World Regional Geography

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 9
1.1 Welcome to World Regional Geography......Page 21
What Is Geography?......Page 22
The Objectives of This Book......Page 25
Coordinate Systems......Page 27
Projections......Page 30
Symbolization......Page 31
Mental Maps......Page 32
Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing......Page 33
What Do Geographers Do for a Living?......Page 34
Insights: Core Location and Peripheral Location......Page 29
SUMMARY......Page 36
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 37
NOTES......Page 38
CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT SHAPE WORLD REGIONS......Page 39
Plate Tectonics......Page 40
Precipitation......Page 42
Seasons......Page 45
Climate and Vegetation Types......Page 46
The Importance of Biodiversity......Page 50
Why Should We Care about Oceans?......Page 51
Climatic Change......Page 52
The Effects of Global Warming......Page 53
What Can Be Done about Global Climate Change?......Page 55
Geography of Energy: The Kyoto Protocol......Page 56
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 57
NOTES......Page 58
CHAPTER 3 HUMAN PROCESSES THAT SHAPE WORLD REGIONS......Page 59
Hunting and Gathering......Page 60
The Revolutionary Aspects of Farming......Page 61
3.2 The Geography of Development......Page 62
Measuring Development......Page 64
Why Are Some Countries Rich and Others Poor?......Page 65
Environmental Impacts of Underdevelopment......Page 66
How Can We Measure Population Changes?......Page 70
What Determines Death Rates?......Page 71
Why Has the Human Population “Exploded?”......Page 73
The Age Structure Diagram......Page 74
Where Do We Live?......Page 75
The Geography of Migration......Page 77
How Many People Will Live on Earth?......Page 79
The Malthusian Scenario......Page 80
What Is “Overpopulation”?......Page 81
Insights: The Second Law of Thermodynamics......Page 82
The Birth Rate Solution and Sustainable Development......Page 83
Insights Globalization: The Process and the Backlash......Page 67
Insights: The Fuelwood Crisis......Page 68
SUMMARY......Page 84
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 85
NOTES......Page 86
CHAPTER 4 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF EUROPE......Page 87
Industrialization and the Development of Europe......Page 88
Insights: Site and Situation......Page 91
Why Is Europe So Warm?......Page 94
The Relationship of Human Settlement and Production to Europe’s Varied Landscapes......Page 96
Diversity of Climate and Vegetation......Page 97
4.3 Cultural and Historical Geographies......Page 99
Linguistic and Ethnic Groups of Europe......Page 100
Europeans’ Religious Roots......Page 102
European Colonialism and Its Consequences......Page 104
4.4 Economic Geography......Page 105
An Imbalance of Wealth......Page 106
4.5 Geopolitical Issues......Page 107
The Cold War and Its Aftermath......Page 108
The European Union......Page 110
Size and Diversity of the European Union......Page 111
Differences between Europeans and Americans......Page 112
Regional Perspective: Europe’s Immigration Issues......Page 93
Insights: Devolution......Page 103
Insights: Genetically Modified Foods and “Food Fights”......Page 109
SUMMARY......Page 113
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 114
NOTES......Page 115
MODULE 4.1 THE EUROPEAN CORE......Page 116
4.1.1 The British Isles......Page 118
Highland and Lowland Great Britain......Page 119
Urbanization and Industrialization in Britain......Page 121
Geography of Energy: Europe’s Energy Alternatives......Page 124
Framed and Fortified......Page 127
Flourishing Agriculture......Page 128
French Cities and Industries......Page 129
Insights: The Primate City......Page 131
A Central Location......Page 132
German Cities and Industries......Page 133
Small Countries, Great Trade......Page 134
Benelux Farming......Page 136
Switzerland......Page 137
Austria......Page 138
Insights: Hedgerows......Page 122
Geographic Spotlight: London Town......Page 123
Insights: The Polder......Page 135
SUMMARY......Page 139
NOTES......Page 140
MODULE 4.2 THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY......Page 141
4.2.1 Northern Europe: Prosperous, Wild, and Wired......Page 142
Problem Landscape: Save the Whales . . . for Dinner......Page 143
Denmark......Page 144
Norway......Page 145
Sweden......Page 146
Finland......Page 147
Iceland......Page 148
The Environment of Mediterranean Agriculture......Page 149
Spain......Page 150
Ethnic Geography: The Basque Country......Page 152
Italy......Page 153
Greece......Page 155
4.2.3 Eastern Europe: Out from Behind the Curtain......Page 156
Physical Geography......Page 157
The World’s Great Rivers: The Danube......Page 158
Wrenching Reform: Communism......Page 159
The Baltics......Page 162
Poland......Page 163
Czech Republic......Page 164
Hungary......Page 165
Successors of the Fractured Yugoslavia......Page 166
Ethnic Geography: The Roma......Page 160
SUMMARY......Page 169
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 170
CHAPTER 5 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF RUSSIA AND THE NEAR ABROAD......Page 171
5.1 Area and Population......Page 172
5.2 Physical Geography and Human Adaptations......Page 173
The Roles of the Climates and Vegetation......Page 175
The Role of Topography......Page 179
Vikings, Byzantines, and Tatars......Page 181
The Empire of the Russians......Page 183
Russia and the Soviet Union: Tempered by Revolution and War......Page 185
The Communist Economic System......Page 187
Economic Roots of the Second Russian Revolution......Page 188
Russia’s Period of Misdevelopment......Page 189
Within Russia......Page 191
Russia and the Near Abroad......Page 192
The Far Abroad......Page 197
Insights: Regional Names of Russia and the Near Abroad......Page 174
Insights: The Russian Cross......Page 176
The World’s Great Rivers: The Volga......Page 180
Insights: Russia and Other Land Empires......Page 184
Geography of the Sacred: Stalingrad......Page 186
Problem Landscape: Chechnya......Page 193
Geography of Energy: Oil in the Caspian Basin......Page 196
SUMMARY......Page 199
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 200
NOTES......Page 201
MODULE 5.1 FRAGMENTATION AND REDEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA AND THE NEAR ABROAD......Page 202
Ukraine......Page 203
Belarus......Page 205
Kaliningrad......Page 206
5.1.2 Agriculture and Industry in the Russian Core......Page 208
5.1.3 The Russian Far East......Page 213
5.1.4 The Northern Lands of Russia......Page 214
5.1.5 The Caucasus......Page 219
Division and Conquest......Page 221
Environment and Agriculture......Page 222
Economic and Political Prospects......Page 224
Geographic Spotlight: The Sex Trade......Page 207
Problem Landscape: Nuclear Waste in Russia’s High Arctic......Page 216
SUMMARY......Page 225
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 226
NOTES......Page 227
CHAPTER 6 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA......Page 228
6.1 Area and Population......Page 229
6.2 Physical Geography and Human Adaptations......Page 230
A Region of Stark Geographic Contrasts......Page 231
Villager, Pastoral Nomad, Urbanite......Page 233
The Village Way of Life......Page 235
The Pastoral Nomadic Way of Life......Page 237
The Urban Way of Life......Page 239
The Promised Land of the Jews......Page 241
Christianity: Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem......Page 244
The Message of Islam......Page 245
6.4 Economic Geography......Page 248
Chokepoints......Page 249
Access to Oil......Page 251
Access to Freshwater......Page 252
Terrorism......Page 254
Perspectives from the Field: Way-Finding in the Desert......Page 238
Geography of the Sacred: Jerusalem......Page 243
Insights: Sunni and Shiite Muslims......Page 247
Geography of Energy: Middle Eastern Oil Pipelines......Page 250
Geography of Terrorism: What Does al-Qa’ida Want?......Page 256
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 258
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 259
MODULE 6.1 THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA: MODERN STRUGGLES IN AN ANCIENT LAND......Page 260
6.1.1 The Arab-Israeli Conflict and Its Setting......Page 261
Arabs and Jews: The Demographic Dimension......Page 263
Lebanon and Syria......Page 268
6.1.2 Egypt: The Gift of the Nile......Page 271
6.1.3 Sudan: Bridge between the Middle East and Africa......Page 273
6.1.4 Libya: Deserts, Oil, and a Reformed Survivor......Page 275
6.1.5 Northwestern Africa: The Maghreb......Page 276
Saudi Arabia: The Oil Colossus......Page 278
Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates......Page 280
The Southern Margins of Arabia......Page 281
Kuwait and the Gulf War of 1991......Page 282
Iraq: Vortex of Violence......Page 283
Oil and Upheaval in Iran......Page 287
6.1.7 Turkey: Where East Meets West......Page 289
6.1.8 Rugged, Strategic Afghanistan......Page 291
Problem Landscape: Land for Peace......Page 265
Ethnic Geography: The Kurds......Page 285
Insights: Land Mines......Page 294
SUMMARY......Page 295
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 296
NOTES......Page 297
CHAPTER 7 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF MONSOON ASIA......Page 298
Population Growth Patterns......Page 299
7.2 Physical Geography and Human Adaptations......Page 300
Climate and Vegetation......Page 302
The Monsoons......Page 303
The Importance of Rice......Page 305
Is There a Correlation between Agriculture and Culture?......Page 307
Where Asians Live......Page 308
Insights: Shifting Cultivation......Page 309
Religions and Philosophical Movements......Page 313
Effects of European Colonization......Page 316
7.4 Economic Geography......Page 317
China’s Surging Economy......Page 318
The Green Revolution......Page 319
Nationalism and Nuclear Weapons......Page 321
What Does North Korea Want?......Page 323
Islands, Sea Lanes, and Islamists......Page 325
Geographic Spotlight: China’s One-Child Policy......Page 306
Geography of the Sacred: The Korean Village......Page 310
Geography of the Sacred: The Sacred Cow......Page 314
Insights: Outsourcing......Page 320
Geography of Energy: The Spratly Islands......Page 322
SUMMARY......Page 326
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 327
NOTES......Page 328
MODULE 7.1 COMPLEX AND POPULOUS SOUTH ASIA......Page 329
7.1.1 The Cultural Foundation......Page 330
7.1.2 Geographic Consequences of Colonialism and Partition......Page 332
Problem Landscape: Kashmir......Page 334
The Outer Mountain Wall......Page 335
The World’s Great Rivers: Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra......Page 336
Climate and Agricultural Conditions......Page 338
Urban and Economic Geography......Page 340
Social and Political Challenges......Page 344
Urban and Economic Geography......Page 346
Social and Political Challenges......Page 347
7.1.7 Nepal and Bhutan: Mountain Kingdoms......Page 348
7.1.8 Sri Lanka: Resplendent and Troubled......Page 350
7.1.9 The Laid-Back, Low-Lying Maldives......Page 351
Regional Perspective: Keeping Malthus at Bay......Page 341
Insights: The Caste System......Page 345
MODULE 7.2 SOUTHEAST ASIA: FROM SUBSISTENCE FARMING TO SEMICONDUCTORS......Page 354
7.2.1 Area, Population, and Environment......Page 355
7.2.2 Livelihood Patterns......Page 357
Shifting and Sedentary Agriculture......Page 358
Natural Hazards: The Great Tsunami of 2004......Page 360
Mineral Production and Reserves......Page 363
7.2.3 Myanmar (Burma)......Page 364
7.2.4 Thailand......Page 367
The Vietnam War......Page 369
Vietnam Today......Page 370
Cambodia: Away from the Killing Fields......Page 372
The Lao Way......Page 374
7.2.6 Malaysia and Singapore......Page 375
7.2.7 Indonesia and Timor-Leste......Page 377
Problem Landscape: The Balkanization of Indonesia?......Page 380
Insights: Rubber......Page 362
Regional Perspective: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)......Page 365
Regional Perspective: Sex, Drugs, and Health in Southeast Asia......Page 366
Ethnic Geography: The Boat People......Page 371
The World’s Great Rivers: The Mekong......Page 373
SUMMARY......Page 383
NOTE......Page 384
MODULE 7.3 CHINA: THE GIANT......Page 385
7.3.1 Accomplishment, Subjugation, and Revolution......Page 386
Arid China......Page 387
Regional Perspective: The Silk Road......Page 391
7.3.3 Issues in Chinese Agriculture......Page 395
7.3.4 China’s Industrial Geography......Page 399
Insights: Mao’s Cultural Revolution......Page 403
7.3.6 Taiwan......Page 407
7.3.7 Mongolia......Page 408
Ethnic Geography: Han Colonization of China’s “Wild West”......Page 392
Problem Landscape: The Three Gorges Dam......Page 396
Medical Geography: Deadly Viruses: Origins and Diffusion......Page 400
SUMMARY......Page 409
NOTES......Page 410
MODULE 7.4 JAPAN AND THE KOREAS: ADVERSITY AND PROSPERITY IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC......Page 411
Climate and Resources......Page 412
7.4.2 Historical Background......Page 418
7.4.3 Japan’s Postwar Miracle......Page 421
7.4.5 The Industrious People behind Japanese Industry......Page 423
7.4.6 Unfortunately Located Korea......Page 426
7.4.7 Contrasts between the Two Koreas......Page 428
7.4.8 Sunshine for Korea?......Page 431
Natural Hazards: Living on the Ring of Fire......Page 416
Insights: The Law of the Sea......Page 427
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 432
NOTE......Page 433
CHAPTER 8 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF OCEANIA......Page 434
The People and Where They Live......Page 435
Climates and Biomes......Page 436
Island Types......Page 437
Why Are Oceania’s Ecosystems So Vulnerable?......Page 441
The Indigenous Peoples of Oceania......Page 442
Europeans in Oceania......Page 444
Making a Living in Oceania......Page 448
Mining Brings Strife......Page 449
Regional Perspective: Foreign Militaries in the Pacific: A Mixed Blessing......Page 450
Insights: Deforestation and the Decline of Easter Island......Page 443
Perspectives from the Field: Aborigines and Missionaries in Northwestern Australia......Page 446
SUMMARY......Page 452
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 453
NOTES......Page 454
MODULE 8.1 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: PROSPEROUS AND NO LONGER SO REMOTE......Page 455
8.1.1 Peoples and Populations......Page 456
8.1.2 The Australian Environment......Page 457
The Humid Eastern Highlands and Tasmania......Page 459
The “Mediterranean” Lands of the South and Southwest......Page 460
The Dry Interior......Page 461
Biogeography: Exotic Species on the Island Continent......Page 462
Sheep and Cattle Ranching......Page 463
Wheat Farming......Page 464
Australia’s Mineral Wealth......Page 465
Urbanization and Industrialization Down Under......Page 466
Environment and Rural Livelihood......Page 467
Industrial and Urban Development......Page 469
8.1.5 Antarctica: The White Continent......Page 470
Ethnic Geography: Australia’s Indigenous People Reclaim Rights to the Land......Page 458
Regional Perspective: Australia and New Zealand: Less British, More Asian-Pacific......Page 468
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 472
NOTES......Page 473
CHAPTER 9 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA......Page 474
9.1 Area and Population......Page 475
Africa’s Population Prospects......Page 476
Africa’s Biomes and Climates......Page 477
Living off the Land......Page 480
Regional Perspective: The Great Rift Valley......Page 486
9.3 Cultural and Historical Geographies......Page 487
Insights: Africa’s Greatest Conservationist......Page 488
The Origins and Impacts of Slavery......Page 490
The Impact of Colonialism......Page 492
9.4 Economic Geography......Page 493
Agriculture......Page 494
Mineral Resources......Page 495
Africa’s Fragile Infrastructure......Page 497
Problem Landscape: Cleaning Up the Dirty Diamonds......Page 498
9.5 Geopolitical Issues......Page 501
Medical Geography: HIV and AIDS in Africa......Page 484
Biogeography: Crop and Livestock Introductions: “The Curse of Africa”......Page 496
Insights: Microcredit......Page 499
SUMMARY......Page 502
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 503
NOTES......Page 504
MODULE 9.1 THE ASSETS AND AFFLICTIONS OF THE SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES......Page 505
Environments, Resources, and Settlements......Page 506
Regional Perspective: Drought and Desertification in the Sahel......Page 508
9.1.2 West Africa: Populous and Struggling to Leave Strife Behind......Page 509
Population and Settlements......Page 510
Ethnic and Political Complexity and Conflicts......Page 513
Environments and Resources......Page 514
Population, Settlements, and Infrastructure......Page 515
Colonialism and Modern Struggles......Page 517
Environments and Resources......Page 518
Political and Social Issues......Page 520
9.1.5 The Horn of Africa: Refuge for Judaism, Christianity, Islamist Militancy......Page 522
Environments and Resources......Page 523
Local Cultures, European Imperialism, and Regional Struggles......Page 524
Environment and Resources: Water, Natural Regions, and Agriculture......Page 526
Mining and Manufacturing......Page 529
Ethnicity, Colonialism, and Strife......Page 530
Zimbabwe’s Struggles......Page 534
9.1.7 The Indian Ocean Islands: Former Edens......Page 535
Problem Landscape: The Poor, Oil-Rich Delta of Nigeria......Page 511
Natural Hazards: Deadly Lakes......Page 516
SUMMARY......Page 538
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 539
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 540
CHAPTER 10 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF LATIN AMERICA......Page 541
10.1 Area and Population......Page 542
Elevation and Land Use......Page 547
Civilizations Predating the Europeans’ Arrival......Page 551
Languages in Latin America......Page 554
The European Conquest......Page 555
Ethnicity in Latin America......Page 557
10.4 Economic Geography......Page 558
Types of Farms......Page 559
Minerals and Mining......Page 561
Problem Landscape: The Troubled Fields of Land Reform......Page 562
Regional Perspective: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)......Page 564
Tourism in Latin America......Page 565
10.5 Geopolitical Issues......Page 566
Natural Hazards: El Niño......Page 552
Insights: Fair Trade Fruits......Page 560
Geography of Drug Trafficking: The War on Drugs......Page 568
SUMMARY......Page 570
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 571
NOTES......Page 572
MODULE 10.1 MIDDLE AMERICA: LAND OF THE SHAKING EARTH......Page 573
10.1.1 Mexico: Higher and Further......Page 574
Mining, Manufacturing, and Maquiladoras......Page 576
Central Mexico: Volcanic Highland Core Region......Page 578
The Gulf and Pacific Tropics: Oil, Mountains, Beaches, and Tourists......Page 580
Fragmentation and Turbulence......Page 581
Environments, Settlements, and Economic Activities......Page 583
General Characteristics......Page 585
The Greater Antilles......Page 588
The Lesser Antilles......Page 589
Regional Perspective: The Panama Canal......Page 584
SUMMARY......Page 590
NOTE......Page 591
MODULE 10.2 SOUTH AMERICA: STIRRING GIANT......Page 592
Venezuela......Page 593
Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana......Page 594
Geography of Energy: Venezuela’s Petroleum Politics......Page 595
Ecuador......Page 597
Peru......Page 598
Landlocked Bolivia......Page 600
10.2.2 Brazil: Populous Rain-Forested Giant......Page 601
10.2.3 The Southern Midlatitude Countries: South America’s “Down Under”......Page 610
Argentina......Page 611
Chile......Page 612
Landlocked Paraguay......Page 614
The World’s Great River: The Amazon, Its Forest, and Its People......Page 607
Insights: The Versatile Soybean......Page 609
SUMMARY......Page 615
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 616
CHAPTER 11 A GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA......Page 617
11.1 Area and Population......Page 618
Migration into North America......Page 620
Geographic Spotlight: The Modern-Day Slave Trade......Page 621
Natural Hazards: Nature’s Wrath in the United States......Page 622
Climates and Land Uses......Page 626
Native American Civilizations......Page 627
Indigenous Culture Groups and Lifeways......Page 628
European Impacts on Native Cultures......Page 630
European Settlers and Settlements......Page 632
Ethnic Minorities in the United States and Canada......Page 635
Nonindigenous Languages and Faiths......Page 636
11.4 Economic Geography......Page 637
An Abundance of Resources......Page 638
Mechanization, Services, and Information Technology......Page 641
U.S.-Canadian Economic Relations......Page 644
Transportation Infrastructure......Page 645
The United States’ Place in the World......Page 646
Geography of Energy: Energy Alternatives in the United States......Page 639
Insights: Trade Barriers and Subsidies......Page 643
SUMMARY......Page 647
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 648
NOTES......Page 649
MODULE 11.1 CANADA: FROM SEA TO SEA......Page 650
11.1.2 Atlantic Canada: Hardscrabble Living......Page 651
11.1.3 Canada’s Core Region: Ontario and Québec......Page 655
11.1.4 The Prairie Region: Oil, Wheat, and Wilderness......Page 657
11.1.5 The Vancouver Region and British Columbia......Page 658
11.1.6 The North: Lots of Land, Few People......Page 659
The Near North......Page 660
Territorial Canada: Indigenous Landscapes......Page 661
11.1.7 Greenland: A White Land......Page 663
Problem Landscape: Arctic Dreams......Page 656
Problem Landscape: The Québec Separatist Movement......Page 654
KEY TERMS + CONCEPTS......Page 664
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 665
MODULE 11.2 THE UNITED STATES: OUT OF MANY, ONE......Page 666
The Environment of the Northeast......Page 667
The Race for Midwestern Trade......Page 671
The Big Apple......Page 672
Manufacturing in the Northeast......Page 674
The Physical Setting......Page 675
Southern Settlements and Peoples......Page 678
Agricultural Geography of the South......Page 679
Southern Industries......Page 680
Big Cities of the South......Page 681
Environment and Agriculture in the Midwest......Page 682
Industries and Cities in the Midwest......Page 685
The Physical Setting......Page 690
Southern California: A Sprawling Magnet......Page 694
San Francisco: The City by the Bay......Page 695
The Golden State’s Rainbow......Page 696
The Mountain States......Page 697
Alaska: Land of the Midnight Sun......Page 700
Alaska’s Ups and Downs......Page 702
Geography of Energy: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge......Page 703
Insights: Adaptive Reuse and Gentrification......Page 676
Natural Hazards: Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath......Page 684
Geographic Spotlight: The Changing Geography of American Settlement......Page 688
SUMMARY......Page 704
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 706
Glossary......Page 707
Pronounciation guide......Page 719
Index......Page 725
Credits......Page 745