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The Basics of Geography

The Basics of Geography. Part 9 Countries and Cities. Politically, the term STATE is used to describe an independent place that occupies a specific territory and has full control of its affairs. Sometimes we also call it a COUNTRY .

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The Basics of Geography

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  1. The Basics of Geography Part 9 Countries and Cities

  2. Politically, the term STATE is used to describe an independent place that occupies a specific territory and has full control of its affairs. Sometimes we also call it a COUNTRY.

  3. 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, we often call it a NATION-STATE. There are some nations without a state, such as the Kurds.

  4. The Kurdish people (a nation) of the Middle East would like to have their own state. However, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran are not exactly jumping at the chance to donate territory for the Kurds to have their own state.

  5. Characteristics and Boundaries The size of a country can help determine its wealth and power. It might have a lot of natural resources or a big population that can get a lot of things done. However, Great Britain, a smaller country achieved one of the greatest empires the world has known. Keep in mind that large countries also need to worry about defending longer borders and longer stretches of sea coasts as well.

  6. The shape of a country may determine its relationship with other countries, how it is governed, and how goods are moved. Germany Is Compacted Chile Is Elongated Japan Is Fragmented

  7. A country’s locationmeans a great deal. For instance, a landlocked country may find itself more isolated from the world. • A LANDLOCKED country has no direct outlet to the sea and must find other ways to build connections with the rest of the world to get goods in and out the country.

  8. Bolivia has mountains, lakes, and rivers, but no way to get to the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans. It must work with its neighbors.

  9. Tiny Singapore lies in the shipping lanes between southern and eastern Asia, and has become a very wealthy trading port.

  10. Most countries are protective of their borders or boundaries. They usually want to make their own laws, and control things like natural resources. There are two basic types of borders or boundaries:

  11. NATURAL BOUNDARIES are based on physical features such as rivers, lakes, or chains of mountains. Example: our Rio Grande River border with Mexico. ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES are usually fixed lines, following latitude or longitude. Example:our 49°N border with Canada.

  12. Regional Political Systems • Countries often divide into smaller units to make governing easier. • For instance, they may break up into regions like states and provinces.

  13. Countries may often join together in international political, military, or economic units. • The largest political unit, is the United Nations with 193 member countries.

  14. Urban Geography The term RURAL refers to life in the country, or in small villages, while URBAN refers to city dwelling. During the last two centuries, the number of people living in cities has skyrocketed. The built up areas around a city are called SUBURBS, while the central city and several suburbs form a METROPOLITAN AREA.

  15. Most cities are divided into the following three zones: RESIDENTIAL – Which usually includes single-family housing and apartments. INDUSTRIAL – Factories and warehouses for making and storing goods. COMMERCIAL – Used by businesses for buying and selling goods.

  16. Other Functions of Cities • Shopping • Entertainment • Recreation • Educational Opportunities • Cultural Activities • Religious and Social Services • Government Services

  17. The dramatic rise in the number of cities and the changes in lifestyle that result is called URBANIZATION. Today, some cities are enormous in physical area and have populations exceeding 10 million residents. They are known as mega-cities. In 1950, New York City was the only mega-city with over 10 million people. Today, there are at least 25! The largest in the world is Tokyo, Japan with a combined mega-city, metropolitan population of over 30,000,000!

  18. Tokyo, Japan

  19. New York City, USA

  20. Sao Paulo, Brazil

  21. Shanghai, China

  22. Paris, France

  23. City Locations Cities have developed around the world for a variety of reasons. Many were founded along good transportation routes such as on a lake, river, or on the coast. Others were founded near the sources of natural resources. Whatever their geographic advantage, cities serve as economic bases, attracting businesses and workers.

  24. Located at the start of the Ohio River, Pittsburgh is in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal country.

  25. Charlotte has become a major southern city, and a center of banking and finance.

  26. Detroit at one time was the automotive capital of the world.

  27. For fun and excitement as a tourist destination, Orlando has become an important city.

  28. Chicago developed as a rail, shipping, and trading center on the Great Lakes.

  29. Starting out as a little village before the Gold Rush, San Francisco is now a major Pacific Coast port and tourist destination.

  30. One of America’s greatest energy centers, and center of space research is Houston.

  31. San Diego is home to major U. S. naval facilities, and is a tourist center.

  32. Las Vegas has developed into a world-class center of gaming and entertainment.

  33. Salt Lake City – “The Crossroads of the West”

  34. Salt Lake City is right in the middle of the 11 western states, and has been a major center of transportation, travel, and trade since the 1850s.

  35. Some cities grow as centers of business and finance, while others may be home to manufacturing and industry. Still others may serve as tourist destinations, or combinations of these. A city’s core is called its central business district (CBD), and often has expensive property values. That is one reason the birth of the SKYSCRAPER happened. Chicago and New York City were the cities where the skyscraper was born.

  36. From 1931-1972, the Empire State Building was the tallest structure on earth. Check It Out

  37. What the new World Trade Center will eventually look like. Check It Out

  38. The 10 Tallest Buildings on Earth in 2013. Nine of them have been built since 1998, and all of them are in Asia, except for the Sears Tower in Chicago…(completed in 1974)

  39. The BurjKhalifa, in the Middle Eastern city of Dubai, is the tallest man-made structure on earth. When it opened in January 2010, it topped out at over 2,700 feet. Check It Out

  40. In the Western Hemisphere, there is a debate over which is the tallest tower – the Sears Tower in Chicago, or One World Trade Center in New York.Sears Tower Height to Roof – 1,451 feetHeight to Tip – 1,729 feet One World Trade CenterHeight to Roof – 1,368 feetHeight to Tip – 1,776 feet

  41. Along with New York City, both Chicago and Hong Kong have world-famous SKYLINES. Check out my rankings of city skylines HERE.

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