Exam 12: The Physical Environment

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a. Origins of geographic inequalities
i. Axes: Three major axes run across the globe: two north-south axes running across the Americas and Africa, and one east-west axis running between Europe and Asia. The east-west axis facilitated the diffusion of new technologies, such as agricultural practices and livestock production, due to common climate features. New technologies spread throughout Europe and Asia, whereas in the Americas and Africa such diffusion lagged behind.
ii. Sahara Desert: Technological advancements of the Roman Empire were unable to reach sub-Saharan Africa, as the area was separated from Northern Africa and the expanding empire by the Sahara Desert, causing Africa to lag further behind in technology.
b. Economic opportunities
i. Gross domestic product (GDP) varies greatly around the globe, and many physical features contribute to the inequalities. For example, nations in tropical regions tend to have lower GDP, whereas nations in higher latitudes tend to have higher GDP. Landlocked nations also tend to have lower GDP.
ii. Trade and movement of goods between two nations declines with distance, preventing isolated countries and those in low-development areas from receiving the new technologies they need to fully develop.
c. Natural disasters
i. Wealthier nations experience fewer deaths from natural disasters than poorer nations. Explanations include improved built environment through increased enforcement of building codes, higher quality emergency responsiveness, and better weather-tracking technology.
ii. Nations at higher elevations are less likely to experience natural disasters that result in high death tolls.
iii. Nations that are more democratic experience fewer deaths from natural disasters than nations that are less democratic.