires many companies producing the same
product.)
3.
Vertical integration allowing for a wide range of related industrial
activities (e.g., Andrew Carnegie's steel mills). one owner produces the inputs of a product, the product itself, and then
another product that uses the first product
4.
Production line assembly (e.g. Henry Ford)- Fordism
(assembly of many components to make a few
models of a product using a production line)
5.
Machine tools- machines
the manufacture and assemble parts.
Changing demography
Rapid annual population growth rate in US is unusual among wealthy and technologically
advanced countries. (2001: 285 million- by 2025: 340 million)-
result of immigration (1/3 of population
growth.)
Internal migration- African Americans moved from rural south to urban
north. Whites from northeast moved to
west coast and south. Majority of
African-Americans live in the southeast (or just south). Largest minority in the
Natural Hazards
Greatest range of natural
hazards in the world- hurricanes (East coast), tornadoes (plains), severe
storms, earthquakes (West coast), volcanoes (West coast), floods (Mississippi),
blizzards, ice storms and wildfires. Most tornadoes in world
World Roles
Leading member of G8, UN
(Headquarters in NYC), NATO, World Bank, International Monetary Fund,
Organization of American States (all headquartered in Washington, DC) and the
World Trade Organization. US has great influence on the global culture. This includes communications, media,
transportation, politics, athletics, entertainment, recreation and travel.
Regional Population Distribution
Highly urbanized (3/4 urban)
50% in urban area over 1 million
Primary population clusters-
BosWash corridor, Chicago-Detroit, Florida to Texas coast,
Texas Triangle and West Coast Western
(middle) US- sparsely populated
People
US has a high birth rate for a developed country. Higher birth rates are within immigrant
populations.
Urban Landscapes- Urban Models
Central Business District (CBD)- core area of a city where main government, financial and business
services are locted
Concentric Zone Model- a CBD surrounded by outer rings of development,
from wholesale/light manufacturing to low/medium/high income residential areas.
Sector Model-
a modified concentric zone model that incorporates rail and road networks. This changes
the shape of the zone to follow the transportation corridor.
Multiple Nuclei Model- Further modified model where
the CBD focuses upon financial and high end business services while shopping
and industry move to locations separated from the CBD
Gentrification- Revitalization of inner city neighborhoods (urban
renaissance) Megalopolis- Boston to
World's
second largest in area;
Economically tied to the
a. Seventy-five percent of import-export activity with
the
b. Natural resource based
economy.
c. Friend and foe
relationship with the
Review Provincial descriptions.
TURN IN ANY OUTSTANDING WORK!!- TEST: Monday, May, 10 at 10:30 am.