Leaving Certificate Geography

  • Home
  • Physical Geography
    • Skills (Maps, Photos, Graphs) >
      • Ordnance Survey Map skills
      • Aerial photographs
      • Graph skills
    • Horizons Second Edition >
      • Chapter 1 Plate Tectonics
      • Chapter 2 Folding and Faulting
      • Chapter 3 Earthquakes
      • Chapter 4 Volcanoes
      • Chapter 5 The rock cycle
      • Chapter 6 Weathering
      • Chapter 7 The Karst Landscape
      • Chapter 8 Mass Movement
      • Chapter 9 Rivers
      • Chapter 10 Coastal Studies
    • Planet and People physical chapters >
      • Plate tectonics >
        • Plate Tectonics 2
        • Plate Tectonics 3
      • Rock Formation and Cycle >
        • Rocks
        • Rock types and their formation
        • Rock Cycle
        • Rock Cycle 2
        • The Rock Cycle 3
        • Rock Landscapes: Limestone
        • Intrusive and Extrusive volcanic landforms
        • Human interaction with the rock cycle
        • Tara Mines case study
      • Folding and Faulting
      • Weathering and Erosion
      • River processes and features
      • Glaciation
      • Coastal Studies >
        • Coastal Studies Ms. Carr
  • Regional Geography
    • Horizons Regional Chapters >
      • Chapter 22 Concept of a region
      • Chapter 23 The Western Region
      • Chapter 24 The Greater Dublin Area
      • Chapter 25 The Paris Basin
      • Mezzogiorno: Peripheral European region
      • Subcontinental India
    • Planet and People Regional Chapters >
      • Regional Geography Outline
      • Definition of Regions
      • Ireland: The Greater Dublin Region - Core
      • West of Ireland - Ms. Carr
      • The West of Ireland : Peripheral Region
      • Core region: Paris Basin
      • European Regions (Core Periphery) >
        • Paris Basin: Ms. Carr
        • Mezzogiorno - peripheral region
        • Mezzogiorno: European Peripheral Region
      • Subcontinental Region: India >
        • Introduction
        • India: Powerpoint
        • India: Secondary Activities
        • India: Tertiary Activities
        • India: Ms. Carr
      • EU enlargement
  • Elective: Human Environment
    • Folens: Human Elective >
      • Chapter One: Populations
      • Chapter 2 Human development and overpopulation
      • Chapter 3 The dynamics of settlement
      • Chapter 4 Migration
      • Chapter 5 Urban problems
      • Chapter 6 Urban settlement and planning issues
    • Planet and People: Human Elective >
      • Chapter 1: Population Studies >
        • Population test
      • Chapter 2 Overpopulation in Sudan >
        • Overpopulation question
        • Overpopulation and Resources
      • Chapter 3: Migration >
        • Migration Test
        • Student presentations
        • Student Presentations 2
      • Chapter 4 Settlement >
        • Settlement Patterns
        • Student work
        • Student work 2
      • Urban Sprawl-Introduction
      • Chaper 5 Three urban land use models >
        • Chapter 5: Land use change
      • Chapter 6 Urban problems in developed world cities
      • Chapter 7 Heritage Issues & Environmental Issues
      • Chapter 8 Urban planning strategies in Ireland >
        • Chapter 9 Developing world cities / counter-urbanisation
  • Culture and Identity (Hons)
    • Physical indicators of population
    • Cultural indicators of population
    • Nationality and Nation states
    • Case study: Switzerland
  • Geoecology (Hons)
    • Soils
    • Aridisoils
    • Brown earth soils
    • Latosols - Tropical rainforest soil
    • Soil Formation
    • Soil erosion - human activities
    • Soil erosion - preventative methods
    • Biome: Tropical rainforest
  • Field Investigation
    • 2013 field study
  • Exam and Papers
    • Leaving Cert Exam
    • Honours Paper
    • Ordinary Paper
    • What do I study?
  • Revision Centre
    • Physical Revision >
      • Physical Powerpoints
      • Plate tectonic questions
      • Volcano & Earthquake questions
      • Rock revision
      • River Revision
      • Glaciation Revision
    • Regional Revision >
      • Regional Powerpoints
      • EU expansion revision
      • European Regional Revision
    • Elective Revision >
      • Human Elective Powerpoints
      • Economic short questions (H&O)
    • Geoecology Option >
      • Geoecology Powerpoints
      • Geoecology questions
    • Sample Answers >
      • Sample Answers Outline
      • Physical: Sample Answers >
        • Waterfall: River Landform
        • Delta: River Landform
        • Cirques: Glacial landform
        • Drumlin: Glacial landform
        • Cave,Arch,Stack,Stump: Coastal landform
        • Beaches: Coastal landform
        • Isostatic and Eustatic Processes
        • Human control of natural processes
        • Impact of Flood Control
        • Impact of Coastal Management
        • Landform in a Karst landscape
        • Weathering and Erosion
      • Regional: Sample Answers >
        • Regions are areas defined by one or more criteria (two discussed)
        • Agriculture in Irish region influenced by factors
        • Development of agriculture in Mezzo influenced by factors
        • Development of agriculture in Paris Basin influenced by factors
        • Development of secondary activities in a Core Region
        • Industry in The Greater Dublin Area
        • The Gaeltacht
        • Climatic Region: The Cool Temperate Oceanic Climate
        • Tertiary activities in the Paris Basin
        • Two EU policies and their impact
        • EU expansion and the impact on a member state
        • The defining role of Culture (India)
        • Urban Growth : Kolkata, India
        • Growth of an urban area Paris
        • Culture defining a region - India -outline
      • Elective: Sample Answers >
        • Migration
        • Overpopulation
        • Three Urban Models
        • Geoecology: Sample Essays >
          • Soil Formation
          • Characteristics of soil
          • How human activities can accelerate soil erosion
          • Natural processes and soil
          • Tropical rainforest biome
          • Human interaction with a biome
        • Urban problems and solutions
        • Map work: Location of a Town
      • Swapped powerpoints
  • General Information
    • Geography at Leaving Cert level
  • Home
  • Physical Geography
    • Skills (Maps, Photos, Graphs) >
      • Ordnance Survey Map skills
      • Aerial photographs
      • Graph skills
    • Horizons Second Edition >
      • Chapter 1 Plate Tectonics
      • Chapter 2 Folding and Faulting
      • Chapter 3 Earthquakes
      • Chapter 4 Volcanoes
      • Chapter 5 The rock cycle
      • Chapter 6 Weathering
      • Chapter 7 The Karst Landscape
      • Chapter 8 Mass Movement
      • Chapter 9 Rivers
      • Chapter 10 Coastal Studies
    • Planet and People physical chapters >
      • Plate tectonics >
        • Plate Tectonics 2
        • Plate Tectonics 3
      • Rock Formation and Cycle >
        • Rocks
        • Rock types and their formation
        • Rock Cycle
        • Rock Cycle 2
        • The Rock Cycle 3
        • Rock Landscapes: Limestone
        • Intrusive and Extrusive volcanic landforms
        • Human interaction with the rock cycle
        • Tara Mines case study
      • Folding and Faulting
      • Weathering and Erosion
      • River processes and features
      • Glaciation
      • Coastal Studies >
        • Coastal Studies Ms. Carr
  • Regional Geography
    • Horizons Regional Chapters >
      • Chapter 22 Concept of a region
      • Chapter 23 The Western Region
      • Chapter 24 The Greater Dublin Area
      • Chapter 25 The Paris Basin
      • Mezzogiorno: Peripheral European region
      • Subcontinental India
    • Planet and People Regional Chapters >
      • Regional Geography Outline
      • Definition of Regions
      • Ireland: The Greater Dublin Region - Core
      • West of Ireland - Ms. Carr
      • The West of Ireland : Peripheral Region
      • Core region: Paris Basin
      • European Regions (Core Periphery) >
        • Paris Basin: Ms. Carr
        • Mezzogiorno - peripheral region
        • Mezzogiorno: European Peripheral Region
      • Subcontinental Region: India >
        • Introduction
        • India: Powerpoint
        • India: Secondary Activities
        • India: Tertiary Activities
        • India: Ms. Carr
      • EU enlargement
  • Elective: Human Environment
    • Folens: Human Elective >
      • Chapter One: Populations
      • Chapter 2 Human development and overpopulation
      • Chapter 3 The dynamics of settlement
      • Chapter 4 Migration
      • Chapter 5 Urban problems
      • Chapter 6 Urban settlement and planning issues
    • Planet and People: Human Elective >
      • Chapter 1: Population Studies >
        • Population test
      • Chapter 2 Overpopulation in Sudan >
        • Overpopulation question
        • Overpopulation and Resources
      • Chapter 3: Migration >
        • Migration Test
        • Student presentations
        • Student Presentations 2
      • Chapter 4 Settlement >
        • Settlement Patterns
        • Student work
        • Student work 2
      • Urban Sprawl-Introduction
      • Chaper 5 Three urban land use models >
        • Chapter 5: Land use change
      • Chapter 6 Urban problems in developed world cities
      • Chapter 7 Heritage Issues & Environmental Issues
      • Chapter 8 Urban planning strategies in Ireland >
        • Chapter 9 Developing world cities / counter-urbanisation
  • Culture and Identity (Hons)
    • Physical indicators of population
    • Cultural indicators of population
    • Nationality and Nation states
    • Case study: Switzerland
  • Geoecology (Hons)
    • Soils
    • Aridisoils
    • Brown earth soils
    • Latosols - Tropical rainforest soil
    • Soil Formation
    • Soil erosion - human activities
    • Soil erosion - preventative methods
    • Biome: Tropical rainforest
  • Field Investigation
    • 2013 field study
  • Exam and Papers
    • Leaving Cert Exam
    • Honours Paper
    • Ordinary Paper
    • What do I study?
  • Revision Centre
    • Physical Revision >
      • Physical Powerpoints
      • Plate tectonic questions
      • Volcano & Earthquake questions
      • Rock revision
      • River Revision
      • Glaciation Revision
    • Regional Revision >
      • Regional Powerpoints
      • EU expansion revision
      • European Regional Revision
    • Elective Revision >
      • Human Elective Powerpoints
      • Economic short questions (H&O)
    • Geoecology Option >
      • Geoecology Powerpoints
      • Geoecology questions
    • Sample Answers >
      • Sample Answers Outline
      • Physical: Sample Answers >
        • Waterfall: River Landform
        • Delta: River Landform
        • Cirques: Glacial landform
        • Drumlin: Glacial landform
        • Cave,Arch,Stack,Stump: Coastal landform
        • Beaches: Coastal landform
        • Isostatic and Eustatic Processes
        • Human control of natural processes
        • Impact of Flood Control
        • Impact of Coastal Management
        • Landform in a Karst landscape
        • Weathering and Erosion
      • Regional: Sample Answers >
        • Regions are areas defined by one or more criteria (two discussed)
        • Agriculture in Irish region influenced by factors
        • Development of agriculture in Mezzo influenced by factors
        • Development of agriculture in Paris Basin influenced by factors
        • Development of secondary activities in a Core Region
        • Industry in The Greater Dublin Area
        • The Gaeltacht
        • Climatic Region: The Cool Temperate Oceanic Climate
        • Tertiary activities in the Paris Basin
        • Two EU policies and their impact
        • EU expansion and the impact on a member state
        • The defining role of Culture (India)
        • Urban Growth : Kolkata, India
        • Growth of an urban area Paris
        • Culture defining a region - India -outline
      • Elective: Sample Answers >
        • Migration
        • Overpopulation
        • Three Urban Models
        • Geoecology: Sample Essays >
          • Soil Formation
          • Characteristics of soil
          • How human activities can accelerate soil erosion
          • Natural processes and soil
          • Tropical rainforest biome
          • Human interaction with a biome
        • Urban problems and solutions
        • Map work: Location of a Town
      • Swapped powerpoints
  • General Information
    • Geography at Leaving Cert level
“A region is an area on the earth’s surface which can be defined by one or more criteria.”  Explain this statement with reference to example/s you studied.


There are six main criteria that define regions. They are cultural, physical, climatic, admistrative, socio-economic and urbanisation.  In this answer I will explain how climatic and physical criteria can define unique regions.

Climatic region: Cool temperate oceanic climate of Ireland

A climatic region is an area with an identity that comes from regular weather patterns over a long period of time. Within a climatic region, this unique weather pattern or system and its temperature, precipitation, seasons and soil and vegetation separate it from all the other regions. The main climate regions in the world are hot, warm, cool and cold climates. Ireland’s climatic region is cool temperate oceanic. Here temperatures are warm throughout the summer at about 15-17°C, possibly getting up to 23°C during the day. Temperatures are mild throughout the winter and 4-5°C in January. Ireland’s prevailing winds are the south-west anti-trades that blow from the Atlantic Ocean. Mountains and winds cause Ireland to have two climatic regions, the wetter west and the drier east. Mountains along the Sligo/Mayo/Galway coastline cause relief rain in this area and therefore higher precipitation levels of up to 1250mm per year.  This is in comparison to 800mm in the eastern area of Ireland.  Overall the Cool Temperate oceanic climate is a defining characteristic creating unique weather conditions in this area.

Cultural region: An Gaeltacht

A cultural region is defined on the basis of a shared sense of identity in the region, such as language. I have studied the Gaeltacht region in Ireland. In 1929 the Gaeltacht regions were officially established by the Gaeltacht Boundary Commission. To qualify for this, 80% of the population had to speak Irish. The Gaeltacht is now a number of small areas scattered along the west and south-west of the country from Donegal to Waterford. Although these areas are small, they mean a lot to the Irish people and are supported by the Irish government through grants and incentives.   In 2002, the total population of the Gaeltacht was about 86,500 of which 61,150 people over the age of three spoke Irish. Today approx. 72,000 people use Irish as a daily language.  Areas of the Gaeltacht include in the west of Ireland include some parts of Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and the Aran Islands off Galway’s coast.  In recent years the Government has put in place several policies to protect the Gaeltacht region and the erosion of the Irish language.  Radio na Gaeltachta was set up in 1972.  In 1996 TG4 was established with some of the €28 million fund granted by the government.  In 1980 Udaras na Gaeltachta was set up to preserve the Irish language.  This shows the intent to protect the language and further highlights how culture can clearly defi
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.