Geography cheat sheet

Place, scale, spatial patterns and geographical systems.

Location and place

Location describes where something is. Place includes the physical and human characteristics that give that location meaning.

Coordinates identify a location; land use helps describe a place.

Scale

Geographical patterns depend on the scale of observation and analysis. Local and global explanations can complement one another.

A local flood can be influenced by wider catchment conditions.

Maps and projections

A map projection represents a curved surface on a plane. Different projections preserve some properties while distorting others.

A world map cannot preserve all distances, areas and shapes simultaneously.

Systems and flows

People, water, energy, goods and information move through connected systems. Track inputs, stores, transfers and outputs.

A drainage basin includes water storage as well as river flow.

Population measures

Population density is people per unit area. Distribution describes where people are located; neither measure alone explains living conditions or resource access.

A national average can conceal dense cities and sparsely populated regions.

Place and interconnection

Places are shaped by physical processes, human activities and links to other places. Movement of goods, people, information and resources can change local conditions.

Trace an imported product’s supply network to connect a local activity with distant places.

Hazard, exposure and vulnerability

A physical hazard becomes a disaster risk through its interaction with people and assets, exposure and vulnerability. Similar hazards can produce very different impacts.

Compare settlement patterns and preparedness as well as the physical event.

Geographical inquiry

Frame a spatial question, select data at an appropriate scale, evaluate quality and communicate findings with suitable maps or graphs. Check that the data units match the question.

A city-wide average is unsuitable for identifying variation between neighbourhoods.

Worked example: map scale

At 1:50,000, 1 cm represents 50,000 cm = 500 m. A route measuring 7 cm on the map is 3.5 km long on the ground, before terrain effects.

Map distance is a horizontal representation; actual travel distance can differ.

Common mistake: a map is neutral

Projection, classification, colour and boundaries affect what a map communicates. Every projection distorts some spatial properties, so choose one suitable for the task.

Equal-area and conformal projections preserve different properties.