GEO 200 Milestone One
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Western Governors University *
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Geography
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by alasmith32
Part I: Current Global Region
1.
Identify Your Current Region:
West Coast
2.
Map of Current Global Region:
Provide a map of your current region. In the box below you may provide a link to your map, insert an image, or make
note that you are submitting an additional file with this worksheet. Include a citation to give credit to the resource from which you are obtaining your
image.
Note:
The box will expand to accommodate your image.
Nijman, J., Muller, P. O., & Shin, M. (2020). The World Today: Concepts and Regions in Geography (8th ed.). Wiley Global Education US.
https://wileyplus.vitalsource.com/books/9781119577614
3.
Location of Current Global Region:
Discuss where your current region is located, addressing the absolute and relative location of the region. Include
citations for your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
The West Coast Region encompasses the majority of California and the coastal portions of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia (Nijman et
al., 2020). The West Coast extends from Vancouver, British Columbia (49.2412°, -123.0992°) in the north to San Diego, California (32.5460°,
1
-117.0238°) in the south (Google, n.d). The West Coast extends east and west from the Pacific Ocean (40.3291°, -124.4134°) to the Mojave Desert
(40.3291°, -124.4134°).
Google (n.d.).
[Map of West Coast Region}. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from
https://www.google.com/maps
Nijman, J., Muller, P. O., & Shin, M. (2020). The World Today: Concepts and Regions in Geography (8th ed.). Wiley Global Education US.
https://wileyplus.vitalsource.com/books/9781119577614
4.
Characteristics of Current Global Region:
Explain what key sociocultural (human) and physical characteristics define this as a region. Include citations
for your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
California has multiple climates, including desert, Mediterranean, Highland, Steppe, and cool interior, with varying weather types (State of
California - Ca. Coastal Commission & Kauffman, n.d.). Vancouver has an oceanic climate with rain, and warm temperatures (Vancouver, n.d.),
while the Oregon and Washington have a coastal climate of dry summers, wet winters, and mild temperatures (
Western Regional Climate Center
,
n.d).
The west coast experiences earthquakes from numerous faults and plate boundaries in the region, and their resulting tsunamis. There are also
multiple volcanoes in the region that create hazards (
Pacific Northwest Hazards | U.S. Geological Survey
, n.d.). The West Coast has experienced
many wildfires that have caused significant damage due to drought and heatwaves (NASA Earth Observatory, n.d.).
The West Coast has many physiographic features including forests, valleys, deserts, beaches, and mountain ranges (
The Name and the Geography
| Early California History: An Overview | Articles and Essays | California as I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of California’s Early Years, 1849-1900 |
Digital Collections | Library of Congress
, n.d.).
The West Coast was once home to many Indigenous cultures and languages, but as European settlers came to the area they brought new cultures
and the English language. Immigrants from Mexico have brought the Spanish language to the region (Reynolds, 2019)). The predominate
languages in the northernmost part of the region (Vancouver, BC) are English and French. The major religions in California are Catholicism and
Protestantism. The majority of citizens in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia practice Christianity (Wikipedia contributors, 2023).
The
West Coast region is home to many different races. The west coast is densely populated. There are more than 53 million people living in the
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region (United States Census Bureau QuickFacts, n.d.).The most principal races in the region are Northern European and Latino. African Americans
and Asians make up a smaller portion of the demographics (Reynolds, 2019).
NASA Earth Observatory. (n.d.).
What’s behind California’s surge of large fires?
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148908/whats-behind-
californias-surge-of-large-fires
Pacific Northwest Hazards | U.S. Geological Survey
. (n.d.).
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/science/pacific-northwest-
hazards#:~:text=Tsunamis%20from%20a%20Cascadia%20megathrust,the%20Pacific%20Northwest%20urban%20corridor
Reynolds, R. (2019, October 15). The Pacific Hinge region.
The Odyssey Online
.
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/pacific-hinge-region
State of California - Ca. Coastal Commission, & Kauffman, E. (n.d.). California Coastal Commission.
California Coastal Commission
.
https://www.coastal.ca.gov/coastalvoices/resources/Biodiversity_Atlas_Climate_and_Topography
The Name and the Geography | Early California History: An Overview | Articles and Essays | California As I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of
California’s Early Years, 1849-1900 | Digital Collections | Library of Congress
. (n.d.). The Library of Congress.
https://www.loc.gov/collections/california-first-person-narratives/articles-and-essays/early-california-history/name-and-geography/
United States Census Bureau QuickFacts. (n.d.).
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: California
. Census Bureau QuickFacts.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA/PST045222
Vancouver, C. O. (n.d.).
Weather in Vancouver
. City of Vancouver.
https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/weather.aspx#:~:text=Vancouver%20has
%20a%20moderate%2C%20oceanic,the%20warmest%20cities%20in%20Canad
Western Regional Climate Center
. (n.d.).
https://wrcc.dri.edu/Climate/narrative_wa.php#:~:text=The%20higher%20ridges%20are
3
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%20covered,areas%20are%20near%20the%20coast
Wikipedia contributors. (2023). West coast of the United States.
Wikipedia
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_of_the_United_States#Demographics
5.
Interactions of Current Global Region:
How have humans and the environment interacted to produce observable landscapes in your current region?
Include citations for your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
Throughout the West Coast Region, there have been numerous human/environment interactions. The large populations of the West Coast has
been detrimental to the water supply and the geography (Robinson, 2019). Land subsidence is occurring as groundwater is being pumped at rapid
rates due to drought (Robinson, 2019). The large population also impacts the environment and the landscape pushing species out of their
habitats, introducing nonnative plants and deforestation (“The Human Footprint in the West,” n.d.). Development of homes along the coastline
has caused habitat loss as well as the loss of species (
California’s Ocean Ecosystems
, n.d.).
California’s Ocean Ecosystems
. (n.d.). Monterey Bay Aquarium.
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/act-for-the-ocean/california-ecosystems
Robinson, B. I. (2019, October 7). The World As Seen Through The Five Themes of Geography.
ArcGIS StoryMaps
.
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8d1f7e52ca8f478ea891ac4b7bdf1908
The Human Footprint in the West. (n.d.).
United States Geological Survey
.
Part II: New Global Region
1.
Identify Your New Global Region:
New Zealand
4
2.
Map of New Global Region:
Provide a map of the new region you will be moving to. In the box below, you may provide a link to your map, insert an
image, or make note that you are submitting an additional file with this worksheet. Include a citation to give credit to the resource from which you are
obtaining your image.
Note:
The box will expand to accommodate your image.
5
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3.
Location of New Global Region:
Discuss where the new region is located, addressing the absolute and relative location of the region you will be
moving to. Include citations for your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
New Zealand is part of the Austral Realm, which comprises of both Australia and New Zealand
(Nijman et al., 2020)
. New Zealand spans from -34.416127°,
172.860550° in the north to -46.6230°, 168.3291° in the South and east to west from -38.4018°, 178.3325° to -44.9411°, 167.2035° (Google, n.d)
Google (n.d.).
[Map of New Zealand Region}. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from
https://www.google.com/maps
Nijman, J., Muller, P. O., & Shin, M. (2020). The World Today: Concepts and Regions in Geography (8th ed.). Wiley Global Education US.
https://wileyplus.vitalsource.com/books/9781119577614
4.
Characteristics of New Global Region:
Explain what key sociocultural (human) and physical characteristics define this as a region. Include citations for
your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
New Zealand is an archipelago consisting of two main islands and approximately 700 islands, including Stewart Island, Ruapuke Island and Great Barrier Island.
(New Zealand Tourism Guide, n.d.; Walrond, n.d.). The two main islands are North Island and South Island. The two islands are separated by Cook Strait (
Quick
Facts - Land and Environment : Geography - Physical Features
, n.d.). North Island has mountain ranges that run though the middle of it (New Zealand Tourism
Guide, n.d.). On either side of the ranges the land is comprised of rolling hills that are used as farmland. The middle of the island is made up of the Volcanic
Plateau, an area of active volcanic and thermal activity. There are three active volcanoes on the North Island, Mount Tongariro, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount
Ruapehu (
Plateau
, n.d.). The South Island is separated by the Southern Alps. The Southern Alps are over 3,000 m tall and cross most of the island (Walrond,
n.d.).
There is farmland to the east and rainforests to the west. The southern part of the island consists of a lake created by glaciers.
The climate varies in New Zealand due to the mountain ranges running through the islands (
Overview of New Zealand’s Climate
, 2023). The South Islands west
coast receives the most rainfall in the region, approximately 1600mm (62.99”) while the east coast receives the least. The average temperature ranges from
16°C in the north and 10°C in the south. January and February are the warmest months and July is the coldest. New Zealand receives snow in the mountains on
both islands.
Due to New Zealand’s location on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian Plates (The Ring of Fire), the region experiences earthquakes on the South Island,
and volcanic activity on the North Island (
Plate Tectonics and the Ring of Fire
, n.d.;
What Tectonic Mechanisms Cause the North and South Islands of New
Zealand to Be so Geologically Different?
, n.d.). The Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate converge at different angles between the two islands, with the Pacific
Plate subducting under the Australian Plate beneath the North Island. This causes both earthquakes and volcanoes. In the South Island the Pacific Plate moves
parallel to the Australian Plate, causing earthquakes only. Tsunamis, landslides, and flooding are other natural hazards that occur (
EHINZ
, n.d.).
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The Maori people came from Polynesia to New Zealand in about 1300 CE and were the first to settle on the island (Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu
Taonga, n.d.). They originally settled in the coastal regions, before moving into the forests.
European Settlers came to the islands in the early 1800’s (
The
Arrival of Europeans | New Zealand
, n.d.). The people were predominately sealers, whalers, and missionaries. The European settlers and the Maori traded
with each other. The settling of New Zealand by Europeans led to the decline of the Maori people due to disease and the introduction of guns.
The total population of New Zealand is approximately 5.2 million. Aukland is the largest city on the North Island and the largest city in New Zealand with a
population of 1,440,300 as of June 2022 (Wikipedia contributors, 2023a).
The population of Aukland is larger than the population on the entire South Island.
As of 2018, Europeans made up 48% of the population, Asians 31%, 17% Pacific peoples, and 11% Maori. The remaining population is made up of Middle
Eastern, Latin American, and/or African people. The largest city on the South Island is Christchurch (Wikipedia contributors, 2023b). The population in
Christchurch was 369,006 as of the 2018 census.
The primary industry in New Zealand is agricultural, including dairy products, meat, fruits and vegetables, wine, and forest products (
New Zealand - Market
Overview
, n.d.).
As large as the as the agricultural sector is, it employs few people (Nana, n.d.). Manufacturing of products from raw materials is the secondary
industry in New Zealand. The manufacturing industry exports approximately $40 billion dollars each year. Manufactured goods became the largest export,
rather than agriculture as the manufacturing sector creates products from the raw materials supplied by the agricultural sector.
EHINZ
. (n.d.).
https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/population-vulnerability/about-natural-hazards/
Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. (n.d.).
Māori
.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/maori
Nana, G. (n.d.).
Industrial sectors
.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/industrial-sectors
National population estimates: At 30 June 2023 | Stats NZ
. (n.d.-b).
https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-population-estimates-at-30-june-
2023/#:~:text=Key%20facts,resident%20population%20was%20provisionally%205%2C223%2C100
New Zealand - market overview
. (n.d.). International Trade Administration | Trade.gov.
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/new-zealand-
market-overview
New Zealand Tourism Guide. (n.d.).
New Zealand Geography, New Zealand landscape
.
https://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-
zealand/geography.html
Overview of New Zealand’s climate
. (2023, June 21). NIWA.
https://niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/resources/climate/overview
8
Plateau
. (n.d.).
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plateau/
Quick Facts - Land and environment : Geography - Physical features
. (n.d.).
https://web.archive.org/web/20130408074526/http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/web/nzstories.nsf/092edeb76ed5aa6bcc256afe0081d84
e/54e50d25aff60a7bcc256b1e007adcb6?OpenDocument
The arrival of Europeans | New Zealand
. (n.d.).
https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/europeans-arrive-to-aotearoa/#:~:text=Early%20European
%20settlers,some%20Europeans%20lived%20among%20M%C4%81ori.
Walrond, C. (n.d.).
Geography and geology
.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/natural-environment/page-1
What tectonic mechanisms cause the North and South Islands of New Zealand to be so geologically different?
(n.d.). Earth Science Stack Exchange.
https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/2602/what-tectonic-mechanisms-cause-the-north-and-south-islands-of-new-zealand-to-be
Wikipedia contributors. (2023a).
Auckland
. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland
Wikipedia contributors. (2023b).
Christchurch
. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch#
5.
Interactions of New Global Region:
How have humans and the environment interacted to produce observable landscapes in the new region you will be
moving to? Include citations for your resources using APA style guidelines as needed.
New Zealand’s landscape has changed drastically due to human development and infrastructure. New Zealand was once more than 80% forest (Wilmshurst,
n.d.). Within the first 200 years after the Maori arrived nearly 40% of the forest had been removed for farming, settlements, and paths. When European
settlers arrived, they removed the majority of the remaining forest to create more area for agriculture and timber.
The removal of forests for farming has
caused erosion in the hills, causing landslides. Swamps and wetlands
were drained to make the land suitable for farming.
In the late 1700’s and 1800’s the
whale sea lion and seal populations were decimated due to hunting.
Nonnative plants have also been introduced to the island, overtaking native species. As of
the early 2000’s there have been more than 30,000 nonnative plant species introduced to New Zealand.
The mining of gold, coal, limestones aggregates, iron sands and industrial minerals are prevalent in the region (
Mining - the West Coast Regional Council
, n.d.).
Acid mining in the region has caused pollution in streams and rivers in the Buller District (Wikipedia contributors, 2023). Other mining has caused soil
subsidence within multiple volcanoes in the Auckland area. Arsenic has also been found within the soil from mining.
9
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Mining - The West Coast Regional Council
. (n.d.).
https://www.wcrc.govt.nz/environment/land/mining
Wilmshurst, J. (n.d.).
Human effects on the environment
.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/human-effects-on-the-environment
Wikipedia contributors. (2023)
Mining in New Zealand
. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_New_Zealand#Environmental_issues
Part III: Comparison of Similarities and Differences
1.
Similarities:
Based on the physical and sociocultural (human) characteristics you have described, what are the major similarities between your current
and new region?
One of the major similarities between the two regions is agriculture. Both regions rely heavily on farming and export of agricultural goods. Both regions are
also known for the same environmental hazards. Both regions border the Pacific Plate boundary along the Ring of Fire, which causes tectonic activity in the
form of earthquakes and volcanoes. Both regions are culturally diverse but have two main demographic groups and were largely settled by Europeans.
2.
Differences:
Based on the physical and sociocultural (human) characteristics you have described, what are the major differences between your current
and new region?
New Zealand and the West Coast have quite a few similarities and some differences. New Zealand is an archipelago, while the West Coast region is part of the
North American Continent. The West Coast region is more densely populated than New Zealand. New Zealand has a total population of 5.2 million people,
while California alone has a population of 39 million (
National Population Estimates: At 30 June 2023 | Stats NZ
, n.d.; United States Census Bureau QuickFacts,
n.d.) Due to New Zealand’s small population, even it’s largest city is half the population of Los Angeles, CA.
National population estimates: At 30 June 2023 | Stats NZ
. (n.d.-b).
https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-population-estimates-at-30-june-
2023/#:~:text=Key%20facts,resident%20population%20was%20provisionally%205%2C223%2C100
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