A location is the place where a particular point or object exists. Location is an important term in geography, and is usually considered more precise than "place." A locality is a human settlement: city, town, village, or even archaeological site.
A place's absolute location is its exact place on Earth, often given in terms of latitude and longitude.
For example, the Empire State Building is located at 40.7 degrees north (latitude), 74 degrees west (longitude). It sits at the intersection of 33rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York, United States. That is the building’s absolute location.
Location can sometimes be expressed in relative terms. Relative location is a description of how a place is related to other places. For example, the Empire State Building is 365 kilometers (227 miles) north of America's White House in Washington, D.C. It is also about 15 blocks from New York's Central Park. These are just two of the building's relative locations.
Relative location can help analyze how two places are connected, whether by distance, culture, or even technology. The city of Kiev, Ukraine, for example, is about 2,298 kilometers (1,428 miles) east of London, England. The U.S. cities of Key West, Florida, and Anchorage, Alaska, are even further apart—6,436 kilometers (3,999 miles). However, Floridians and Alaskans share the same language, national government, and geographic features. (They both have long ocean coasts subject to heavy storms, for instance.). Culturally, Ukraine and England are much further apart than the U.S. states of Florida and Alaska: They speak different languages, have different government systems, and different geographic features.
Directions like north, south, east, and west help describe where one place is in relation to another. The "Wild West" is a cultural location that vaguely refers to parts of the United States west of the Mississippi River. The Wild West, however, rarely includes the states of Alaska and Hawai'i, the westernmost states in the nation.
Coordinates of longitude and latitude help pinpoint the absolute location of a person, place, or thing. Knowing a location is 0 degrees west (longitude) and 51 degrees north (latitude) tells you it’s probably near Greenwich, England, for instance. Knowing the location is 0 degrees west and 51 degrees, 28 minutes, and 40 seconds north tells you the location is the Royal Observatory, a building in Greenwich. At the Royal Observatory, directions like left, right, upstairs, and downstairs give visitors even more precise locations.
Even absolute location is a form of relative location! Coordinates simply give a place's position relative to the Equator (latitude) and prime meridian (longitude).
Fast Fact
GPS
A Global Positioning System, or GPS, uses satellites orbiting Earth to relate absolute location.
Fast Fact
Location, Location, Location
Traditionally, those are the three most important factors in buying and selling real estate.
As a seasoned enthusiast with a profound understanding of geography and cartography, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge to illuminate the intricacies of the concepts embedded in the provided article. My expertise is grounded in a comprehensive grasp of geographical principles, satellite-based positioning systems, and the nuanced distinctions between absolute and relative location.
Let's delve into the key concepts covered in the article:
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Location:
- A location refers to the specific point or area where an object or place exists.
- It holds paramount significance in geography, serving as a fundamental concept to understand spatial relationships.
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Locality:
- Locality pertains to human settlements, encompassing cities, towns, villages, or archaeological sites.
- It denotes the habitation and communal aspect of a specific area.
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Absolute Location:
- Absolute location provides the exact position of a place on Earth, typically expressed in terms of latitude and longitude.
- The example of the Empire State Building at 40.7 degrees north, 74 degrees west, elucidates the precision inherent in absolute location.
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Relative Location:
- Relative location describes how a place is related to other places, often in terms of distance or cultural connections.
- The Empire State Building being 365 kilometers north of the White House exemplifies relative location.
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Cultural and Geographic Connections:
- The article illustrates how relative location aids in analyzing connections between places, be it through distance, culture, or technology.
- A comparison between Kiev, Ukraine, and London, England, highlights cultural disparities despite geographic distance.
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Cardinal Directions:
- North, south, east, and west are used to specify a location's orientation relative to another.
- The concept of the "Wild West" is culturally defined in relation to the Mississippi River, excluding Alaska and Hawai'i.
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Longitude and Latitude:
- Coordinates of longitude and latitude pinpoint absolute location, with longitude measured east or west and latitude measured north or south.
- The example of 0 degrees west and 51 degrees north near Greenwich, England, emphasizes the role of coordinates.
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Precision in Absolute Location:
- Even within absolute location, precision is achieved through detailed coordinates, as seen with the Royal Observatory's specific latitude and longitude.
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GPS (Global Positioning System):
- GPS utilizes satellites orbiting Earth to determine absolute location accurately.
- This technology underlines the contemporary means of establishing location.
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Real Estate Adage:
- "Location, Location, Location" is a traditional mantra in real estate, emphasizing the pivotal role of a property's location in its value.
In conclusion, these concepts collectively contribute to a holistic understanding of location in both geographical and cultural contexts, showcasing the intricate interplay between absolute and relative positioning in our spatial comprehension.
