Since its first appearance, Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts has consistently broken new ground in the interpretation and teaching of world regional geography. For more than four decades it has explained the contemporary world’s geographic realms and their natural environments and human dimensions. The authors look at the ways people have organized their living space, adapted to changing social as well as environmental circumstances, and continue to confront forces largely beyond their control ranging from globalization to climate change.
This book was the first to introduce an approach to Geography that meshes theoretical concepts with regional realities. The evolving regional content of the chapters in the 18th edition reflects the dynamic nature of the world’s geography; the changing and growing number of concepts mirror the progress of the discipline; and the ongoing introduction of new digital features reflects the instructional possibilities of new technologies.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction: World Regional Geography 3
A World on Maps 4
Technology & Geography: Geospatial Data: Understanding Our World 5
Geography’s Perspective 6
World Geographic Realms 7
Regions Within Realms 11
The Physical Setting 12
Global Climate Change: The Anthropocene 15
Realms of Population 18
Realms of Culture 21
A World of States 23
Geographies of Development 25
Globalization 28
Geographic Information Analysis: The Geography of CO2 Emissions 30
Geographic Information Analysis: Global Migration Flows 31
2 The North American Realm 35
Defining the Realm 37
Population Clusters 38
North America’s Physiography 39
Global Climate Change in North America 41
The Federal Map of North America 44
The Distribution of Natural Resources 46
Urbanization and the Spatial Economy 47
Regional Planning Case: Savannah, Georgia’s Expanding Port 50
Technology & Geography: GPS, Sensors, and Self-Driving Cars 52
Geographies of Inequality 52
Geographic Information Analysis: Geography and Elections in the United States 55
Geographic Information Analysis: Race and Housing Values in Los Angeles 56
The Making of a Multicultural Realm 57
Regionalism in Canada: Divisive Forces 58
Regionalism and Ethnicity in the United States 60
3 The Middle American Realm 71
Defining the Realm 72
The Realm’s Northern Boundary 73
Physical Geography of Middle America 76
Cultural Geography 78
Political and Economic Fragmentation 79
Regional Issue: The Tourism Industry in Middle America 82
Geographic Information Analysis: Connectivity and Development in Middle America 83
Regions of Middle America 84
Region Mexico 84
Region The Central American Republics 91
Technology & Geography: The Shipping Container 96
Regional Planning Case: The Nicaragua Canal 98
Geographic Information Analysis: Remittances Between the United States and Middle America 99
Region The Lesser Antilles 103
4 The South American Realm 107
Defining the Realm 108
States Ancient and Modern 109
Cultural Geographies 112
Economic Geography 113
Urbanization and Its Regional Expressions 116
The United States and China in South America 117
Geographic Information Analysis: Income Inequality in South American States and Cities 120
Regions of South America 121
Region The Caribbean North 122
Region The Andean West 126
Global Climate Change on Bolivia’s Altiplano 131
Region The Southern Cone 132
Geographic Information Analysis: Wine Growing Regions of the World 135
Region Brazil: Giant of South America 136
Regional Planning Case: The Madeira River Dams 142
5 The European Realm 145
Defining the Realm 146
Europe’s Eastern Boundary 146
Physical Geography 147
Global Climate Change in Europe 149
Technology & Geography Interactive: What is GIS? 150
Modern Historical Geography 150
Contemporary Europe: A Dynamic Realm 152
Consequences of Unification 157
Regional Issue: Should Europe
Welcome Refugees? 166
Geographic Information Analysis: Demography is Destiny? 167
Migration, Multicultural Challenges, and Prospects of Integration 168
Regions of Europe 168
Region Western Europe 170
Regional Planning Case: Amsterdam’s North-South Line 176
Region Northern Europe 180
Region Mediterranean Europe 183
Region Eastern Europe 188
Geographic Information Analysis: Ukraine: A Linguistic and Economic Transition Zone 194
Europe’s Future Prospects 195
6 The Russian/Central Asian Realm 197
Defining the Realm 198
Physical Geography of Russia/Central Asia 199
Global Climate Change in Russia 202
Technology & Geography: Russia’s Nuclear Icebreakers in the Arctic Ocean 205
Russia’s Czarist Roots 205
The Soviet Experiment (1922-1991) 208
Post-Soviet Russia and the Near Abroad 210
Regional Issue: Does Russia Need to Build Up Its Military? 212
Regions of Russia and Central Asia 215
The New Russia 216
Geographic Information Analysis: Population Change Across Russia 220
Region The Russian Core 221
Region Southern Siberia 223
Region Northern Siberia 225
Region The Russian Far East 225
Region Transcaucasia 226
Region Central Asia 228
Geographic Information Analysis: Ethnic Geographies of Southern Russia and Transcaucasia 229
Regional Planning Case: Astana, Kazakhstan: Planned Capital City 232
7 The North African/Southwest Asian Realm 235
Defining the Realm 236
Ancient Hearths of Cultures 238
Stage for Islam 239
The Ottoman Empire and Its Aftermath 242
Economic Geography 242
Technology & Geography: Global Water Needs and Desalination 247
Geographic Information Analysis: Development and Democracy 249
The Refugee Problem 253
Regions of North Africa/Southwest Asia 254
Region Egypt and the Lower Nile Basin 256
Region The Middle East 259
Region The Arabian Peninsula 264
Regional Planning Case: Saudi Arabia’s Economic Cities 267
Region The Empire States 268
Region The Maghreb and Its Neighbors 273
Region The African Transition Zone 275
8 The Subsaharan African Realm 281
Defining the Realm 282
Africa’s Physiography 282
Africa’s Historical Geography 284
Geographic Information Analysis: Ethnic Groups of Subsaharan Africa 286
Human-Environment Relations 289
Regional Issue: Neocolonial Land Grabs? 292
Population and Health 293
Cultural Geographies 295
Urbanization and Africa’s Dual Economies 296
Africa Rising? 297
Geographic Information Analysis: China’s Exports to Subsaharan Africa 302
Regions of Subsaharan Africa 304
Region West Africa 305
Regional Planning Case: The New Lagos: Eko-Atlantic City 308
Region East Africa 311
Region Equatorial Africa 315
Technology & Geography: Mobile Money in Subsaharan Africa 316
Region Southern Africa 318
Global Climate Change in Subsaharan Africa 321
9 The South Asian Realm 329
Defining the Realm 330
South Asia’s Physiography 331
Birthplace of Civilizations and Religions 333
Foreign Invaders 334
Regional Issue: Who Should Govern Kashmir? 340
Technology & Geography: Drones of War 341
Geographic Information Analysis: Comparing the Megacities of Dhaka and Los Angeles 344
Global Climate Change in South Asia 346
Geographic Information Analysis: Female/Male Sex Ratios across India 350
Regions of South Asia 351
Region The West: Afghanistan’s Transition Zone 352
Region The West: Pakistan 354
Regional Planning Case: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 357
Region India: Giant of the Realm 358
Region Bangladesh 366
Region The Northern Mountain States 368
Region The Southern Islands 371
10 The East Asian Realm 375
Defining the Realm 376
Environment and Population 377
Regional Planning Case: China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project 382
Peoples of the East Asian Realm 382
East Asia’s Economic Transformation 385
East Asia’s Population Dynamics 387
Geopolitics in East Asia Today 389
Geographic Information Analysis: Where Can North Korea’s Missiles Reach? 392
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 393
Regions of East Asia 394
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) 396
Technology & Geography: High-Speed Rail in China 402
Region China’s Coastal Core 402
Geographic Information Analysis: Urbanization and Economic Growth in China 403
Geographic Information Analysis: Population Change in the Pearl River Delta 407
Region China’s Interior 407
Region China’s Western Periphery 410
Region Mongolia 414
Region The Korean Peninsula 415
Region Japan 417
Region Taiwan 421
11 The Southeast Asian Realm 425
Defining the Realm 426
Physical Geography 427
Population Geography 430
Cultural Geographies 432
Economic Geography of Southeast Asia 435
Regional Issue: The Chinese Presence in Southeast Asia 436
Geographic Information Analysis: Trade Patterns in Southeast Asia 438
Geopolitics in Southeast Asia 438
Hybrid Warfare in the South China Sea 442
Geographic Information Analysis: Maritime Claims in the South China Sea 443
Regions of Southeast Asia 444
Region Mainland Southeast Asia 445
Technology & Geography: Making the Invisible Visible - LiDAR at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat 448
Region Insular Southeast Asia 454
Regional Planning Case: Dawei, Myanmar 455
12 The Austral Realm 465
Defining the Realm 466
Physiography of the Austral Realm 466
The Realm’s Asian Turn 470
Regions of the Austral Realm 471
Region Australia 471
Global Climate Change in Australia 477
Geographic Information Analysis: The Aboriginal Population Distribution 478
Regional Planning Case: Rebuilding Christchurch after the 2010-2011 Earthquakes 481
13 The Pacific Realm and Polar Regions 483
Defining the Pacific Realm 484
Colonization and Independence in the Pacific Realm 485
The Pacific Realm and Its Marine Geography 485
Technology & Geography: The Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific 486
Regions of the Pacific Realm 489
Regional Issue: Who Should Own the Oceans? 490
Region Melanesia 490
Region Micronesia 492
Region Polynesia 494
The Polar Regions 495
Partitioning the Antarctic 495
Geopolitics and Global Climate Change in the Arctic Basin 498
Geographic Information Analysis: The Shrinking North Polar Ice Cap 499
Appendix Metric (Standard International [SI]) and Customary Units and Their Conversions A-1
Glossary G-1
Index I-1
