From time to time, publishers and authors agree to release a specific textbook edition to the public. The catch, if you could call it a catch, is that the publisher and author do not receive attribution. Whatever motivates the ‘orphaning’ of the work, students around the world gain free access to great textbooks. In this case, it’s World Regional Geography: People, Places and Globalization.
This free online geography textbook is now being published by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. The text in question was originally published in 2012. This edition was published in 2016.
The author is an Associate Professor of Geography and International Studies. His area of specialty also includes the Caribbean and the Middle East. He has taught a series of study-abroad courses in other countries. Educators from virtually every corner of the country contributed to World Regional Geography: People, Places and Globalization.
The chapters focus on a single region at a time. The approach provides opportunities for educators and students to delve more deeply into regions that may be of particular interest to them. The regions are approached in a similar fashion and provide a nice overview for courses that require a simple, broad overview of world geography.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to the World
1.1 Geography Basics
1.2 The Environment and Human Activity
1.3 Population and Culture
1.4 Globalization and Development
1.5 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 2: Europe
2.1 Introducing the Realm
2.2 Historical Development Patterns
2.3 Regions of Western Europe
2.4 Eastern Europe
2.5 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 3: Russia
3.1 Introducing the Realm
3.2 The USSR and the Russian Federation
3.3 Regions of Russia
3.4 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 4: North America
4.2 United States: Early Development and Globalization
4.3 United States: Population and Religion
4.4 Canada
4.5 Regions of the United States and Canada
4.6 End-of-Chapter Material
4.1 Introducing the Realm
Chapter 5: Middle America
5.1 Introducing the Realm
5.2 Mexico
5.3 Central America
5.4 The Caribbean
5.5 Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes)
5.6 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 6: South America
6.1 Introducing the Realm
6.2 Urban North and Andean West
6.3 Brazil
6.4 The Southern Cone
6.5 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 7: Subsaharan Africa
7.1 Introducing the Realm
7.2 Human Geography of Subsaharan Africa
7.3 West Africa
7.4 Central Africa
7.5 East Africa
7.6 Southern Africa
7.7 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 8: North Africa and Southwest Asia
8.1 Introducing the Realm
8.2 Muhammad and Islam
8.3 North Africa and the African Transition Zone
8.4 Israel and Its Neighbors
8.5 Arabs, Islam, and Oil
8.6 Iraq, Turkey, and Iran
8.7 Central Asia and Afghanistan
8.8 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 9: South Asia
9.2 The Peripheral States of South Asia
9.3 Pakistan and Bangladesh
9.4 India
9.5 Religions of India and South Asia
9.6 End-of-Chapter Material
9.1 Introducing the Realm
Chapter 10: East Asia
10.1 Introducing the Realm
10.2 Emerging China
10.3 China’s Periphery
10.4 Japan and Korea (North and South)
10.5 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 11: Southeast Asia
11.1 Introducing the Realm
11.2 The Mainland Countries
11.3 The Insular Region (Islands of Southeast Asia)
11.4 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 12: Australia and New Zealand
12.1 Introducing the Realm
12.2 Australia
12.3 New Zealand
12.4 End-of-Chapter Material
Chapter 13: The Pacific and Antarctica
13.1 The Pacific Islands
13.2 Antarctica
13.3 End-of-Chapter Material
View this Free Online Material at the source:
World Regional Geography: People, Places and Globalization