Global Geography Exam 2 Questions
with Verified Answers
Was decolonization mostly a peaceful process? Was this the case everywhere? -
Answer-Yes; no, independence in southern Africa came much more violently
Did colonizing powers adequately prepare their former colonies for independence?
How did the borders that were drawn up affect the situation? - Answer-No; there was
no regard for cultural and political boundaries, people from different ethnic groups
were forced into the same state with peoples of different linguistic and religious
background
What is tribalism? - Answer-loyalty to an ethnic group rather than the state
Why couldn't the maps just be redrawn? - Answer-it would create "winners" and
"losers," most indigenous groups were too small to form viable countries
What is the difference between refugees and internally displaced persons? - Answer-
refugees = people who flee to their home states in fear of persecution
internally displaced persons = people who have fled from conflict but are still within
their country of origin
What are "blood diamonds" and how have they contributed to conflict in Liberia and
Sierra Leone? - Answer-Blood diamonds are diamonds sold to fund conflict, this
contributed to the violence in Liberia and Sierra Leone
What are some contributing factors to poverty in SSA? What were the two major
factors? - Answer-colonial history, poorly-conceived development policies,
corruption, infertile soils, erratic rainfall patterns, lack of navigable rivers, virulent
tropical diseases; slave trade and colonization were the 2 major factors
What are some signs of economic growth? - Answer-mobile phone use is
widespread, internet use is going up, increasing expansion of infrastructure,
expansion of "industries without smokestacks"
What are "industries without smokestacks"? What did the Economist video we
watched say abouteconomic growth and education for girls? - Answer-agriculturally-
based industries that have the capacity for learning and productivity growth; if
women are educated, poverty rates could decrease and birth could become more
controllable
What does it mean to say that the term "Middle East" is Eurocentric? - Answer-the
region is east from the perspective of Western Europe but not from China, Russia, or
Africa
What is sectarian violence? - Answer-violence between different sects of a particular
ideology or religion
, What is a culture hearth? - Answer-source area for a particular culture from which
innovations and ideas spread
What areas do the Maghreb and the Levant include, respectively? - Answer-
Maghreb = Mediterranean coastal areas of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and
sometimes Egypt
Levant = countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean
What are some climate patterns of the region? - Answer-dry and arid conditions,
Atlas mtns and coastline of Levant have Mediterranean climate
What was a major cause of deforestation in the region? What has this resulted in? -
Answer-human activity; erosion problems
What is salinization? - Answer-buildup of toxic salts in soil
What are choke points in the context of SW Asian/N. African rivers? - Answer-occur
where waterways are narrow and vulnerable to military blockades or other
disruptions
What are some anticipated impacts of climate change in the region? - Answer-
expected to aggravate existing environmental issues, temp changes expected to
have higher impact than precipitation:
higher evaporation rates, runoff into rivers, less snow in Atlas mtns, more deaths
Where do most people in the region live? - Answer-coastal and highland settings
with good access to water, along the Nile
What is physiological density? - Answer-number of people per unit of arable land
What percentage of the region is urban? - Answer-<66%
What is the Fertile Crescent? - Answer-ecologically diverse zone stretching from the
Levant inland through the fertile hill country of northern Syria
What is pastoral nomadism? - Answer-form of subsistence agriculture based on the
herding of domesticated animals
What kinds of agriculture are typically found at oases? - Answer-dryland agriculture
What types of agricultural production are found in dryland areas? - Answer-tree
crops, grains, and livestock, also in Morocco: cannibis
By what point had urbanization in Mesopotamia begun? - Answer-3500 BC
with Verified Answers
Was decolonization mostly a peaceful process? Was this the case everywhere? -
Answer-Yes; no, independence in southern Africa came much more violently
Did colonizing powers adequately prepare their former colonies for independence?
How did the borders that were drawn up affect the situation? - Answer-No; there was
no regard for cultural and political boundaries, people from different ethnic groups
were forced into the same state with peoples of different linguistic and religious
background
What is tribalism? - Answer-loyalty to an ethnic group rather than the state
Why couldn't the maps just be redrawn? - Answer-it would create "winners" and
"losers," most indigenous groups were too small to form viable countries
What is the difference between refugees and internally displaced persons? - Answer-
refugees = people who flee to their home states in fear of persecution
internally displaced persons = people who have fled from conflict but are still within
their country of origin
What are "blood diamonds" and how have they contributed to conflict in Liberia and
Sierra Leone? - Answer-Blood diamonds are diamonds sold to fund conflict, this
contributed to the violence in Liberia and Sierra Leone
What are some contributing factors to poverty in SSA? What were the two major
factors? - Answer-colonial history, poorly-conceived development policies,
corruption, infertile soils, erratic rainfall patterns, lack of navigable rivers, virulent
tropical diseases; slave trade and colonization were the 2 major factors
What are some signs of economic growth? - Answer-mobile phone use is
widespread, internet use is going up, increasing expansion of infrastructure,
expansion of "industries without smokestacks"
What are "industries without smokestacks"? What did the Economist video we
watched say abouteconomic growth and education for girls? - Answer-agriculturally-
based industries that have the capacity for learning and productivity growth; if
women are educated, poverty rates could decrease and birth could become more
controllable
What does it mean to say that the term "Middle East" is Eurocentric? - Answer-the
region is east from the perspective of Western Europe but not from China, Russia, or
Africa
What is sectarian violence? - Answer-violence between different sects of a particular
ideology or religion
, What is a culture hearth? - Answer-source area for a particular culture from which
innovations and ideas spread
What areas do the Maghreb and the Levant include, respectively? - Answer-
Maghreb = Mediterranean coastal areas of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and
sometimes Egypt
Levant = countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean
What are some climate patterns of the region? - Answer-dry and arid conditions,
Atlas mtns and coastline of Levant have Mediterranean climate
What was a major cause of deforestation in the region? What has this resulted in? -
Answer-human activity; erosion problems
What is salinization? - Answer-buildup of toxic salts in soil
What are choke points in the context of SW Asian/N. African rivers? - Answer-occur
where waterways are narrow and vulnerable to military blockades or other
disruptions
What are some anticipated impacts of climate change in the region? - Answer-
expected to aggravate existing environmental issues, temp changes expected to
have higher impact than precipitation:
higher evaporation rates, runoff into rivers, less snow in Atlas mtns, more deaths
Where do most people in the region live? - Answer-coastal and highland settings
with good access to water, along the Nile
What is physiological density? - Answer-number of people per unit of arable land
What percentage of the region is urban? - Answer-<66%
What is the Fertile Crescent? - Answer-ecologically diverse zone stretching from the
Levant inland through the fertile hill country of northern Syria
What is pastoral nomadism? - Answer-form of subsistence agriculture based on the
herding of domesticated animals
What kinds of agriculture are typically found at oases? - Answer-dryland agriculture
What types of agricultural production are found in dryland areas? - Answer-tree
crops, grains, and livestock, also in Morocco: cannibis
By what point had urbanization in Mesopotamia begun? - Answer-3500 BC
