GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
YEAR 1, PART 1
www.vicensvives.es
Contents
01
Our planet Earth
02
The representation of the Earth: maps
03
The Earth s relief
04
Rivers and seas
05
Weather and climate
06
Climates and landscapes of the Earth
07
Climas yand
paisajes
de España,
15
Europa y la CA
Society
the environment
1
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1.1
02
The representation of the Earth: maps
1. Latitude and longitude
2. The representation of the Earth: maps
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1.1
02
Introduction
•  In the past, map making was a very slow process, involving
observation and complex calculations and drawings.
•  Modern maps are made using aerial photos and images from
satellites orbiting the Earth.
•  These images are put together to produce an exact picture of the
Earth’s surface.
•  Maps have many uses. They help us check our location and find
our way around.
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1.1
02
1. Latitude and longitude
1.1. Locating places on the Earth
• 
Parallels and meridians 1.2. How to find an exact location on the Earth
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02
1.1. Locating places on the Earth
•  To find the location of a person or place on the Earth, we can
use a system of geographical coordinates.
•  Geographical coordinates are based on imaginary horizontal
and vertical lines that encircle the Earth, called parallels and
meridians.
•  Parallels encircle the Earth horizontally. The main parallel is
the equator.
•  Meridians encircle the Earth vertically from north to south
and run through the North and South Poles.
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02
Parallels and meridians
•  Parallels
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1.1
•  Meridians
02
1.2. How to find an exact location on the Earth
•  To find the exact location of a place on the Earth, we need to
know its latitude and longitude.
•  Latitude is the distance between a place and the equator,
measured in degrees. Latitudes can be north or south of the
equator.
•  Longitude is the distance between a place and the Greenwich
meridian. It is also measured in degrees. Longitudes can be east
or west.
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02
2. The representation of the Earth: maps
2.1. Maps
• 
Topographic maps and thematic maps
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02
2.1. Maps
•  Maps are flat representations of the Earth's surface.
•  To read and interpret a map we need to know its basic elements:
scale and conventional signs.
•  Scale indicates how many times the real area has been reduced
to be able to represent it as an image.
•  The elements that appear on maps are represented by symbols or
colours called conventional signs.
•  Topographic maps show physical (natural) details and human
(artificial) features. Thematic maps show a particular aspect of
an area, such as climate or population.
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02
Topographic maps and thematic maps
•  Topographic map
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1.1
•  Thematic map