In Case you missed any notes:

Chapter 4 – People and Place

NOTES:

What makes us similar to some people in the world but different from most others? 

Culture

Culture is the total knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by and passed on by the members of a specific group.

Culture involves the following factors:

-      food and shelter

-      - religion

-      - relationships to family and others

-      language

-      educations

-      security/protection

-      political and social organization

-      creative expression

Society is a group that shares a geographic region, a sense of identity and a culture.

Ethnic groups is used to refer to a group that shares a language, customs, and common heritage.

Language is one of the most important aspects of culture because it allows the people within a culture to communicate with each other.

Language established cultural identity.

There are between 3000 and 6500 languages spoken in the world today.

Versions of a language are called dialect.   Dialect reflects changes in speech patterns related to a specific group or region.

Region – consists of a belief in a supernatural power or powers

Major Religions include

Judaism

Christianity

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Populations – The World Population is current over 7 Billion people.

90 % of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere.  One in four people in the world lives in East Asia, and one of every two people lives in either East Asia or South Asia. 

Cities with more than 10 million people are called megacities.  By 2010 there were at least 25 megacities.  Tokyo, the largest city in the world, has more than 35 million inhabitants.

Population Density – refers to the average number of people who live in a measurable area. 

What is the population density of Skagway?

Political Geography – Government units of the world can be described in either political or geographical terms. 

State – is an independent unit that occupies a specific territory  (often the term country is used to mean state)

Nation refers to a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity. 

When a nation and a state occupy the same territory – that territory is called a  “Nation-State”

It is possible for a nation not to have a territory – stateless nations include the Palestinians, the Kurds, and the Basques.

Types of Governments:

Democracy – citizens hold political power, either directly or through elected representatives

Monarchy – a ruling family headed by a king or queen holds political power

Dictatorship – An individual or group holds complete political power

Communism – in this government and economic system, nearly all political power and means of production are head by the government in the name of the people

Boundaries between countries can either be Natural (lakes, rivers, mountains) or Artificial (example 49 N latitude line that separates U.S. from Canada)

An economy consists of the production and exchange of goods and services among a group of people.  Economies operate on a local, regional, national and international level.

Types of economic systems:

Command Economy – production of goods and services is determined by a central government

Market Economy – Production of goods and services is determined by the demand from consumers.

Mixed Economy – a combination of command and market economics provides goods and services so that all people will benefit.

Traditional Economy – goods and services are traded without exchanging money (“barter”)