The Five themes of Geography in New Zealand

As the years pass by, the world becomes a more diversified place in which to live. With the advent of faster and safer travel options, along with the prospects of bettering one’s life, people are becoming more susceptible to the idea of relocation. This means that an individual’s culture is no longer stymied to one location on the map. With this in mind, it is vital to understand the five themes of geography. By doing so, one can determine why a particular location may be preferred, what makes a specific place similar to another, as well as ascertaining what events help to differentiate groups of individuals from one another. The five themes of geography include location, place, regions, movement, and human/environmental interaction. These five themes are vital in determining one’s culture. Culture is defined as the sum of attitudes, customs, and believes that distinguishes one group of people from another (Culture, n.d.). For this essay I have chosen to study the country of New Zealand. By doing so, a better, more rounded view of its people and its surroundings should become apparent.

First, we must define New Zealand’s location. This is done by determining its absolute location and relative location. The absolute location of a place is determined by its latitude and longitude. Latitude lines measure distances north and south of the equator, while longitude measure distances east and west of the Prime Meridian. The absolute location for New Zealand is as follows: Latitude: 44.0563° South Longitude: 170.3542° East Now, let’s determine the county’s relative location. In other words, its relation to nearby locations. New Zealand is located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia, is geographically positioned in both the southern and eastern hemisphere (New Zealand, 2015). The country is completely surrounded by the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Second, let’s look at New Zealand as a place itself, which includes its physical as well as

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