GGH2602 EXAM SUMMARY PACK.

Learning Unit 1 A Geographical perspective on the provision of services Analysing Spatial Data Geographers examine: 1. the location of phenomena 2. the spatial patterns that may exist or develop 3. the spatial processes that could lead to certain patterns 4. and the strategies that can be used to deal with geographical problems. 1. Absolute and Relative Location Absolute Location → Arbitrary grid of lines of longitude and latitude → Location = degrees, minutes (there are 60’ in a degree) and seconds (there are 60” in 1’). Example: The location of Cape Town is 34°S, 18°30’E. Relative Location → Location of a place relative to other places → Can change over time (e.g. if new roads improve centrality and accessibility, or if the infrastructure is damaged). The relative location of Cape Town can be described in different ways. For example: Page 1 of 73 GGH2602 EXAM PACK 1. Cape Town is a city at the south-western tip of the African continent, between Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. 2. Cape Town is approximately two hours by plane from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. 3. Cape Town is approximately 40 minutes by car from Stellenbosch (via the Stellenbosch arterial). 2. Spatial Patterns The term “spatial pattern” refers to the way in which phenomena are distributed and arranged in their relative location Components of spatial patterns are: 1. Location (where) 2. connections or linkages (how they are linked, e.g. with roads or communication networks) 3. shape (e.g. circular, rectangular, linear) 4. size (indicated by means of words such as large, medium or small, or measured in km2 or ha) 5. density (number of phenomena per km2) 6. time (when) Spatial patterns can be influenced by 1. distance, proximity or adjacency (phenomena are close or next to other phenomena) 2. connectivity (the way in which they are linked) 3. containment (when one phenomenon is inside another). 3. Spatial Processes Various spatial processes relating to services provision can be identified: Page 2 of 73 1. The movement of people, goods and services between different places. 2. Planning for provision of services. 3. Immigration and emigration, including rural–urban migration and the inflow of refugees. 4. The inflow of water to and the removal of wastewater and sewage from a particular region. 5. Urban sprawl (expansion of a city). 6. Densification of suburbs (e.g. by the subdivision of large erven and the building of a second dwelling on a single plot). 7. Environmental degradation and its impact. 4. Spatial plans & Strategies → Spatial strategies relating to various resolutions can be implemented from regional to local level to deal with particular problems and to guide spatial development. Example: Open spaces can be protected through the development of a municipal open-space system (MOSS) that links various open spaces in order to maintain ecosystems and protect biodiversity. Geographical Methods, Tools and Instruments 1. Photographs and Videos →A great deal of information can be derived from photographs or videos, without the need for any additional comments. Questions to examine photographs: 1. What can you see in the foreground and in the background of Page 3 of 73 the photograph? 2. Is there anything to tell you in whic