4.3 Human and physical influences on global interactions

Unit Contents

• 4.3.1 Political factors
• 4.3.2 Shrinking world - transport
• 4.3.3 Shrinking world - communications
• 4.3.4 The physical environment

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Geographic inquiry: How political, technological and physical processes influence global interactions

• Political factors that affect global interactions:
  • multi-governmental organizations (MGOs) and free trade zones
  • economic migration controls and rules
• Our “shrinking world” and the forces driving technological innovation:
  • transport developments over time
  • changing global data flow patterns and trends
  • patterns and trends in communication infrastructure and use
• The influence of the physical environment on global interactions:
  • natural resource availability
  • the potentially limiting effect of geographic isolation, at varying scales

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