THE 5 CATEGORIES OF SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The categories of spatial analysis are the region, the landscape, the environment, the territory and the place. Spatial analysis is the study of the components that make up space, defining its elements and how they behave under certain conditions.

More than a set of tools, it is a perspective. Through this, investigations that guide decision-making in solving problems of a geographic nature are focused.

Landscape as a category of spatial analysis

For the understanding, expression and exploitation of the order, pattern or structure related to geographically distributed phenomena, spatial analysis uses 5 categories: region, landscape, environment, territory and place.

- The region

It refers to the identification of the homogeneous characteristics of a part of the earth's surface according to its natural, social, cultural, economic and political components. These components make it possible to differentiate the analyzed space from others.

For example, a cultural region is made up of groups speaking the same language and sharing traditions and beliefs.

On the other hand, a natural region is made up of areas with a homogeneous climate, vegetation and relief.

2- The landscape

It conforms to direct perception, or through audiovisual media, in relation to the distribution and interaction of natural and human components.

It is everything that can be visualized and that, despite belonging to the same region, is subject to variation according to its geographical characteristics. The landscape can be natural and cultural.

- Natural landscape

It is characterized by not having human intervention in its structure.

It is constituted by the forms of relief, distribution of bodies and water currents, flora, fauna and degree of deterioration of these. For example, a forest or a desert.

- Cultural landscape

It results from the presence and intervention of man. Traditions, architecture, food production techniques and festivities of a particular group are analyzed. For example, cities.

3- The medium

This category is made up of both the components of the environment and the various processes that occur in it, favoring human activity and the development of living organisms.

The social environment is characterized by the predominance in the environment of human activities. It can be rural, urban and peri-urban.

An example of this is cities, seen as spaces in which humans interact with the geographic components of space.

4- The territory

It is the broadest of the spatial analysis categories. It represents a wide land portion whose limits are concentrated in the social rather than the natural.

It consists of the delimitation, division and organization for political, government or administrative purposes of land, maritime and air space. For example, a state, a department, or a country.

5- The place

This category is the most elementary or basic and refers to a specific space in a region, landscape, environment or territory.

It can be a neighborhood, an urbanization, a neighborhood or even more specific places such as a commercial area, a market, a park or a school.

Depending on their history, location, forms of coexistence, predominant natural features and cultural activities, places have particular characteristics.

These generate in its inhabitants a marked sense of belonging and identity.

References

1. Spatial Analysis. (October 30, 2017). In: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Spatial Analysis. (sf). Retrieved on November 29, 2017 from: bdigital.unal.edu.co
3. Basic Concepts for Spatial Analysis. (sf). Retrieved on November 29, 2017 from: volaya.github.io
4. López L. (nd). Thinking about Space: Region, Landscape, Territory and Place in the Social Sciences. Retrieved on November 29, 2017 from: posgrado.unam.mx
5. Wolf, L. (March 6, 2017). The International Encyclopedia of Geography. At: onlinelibrary.wiley.com