Geography of Major World Areas

Code:

GEOGR030

Acronym:

GGEM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Geography

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geography
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geography

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GEOGR	41	study plan	2	-	6	41	162
			3

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

-Research, process and interpret the main sources of information used in the analysis of rural spaces, particularly statistical, documental and bibliographic information.
-Apprehend the typological diversity of world areas and their particularities.
-Understand some of the problems of the contemporary world, its diversity and mutability.
-Understand places and regions as components in a global system and their local manifestations.
-Comprehend the value of different cultures and societies.
-Understand the interactions between global processes and their local manifestations.
-Relate the capacity of transformation of spatial organisation with differing degrees of scientific and technological development.
-Develop team work, share ideas, methods and strategies, in an environment of interactivity, with a view to developing competences in defining intervention strategies at different scales.

Learning outcomes and competences

- Search, process and interpret, judiciously, the main sources of information used in spatial analysis (statistical, documentary and bibliographic)

- Percecionar the typological diversity of world space and its foundations.

- To understand some of the problems of the contemporary world, its diversity and mutability.

- Perceive places and regions as part of a global system changing.

- Capturing the value of different cultures and societies.

- Understanding the interplay between global processes and their local manifestations.

- Relate the processing capacity of the spatial organization with different degrees of scientific and technological development

- Working as a team, sharing ideas, methods and strategies, a large interactive environment

- Develop skills aimed at defining intervention strategies suatentável at different scales.

- Seizure of methodologies and fundamental theoretical frameworks

- Questioning the sustainability / revitalization of several spaces in integrated management perspective

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. 
   
   
   
   1. Contemporary World System: a globalized world
   
   
   
   

   1.1 Some introductory notes

   
   

   1.2. Background geopolitical and geostrategic: different phases and its foundations

   
   

   1.3. The strengthening of globalization and the new territorial dynamics: main flows and actors in the changing environment

   
   

   1.4. The interaction between global processes and their local manifestations

   
   

   1.5. Intervention strategies tend to a sustainable world

   
   
   
   
   1. A World of Contrasts
   
   
   
   

   2.1. The natural dynamics and their impacts

   
   

   2.2- territorial diversity and the different societies and cultures

   
   

   2.3. Spaces flows and global actors: global cities and macro-regions

   
   

   2.4. The prevalence of socio-economic inequalities: the north-south contrast

   
   

   2.5. Natural resources and energy sources that strategic positioning?

   
   

   2.6. Natural hazards and the resilience of societies.

   
   
   
   
   1. New trends and their projections on the world stage
   
   
   
   

Mandatory literature

PNUD; Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano 2013- El ascenso del Sur: progresso humano en un mundo diverso. , PNUD, Nueva York, USA, 2013
Woolgar. S. et al ; Globalisation in Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2014
European Environment Agency ; Environmental signals 2009, Europ. Envir. Agency. Copenhaga, 2010
Teló, M. ; Globalisation, multilateralism- Europe towards a better global governance?. , Ashgate. Burlington. USA, 2013
Comissão Comunidades Europeias ; Communication de la Commission au Conseil- Repport conjoint sur l’emploi 2009/2010., Comissão Comunidades Europeias , 2011
ADDA, J.; A mundialização da economia, Terramar Editores, 1996
ASCÓN, R. e al. (coord.); Gran Geografia Universal, Editions 62, 2000-2002
HARDY, S.; MEDINA-NICOLAS, L.; L'Amérique Latine, Temps, Nantes, 2005
FOX, R.; ROWNTREE, K.; The geography of South Africa in a changing wold, Oxford University Press, 2000
ALVERGNE, Christek; TAULELLE, François; Du local à l'Europe. Les nouvelles politiques d'aménagement du territoire, Presses Universitaires de France, 2002
CEBRIÁN ABELLÁN, A.; Geografía de Iberoamérica, Albacete, Moralea, 2001
BRUNET, R. (coord); Géographie universelle, Paris, 2006
Bénichi, R. ; Histoire de la mondialisation, Vuibert. Paris, 2008
International Energy Agency ; Key world energy statistic, OECD/IEA, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2011
ISDR; - Living with risk. A global review of disasterreduction initiatives, UN Inter-Agency Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), 2004

Complementary Bibliography

DOWLER, E.; FINER, C. J. ; The welfare of food- rights and responsabilities in a changing wold, Blackwell Publishing, 2003
HABITAT, UNITED NATIONS CENTRE FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS; Cities in globalizing Wold-Global Report on Human Settlements, Easthscan Publications, Ltd., 2001

Teaching methods and learning activities

- Theoretical and practical classes.
- The theoretical-practical component in the first phase of classes will focus on the programme’s contents, using audiovisual aids; a constructive learning environment will be fostered.
- Practical classes in which students can apply the knowledge acquired and in work groups.
- The assignments aim to explore different subjects and the most pressing world problems and will be developed with tutorial supervision.
-The student will acquire methodological, technical, scientific and relational skills in order to develop a project, questioning reality and being propositive in resolving/minimising the various problems of world regions. 

Software

Microsoft office Excel
Microsoft Office Word

keywords

Social sciences > Geography > Economic geography
Social sciences > Geography > Human geography
Social sciences > Geography > Regional geography

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Teste	30,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	30,00
Estudo autónomo	46,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Trabalho de investigação	35,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Minimum of 75% of class attendance, except in the cases foreseen in the regulations in force The student must obtain a grade of at least 9.5 to pass the subject. Attendance is compulsory in both theoretical, practical and tutorial classes, and is an integral part of assessment.

Calculation formula of final grade

Minimum of 75% of class attendance, except in the cases foreseen in the regulations in force. The final classification is based on the results of the test that focuses on the theoretical subject, to which is added the classification of the written work (conference summary report for each of the open classes). The practical dimension corresponds to the practical work of applying the knowledge acquired throughout the semester and the respective oral presentation.
The practical component will only be validated if the theoretical component is equal to or greater than 7.5 values. The final average of the subject results from the combination of all previous components, proposing the following formula:
- theoretical - 60% (test 30% + written work 30%)
- practical - 40% (practical work - 30% + oral presentation - 10%)

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students must complete:

1) a practical assignment (40% of the assessment). This assignment must be developed with the supervision of the teaching staff.

2) In terms of individual assessment, a written test will be carried out (60% of the assessment).

Classification improvement

Only the test can be subject to classification improvement

Observations

Language of Instruction: Portuguese Bibliography: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese