Topography
What effects does topography have on people?
Goal:
Goal:
Topography is the physical features of an area of land. Mountains, rivers, lakes, and valleys are examples of topography. Topography is also a physical system.
Topography can affect where people live. Do you think you could live at the top of Mount Everest? It's the highest mountain in the world.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. But why not?
At the top of Mount Everest, the air is thin, and it is very difficult to breathe there. It is also bitterly cold (-80 degrees sometimes), so there is no chance of life living there (no plants or animals). Also, it would be too difficult to live in anything other than a tent because the mountain peak is too steep to build on. In fact, it is difficult to survive even a few days at the top of Mount Everest, so living there is not an option.
People live at the base of this mountain, though, because it is warmer there, and life is able to grow in these areas.
People learn to adapt to their environment in many ways. However, some physical systems are more desirable places to live than others. People want to settle and live where the land and the available resources make life easier.
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Flat LandsHave you ever noticed when you are driving through miles and miles of flat land, you usually see a lot of farms? 
Flat land is better for farming. Farmers settle on the land to grow crops and raise cattle and other animals. Flat land is also easier to build roads and homes on. People tend to live where it is easier to settle. Rivers, Lakes, and OceansPeople settle near water for many reasons. 
Fish and other animals living in the water provide food for people. If it is a fresh body of water, the people can use this water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Water can also support the growth of agriculture. The soil is usually good near water sources, so people are able to use the land to grow crops. A lot of major cities are built near water. Land closest to the water is usually settled first; then people move outward. 
Mountains, Hills, and ValleysPeople tend not to live on mountaintops because they are too steep to build on, have thinner air, and support less resources. However, people do build on smaller mountains and hills if resources are available. 
People who live near mountains with forests use the trees to build houses, fences, and furniture. 
They also hunt animals that live in these areas. |
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Where do you live? What type of topography is around you, and how does that affect the way you live?
