Geography 106 Practice Questions

1. What are the 5 basic introductory points to know about Latin America?

2. Explain the Physical Geography of Latin America:

ü  Explain the general physical geography (the blanks we filled in)

ü  Describe the specific physical features we noted in class, their formation (where applicable) and their importance

ü  Be able to locate these important features on a map

ü  Describe the general climate patterns found throughout the region (explain the basic reasons for the different climates using the 5 variables from class)

ü  How does the physical geography explain the other themes (e.g. population distribution, agricultural/economic activity, etc.)

3. What is Altitudnal Zonation? How has it contributed to the history/settling/development of Latin America?

4. Explain how “land use” in Latin America has changed since colonial times.

5. Use the changes in lifestyle/land use to explain the past and current population characteristics of the region (IMR, TFR, LE, RNI, etc.)

6. Where are the major urban centers in Latin America today? Why? What are “primate cities?”

7. Explain the historical development of the urban landscape of Latin America.

ü  Describe the Latin American city model?  How does it differ from the US model?

ü  What are the major issues facing Urban Latin America today?

8. What did pre-Columbian culture in the Americas look like (numbers, major civilizations, locations, complexity, etc.)? How did this change with the arrival of Columbus?

9. How did the culture of Latin America change with the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese (Language, religion, etc.)? What was the class structure that evolved out of Iberian conquest? How does it influence life today?

10. Describe the material exchange that took place between the old world and the new world (export/import of animals, foods, goods).

11. What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?

12. When/why/how did nations of Latin America gain independence and what has been the political situation since independence?

13. Compare Latin America to the rest of the world in terms of “development.”

14. Explain the historical economic transitions throughout Latin America (i.e. what was the strategy and problems in 1960’s, 70’s, today?)

15. Describe the social and environmental issues which remain in Latin America.

EUROPE REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are the 5 basic introductory points to know about Europe?

2. Explain the Physical Geography of Europe:

ü  Explain the general physical geography (the blanks we filled in)

ü  Describe the specific physical features we noted in class, their formation (where applicable) and their importance

ü  Be able to locate these important features on a map

ü  Describe the general climate patterns found throughout the region (explain the basic reasons for the different climates using the 5 variables from class)

ü  How does the physical geography explain the other themes (e.g. population distribution, agricultural/economic activity, etc.)

5.  What are the general population characteristics of the region (numbers, TFR, LE, average age, most live where?)

6. What stage of the demographic transition theory is Europe in? What are the problems and solutions associated with this fact?

7. How has urban planning of Europe changed over time (why are so many located on rivers? What does a medieval city look like compared to a renaissance city, is today’s European urban model the same as the US (suburbanization)?)

8. What language family do most Europeans speak? Compare and contrast the major language branches of Slavic, Germanic and Romance (number of speakers, locations, alphabet, etc).

9. What is the major religion of Europe? How did it spread? What new branches have evolved where and why?

10. Describe the spatial distribution of culture in Europe (north vs. south vs. east Europe)

11. What role has Islam had within Europe? What about Judaism?

12. Explain the impact of WWI on the landscape of Europe. (who was involved, who won, what was the outcome of the final treaty, what new states were created, etc.)

13. What happened during the 1930s that led to the emergence of new political/economic philosophies? What were those philosophies? Who were those leaders?

14. Explain the impact of WWII on the landscape of Europe. (who was involved, who won, what new states were created, etc.)

15. What was the Cold War all about? (who was involved, what were the competing ideas, what impact did it have on the world?)

16. What the heck is going on with the Balkan region (when was the country of Yugoslavia created, when did it start to break up and for what reasons?)

17. Explain the economic timeline of Europe from the Industrial revolution through the EU.

18. Compare and contrast the rebuilding of Eastern and Western Europe after WWII and the results.

NORTHERN AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA

1. What are the 5 basic introductory points to know about N.Africa/SW Asia?

2. Explain the Physical Geography of N.Africa/SW Asia:

ü  Explain the general physical geography (the blanks we filled in)

ü  Describe the specific physical features we noted in class, their formation (where applicable) and their importance

ü  Be able to locate these important features on a map

ü  Describe the general climate patterns found throughout the region (explain the basic reasons for the different climates using the 5 variables from class)

ü  How does the physical geography explain the other themes (e.g. population distribution, agricultural/economic activity, etc.)

3.  What are the general population characteristics of the region (numbers, TFR, LE, )? Where does the majority of the population reside? And what are the density patterns in the region?

4. What are the migration patterns of the region?

5. What language family is mainly spoken? (others?)

6. Explain the evolution of the Latin alphabet.

7. Explain the Abrahamic family tree. Why is it so important?

8. What are the “5 pillars of Islam?” What caused the split between Sunni and Shias? Where are they distributed today?

9. What’s the deal with Jerusalem?  Who wants the holy lands and what 3 major important places did we discuss? Explain the basic history of land political boundaries from class. Who controls what lands today?

10. What other religious issues does the region confront?

11. Explain a simple evolution of the political borders of the region (Ottomans through today).

12. Place the countries on the “development line” from class and explain why they fall where they do. What major resource is tied to development, how does it influence GDP/Capita?

13. What social issues does the region face?

14. What environmental issues does the region face?

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are the 5 basic introductory points to know about N.Africa/SW Asia?

2. Explain the Physical Geography of N.Africa/SW Asia:

ü  Explain the general physical geography (the blanks we filled in)

ü  Describe the specific physical features we noted in class, their formation (where applicable) and their importance

ü  Be able to locate these important features on a map

ü  Describe the general climate patterns found throughout the region (explain the basic reasons for the different climates using the 5 variables from class)

ü  How does the physical geography explain the other themes (e.g. population distribution, agricultural/economic activity, etc.)

3.  What are the general population characteristics of the region (total numbers, TFR, LE, )? Where does the majority of the population reside? What are the density patterns in the region?

4. What is the history of migration within and out of Africa?

5. Why is Africa so diverse culturally?

6. Explain the cultural pattern of Africa (lang/religion in North vs. South)

7. Explain the geopolitical evolution of Africa and the consequences that have occurred as a result of the process by which Africa was colonized.

8. How does Sub-Saharan Africa compare to the rest of the world in terms of economic and social development? What are the reasons for this?

9. What specific social and economic problems are there?

10. What environmental issues face Africa??