Think like a geographer
Geography Basics
Location
Maps and Globes
The concept of region
Geographic terms
Place Names
Relative Location
Exact Location
Geographic Reference Points

GEOGRAPHIC GRID
Equator - A circle that divides the globe into two equal 
halves or hemispheres of north and south.  
Located at 0 ° latitude

North and South Poles - located at right angles or 
90° from the plane of the equator.

Prime Meridian: The meridian, designated as 0° E, W longitude, that passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England.

What are the coordinates of 
point "P"?

Tools of the Geographer 
Globes – round models of the earth
Maps – flat representations of the earth 
Remote Sensing Images:
          Photographic 
          Satellite collection of data
          Geographic Information Systems

Map:  flat representations of a globe

Maps show shape, area,
distance & direction

Scale: the size relationship between what the 
map shows and actual distance on the ground
Large scale = small area
Small scale= large area

Worlds within worlds:

Areas with unifying characteristics

Regions may be large or small continental or local
ie. World regions, countries, local regions

Subregions: regions within regions
Regions may be economic.
environmental, historical
cultural

Key Terms:
absolute location: exact location of a place
on earth described by latitude & longitude

relative location: location in relation to other places

continent: one of seven large landmasses on earth

equator: imaginary line that bisects earth into
north and south hemispheres
latitude: distance north or south of the
equator - measured in degrees

longitude: distance east or west of the prime meridian - measured in degrees

map: drawing of earth on flat surface
Prime Meridian: imaginary line bisecting earth into east and west hemispheres
How can we identify Citrus High's
relative location?
What is Citrus High School's
ABSOLUTE location?
For homework:
Please review Pages 1-15
Geography Skills Handbook