Site and Situation

   Today in class we discussed another way geographers determine a location: Site. Site is the physical character of a place and includes things like climate, water sources, topography, soil, latitude and elevation.  Climate is important because it affects types of animals, food, and the way of life. Water sources include rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. A good example of a water source is the Nile River in Egypt. This river is used for transportation and irrigation. Topography is the elevation of an area. It can be flat, hilly, and contain mountains. This land can contain fertile farmland vital for a good food supply. The soil can provide vegetation and be fertile. The latitude includes ideas like the equator. All the area around the equator is warm and some of it is tropical. As the latitude lines go further from the equator north and south, it gets colder. Elevation is the high of an area, similar to topography. Based on where you are, the air can be thinner. For example, in high elevation areas, the air is a lot thinner and can make it hard for people who are used to lower elevation areas to breathe.