Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts

Cover
Inside Front Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Preface
Brief Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION: World Regional Geography: A Global Perspective
	A World on Maps
		Maps in Our Minds
		Mapping Revolutions
	Geography’s Perspective
		A Spatial Viewpoint
		Environment and Society
		Spatial Patterns
		Scale and Scope
	World Geographic Realms
		Criteria for Geographic Realms
		Delineating Realms: Boundaries and Transition Zones
		Geographic Realms: Dynamic Entities
		Two Types of Realms
	Regions Within Realms
		Criteria for Regions
		Interconnections
	The Physical Setting
		Natural Landscapes
		Geology and Natural Hazards
		Climate
	Realms of Population
		Major Population Clusters
		Toward an Urban World
	Realms of Culture
		The Geography of Language
		Landscapes of Religion
	A World of States
		The European Origins of the Modern State
		Power and Geopolitics
	Geographies of Development
		Development in Spatial Perspective
		A Complex, Core-Periphery World
	Globalization
		Globalization and Environmental Challenges
		Globalization and Population Movements
		Economic Globalization, Growth, and Inequality
	Regional and Systematic Geographies
CHAPTER 1: The North American Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Population Clusters
		North America’s Physical Geography
		Native Americans and European Settlement
		Cultural Foundations
		The Federal Map of North America
		The Distribution of Natural Resources
		Urbanization and the Spatial Economy
		The Making of a Multicultural Realm
		Regionalism in Canada: Divisive Forces
		Regionalism and Ethnicity in the United States
	Regions of North America
		The Northeast (1)
		North Atlantic Coast (2)
		French Canada (3)
		The Southeast (4)
		The Southwest (5)
		The West Coast (6)
		The Rocky Mountains Region (7)
		The Midwest (8)
		The Northern Frontier (9)
CHAPTER 2: The Middle American Realm
	Defining the Realm
		The Realm’s Northern Boundary
		Physical Geography of Middle America
		Cultural Geography
		Political and Economic Fragmentation
	Regions of Middle America
		Mexico
		The Central American Republics
		The Caribbean Basin
		The Greater Antilles
		The Lesser Antilles
CHAPTER 3: The South American Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Physiography
		States Ancient and Modern
		The Cultural Mosaic
		Economic Geography
		Urbanization and Its Regional Expressions
		External Relations
	Regions of South America
		The Caribbean North
		The Andean West
		The Southern Cone
		Brazil: Giant of South America
		Future Prospects of South America
CHAPTER 4: The European Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Europe’s Eastern Boundary
		Modern Historical Geography
		Contemporary Europe: A Dynamic Realm
		European Unification
		Consequences of Unification
		NATO and European Security
		Europe’s Refugee Crisis
		Islamist Terrorism in Europe
		Immigration and the Growing Multicultural Challenge
	Regions of Europe
		Western Europe
		Northern Europe
		Mediterranean Europe
		Eastern Europe
		Europe’s Future Prospects
CHAPTER 5: The Russian/Central Asian Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Physical Geography of Russia/Central Asia
		The Natural Riches of Russia and Central Asia
		Russia’s Czarist Roots
		The Soviet Union (1922–1991)
		Post-Soviet Russia and Central Asia
	Regions of Russia and Central Asia
		The New Russia
		The Russian Core
		The Southeastern Frontier
		Siberia
		The Russian Far East
		Transcaucasia
		Central Asia
		A Realm in Flux
CHAPTER 6: The North African/Southwest Asian Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Hearths of Cultures
		Stage for Islam
		The Ottoman Empire and Its Aftermath
		The Power and Peril of Oil
		Fragmented Modernization
		The Arab Spring of 2011 and Its Aftermath
		Politics and Religion
		A Realm in Turmoil
	Regions of North Africa/Southwest Asia
		Egypt and the Lower Nile Basin
		The Middle East
		The Arabian Peninsula
		The Empire States
		The Maghreb and Its Neighbors
		The African Transition Zone
CHAPTER 7: The Subsaharan African Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Africa’s Physiography
		Africa’s Historical Geography
		The Colonial Transformation
		Human–Environment Relations
		Population and Health
		Cultural Patterns
		Urbanization and Africa’s Dual Economies
		Africa Rising?
	Regions of Subsaharan Africa
		West Africa
		East Africa
		Equatorial Africa
		Southern Africa
CHAPTER 8: The South Asian Realm
	Defining the Realm
		South Asia’s Physiography
		Birthplace of Civilizations and Religions
		Foreign Invaders
		The Geopolitics of Modern South Asia
		Emerging Markets and Fragmented Modernization
		South Asia’s Population Geography
	Regions of South Asia
		The West: Afghanistan’s Unstable Transition Zone
		The West: Pakistan
		India: Giant of the Realm
		Bangladesh
		The Northern Mountain States
		The Southern Islands
CHAPTER 9: The East Asian Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Geographic Dimensions
		Political Geography
		Environment and Population
		Peoples of the East Asian Realm
		East Asia’s Post–World War II Development
		East Asia’s Economic Transformation
		Geopolitics in East Asia
	Regions of East Asia
		The People’s Republic of China (PRC)
		China’s Coastal Core
		China’s Interior
		China’s Western Periphery
		Mongolia
		The Korean Peninsula
		Japan
		Taiwan
CHAPTER 10: The Southeast Asian Realm
	Defining the Realm
		A Geographic Overview
		Southeast Asia’s Physical Geography
		Political Geography: Territorial Configurations
		Population Geography
		China in Southeast Asia Today
	Regions of Southeast Asia
		Mainland Southeast Asia
		Insular Southeast Asia
CHAPTER 11: The Austral Realm
	Defining the Realm
		Land and Environment
	Regions of the Austral Realm
		Australia
		New Zealand
CHAPTER 12: Pacific Realm and Polar Futures
	Defining the Realm
		Colonization and Independence
		The Pacific Realm and Its Marine Geography
	Regions of the Pacific Realm
		Melanesia
		Micronesia
		Polynesia
	Polar Futures
		Partitioning the Antarctic
		Geopolitics In the Arctic Basin
Appendix A: METRIC (STANDARD INTERNATIONAL [SI]) AND CUSTOMARY UNITS AND THEIR CONVERSIONS
Glossary
Index
EULA