Hawaii

At first thought, Hawaii does not seem to relate to Seattle in any way. However, Hawaii does have similarities among each other. "The state's tropical location means warm climates, areas with high precipitation, and abundant plant and animal life." In Seattle, one can say that high precipitation is present. "Average yearly rainfall in Seattle is 36.2 inches, compared to 19.5 inches in San Francisco, 34.5 in Chicago, 39 inches in Washington, DC and 40.3 inches in New York City."



"Hwaii's eight main islands contain more than 99 percent of the state's land area and all but a handful of its people. The big island of Hawaii, at 8150 square kilometers, comprises nearly two-thirds of the state's landmass... Hawaii is near the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Honolulu, the state capital, is 3850 kilometers west of San Francisco, 6500 kilometers east of Tokyo, and roughly 7300 kilometers northeast of the Australian coast."

"Although the island's economies differ, tourism is important generally in Hawaii's economy more so than in most states... Tourism has become the principal growth sector of the economy, increasing its share of total island income from 4 percent in 1950 to 18 percent in 1970 and over 22 percent today. Tourism produces over $11 billion per year for the Hawaiian economy and employs more than 171,000 people, nearly 22& of all jobs." Seattle experiences tourism as well, I have traveled out to Seattle to just visit and love going there. Major attractions in Seattle are the Seattle center, Space Needle, and Seattle Aquarium. Seattle "attracts more than 8.8 million overnight visitors and contribute more than $416 million in state and local tax revenues."

Our book tells us that Hawaii has volcanoes around it. "The Hawaiian island chain is the visible portion of a series of massive volcanoes. The ocean floor supporting them is 4000 to 5000 meters below sea level. This means that for a volcano to break the water's surface, it already forms a mountain almost 5 kilometers in height." Seattle has a volcano close to it too, Mount Rainier. "Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that would threaten the whole Puyallup River valley... The most recent recorded volcanic eruption was between 1820 and 1854, but many eyewitnesses reported eruptive activity in 1858, 1870, 1879, 1882 and 1894 as well.Although Mount Rainier is an active volcano, as of 2010 there was no evidence of an imminent eruption. However, an eruption could be devastating for all areas surrounding the volcano. Mount Rainier is currently listed as a Decade Volcano, or one of the 16 volcanoes with the greatest likelihood of causing great loss of life and property if eruptive activity resumes. If Mt. Rainier were to erupt as powerfully as Mount St. Helens did in its May 18, 1980 eruption, the effect would be cumulatively greater, because of the far more massive amounts of glacial ice locked on the volcano compared to Mount St. Helens and the vastly more heavily populated areas surrounding Rainier."



Text Sources: Textbook, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainer, http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf

Picture Sources: http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect2/ger_volcanoes_mtrainier.jpg, http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/1-seattle-space-needle-greg-west.jpg

The North Pacific Coast

Seattle, Washington is part of the North Pacific Coast, along with Vancouver, Canada and Portland, Oregon. "Seattle has been the ;argest city along the North Pacific Coast since its boom era of the late nineteenth century. Founded as a logging center, Seattle achieved regional dominance when it was linked to the northern U.S. transcontinental railroads... One of the great successes of the Seattle area is, of course, Microsoft. Spin-off research, along with the University of Washington's own work, has expanded the information technology, biotechnology, and healthcare sectors of Seattle's economy. In King County alone, Microsoft emplys about 16,000 people. The attraction of job opportunities at Microsoft and other high tech firms fueled in-migration, as did the growth of Seattle's cultural appeal as the center of the "grunge rock" movement of the early 1900's. Today, the Seattle metro area has grown to 3,263,497 (2006) and continues to experience substatial immigration."

Fishing is a big part of the North Pacific Coast, Our text reads "The North Pacific's cold waters were, and to an extent still are, fertile fishing grounds... Salmon has been the fish of greatest import in the North Pacific Coast for a long time. It was a major food and economic mainstay of coastal tribes before Europeans arrived and is still the principal fish caught in the region." Seattle is a great place to go fishing, Trident company ges fishing their for the fish products. I remember when I was a little girl my stepfather worked for Trident and would fly out to Seattle to go fish for them often.

Fisherman's Terminal in Seattle


Text Sources: Textbook, http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
Picture Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2599/3680500969_f878129614.jpg

California

California is a great and distinctive place to live in. It has great features that you just cannot find in other states. "California evokes different reactions in people not living there. Many view California as the desirable ideal of a modern, outdoor-oriented American life-style...The reality is guided by the State's physical environment and the fact that California is home to more thatn 12 percent of all Americans. (294)" Seattle has it's distinctive features as well. It's called the rain city because of its year-round precipitation. Personally, I would like to live in Seattle because they are the opposite of California. They have as many rain days as we have summer days. Just as California attracts people Seattle attracts people in its own way, "the city of Seattle has become a commerce, culture, science and innovation in the Pacific Northwest region. Seattle lies 113 miles south of the U.S.-Canadian border and serves as a hub for travel and trasportation to Alaska, Pacific Asia, Europe, and the Salish Sea region. Surrounded by mountains and water, the Seattle area features picture-perfect views, a mild climate and abundant recreational opportunities year-round."

Unfortunately, California is dealing with a water supply crisis. "As more people choose to live in CAlifornia and its neighboring states, water demands and the cost of new projects designed to meet those demands rise. But California's water supply is limited, as is that of the entire Southwest. The region is quite close to using its entire supply." In addition, "Increasingly heavy auto use has resulted in congestion on major arteries. Los Angeles County has four of North America's five busiest freeways... In reality, Los Angeles produces only moderate amounts of pollution; little heavy industry exists, burning is carefully controlled, and strict controls govern automobile emissions." In Seattle, water conservation projects are being created as well. "Saving water partnerships utilities are now offering water conservation incentives to construction of new multifamily and commercial buildings. By incorporating these technologies your new building will use up to 30% less water."

Beautiful California...


Beautiful Seattle...


Text Sources: Textbook, http://www.seattle,gov/
Picture Sources: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/images/s/california-theme-parks.jpg, http://fabandfru.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/seattle-skyline-Main.jpg

The Southwest Border Area: Tricultural Development

Our textbook describes the southwest border as "a culture region distinguished by coexisting Spanish American, American Indian, and Northwest European American (Anglo) people. The presence of each group imbunes the region with different characteristics that, together, make the Southwest one of the most plural and transitionary American regions. From Southern California's Pacific Coast to the Texas Gulf Coast north of the Rio Grande, the Southwest Border Area parallels the U.S.-Mexico border." Seattle can relate to the Southwest Border in terms of the cultural distribution. Seattle is mainly populated by Anglo-Americans but it does have it distribution of American Indians, Hispanics, African Americans and so on. Seattle differentiates from the Southwest Border area because it does not Border with Mexico, it borders with Canada.

In terms of ethnic diversity Seattle has a White population of 394,889 people, African American population of 47,541 people, American Indian population of 5,659 people, and Hispanic population of 29,719 people. The median family income in Seattle is $85,600 and education is at a high percentage as well. the percentage of people with a B.A. or higher is 56% and High School degree is 92.5% which leaves socioeconomic disparities at a loss. Education is very important and it is encouraged throughout secondary education and post secondary education. Seattle has a great public university (University of Washington) and many four-year community colleges to help attain a degree.

Text Sources: Textbook, http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf

The Empty Interior

"The Empty Interior is a land of stark contrasts where aridity and lushness intermingle across wide desert valleys and high, rugged mountains" (252). "Much of the empty interior has a precipitation pattern that leaves it arid or semiarid. The dryness becomes increasingly apparent toward the region's southern zones. Nearly all of the area in the United States that can be classified as desert is found in the Empty Interior or in the Southwest's borderlands" (256). For Seattle, this is not a problem, Seattle is not considered a desert city. I have personally been there and it is more cool than dry. When it is not raining in Seattle the weather is nice and cool, and the sun is not scalding hot or too dry on the environment.

Seattle, has a wildlife sanctuary program that helps promote wildlife preservation.
Parks' Wildlife Sanctuary Policy articulates Parks' commitment to sustain habitats for a wide variety of wildlife and outlines steps Parks will take to create and manage wildlife sanctuaries for these species:

• Local populations of federally endangered or threatened species
• State Priority Species or Species of Concern
• Locally important species with declining populations

The Empty Interior has a large amount of mormons. "Mormons still have a substantial impact on the Empty Interior. Of the region's roughly 14.5 million people, about one in seven are Mormon's... Substantial numbers of Mormon's also live in Nevada, northern Arizona, and western Wyoming" (262). "All major religions are represented in the greater Seattle area. In addition to various Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox churches, there are numerous Jewish synagogues, Buddhist temples and Islamic mosque."

"The great variety and appeal of the Empty Interior's scenic wonders attracts millions of visitors each year" (267). Seattle is a big attraction place for the state of Washington, it attracts many people each year. "The Seattle-King County area attracts more than 8.8 million overnight visitors annually who spend $6.9 billion and contribute more than $416 million in state and local tax revenues."


Text Sources: Textbook, http://www.seattle.gov/, http://www.seattle.gov/parks/wildlife/sanctuary
Picture Source: http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/facmd/BMB%20Websites/Seattle%20Webpages/Seattle.jpg

The Great Plains and Prairies

Our text reads, "Historian Walter Prescott Webb suggested in his book The Great Plains that the great, continuous grassland located astride North America's center were so unlike the home regions of Northwest European settlers that before they could live in the Great Plains, they had to develop new crops, new land-use patterns, and new technologies. The agricultural crops and settlement patterns they carried with them from Europe were inappropriate. European settlers encountered several environmental surprises on the Great Plains. Rainfall in the grasslands was far less than in the forested East, and the Plains' western margins were much drier. Violent storms accompanied by high winds, hail, and tornadoes were common. Blizzards' wintery blasts intensified the season's worst cold and mounded snow into immense drifts. In summer, the soil was parched by hot, dry winds, sometimes carrying dirt away in huge, billowing clouds of dust. Small, intermittent streams were the only source of water able to support the region's sparse trees. Farmers newly arrived from eastern states had to adjust. No longer were plentiful water for crops and animals and ample wood for building, fencing, and heating available. They faced conditions on the Great Plains for which they had little realiable information."

Seattle on the other hand, is different from the Great Plains in terms of climate. There are about six weeks of summer in Seattle and an adequate amount of rainfall for the rest of the year as opposed to the little rainfall in the Great Plains, and the hot dry winds in the summer. Due to the climate in Seattle, they have a very good chance for a successful agriculture. There is enough land and technology to grow crops without much problem in Seattle. Luckily, Seattle doesn't experience extreme weater like the 20-year drought cycle that the Plains once experienced. In terms of climate Seattle is pretty stable.
Text Source: Textbook

The Agricultural Core

Our text tells us that "Adequate rainfall with little annual variability, coupled with ample growing seasons, makes the region idel for growing corn and other mid-latitude agricultural crops." In addition, "The agricultural core's mix of environmental characteristics-rainfall, length of growing season, relief, and soils-allows certain kinds of farming to excel." This relates to Seattle, Washington because there is an adequate amount of rain in Seattle which helps the farming industry.
"Washington State Department of Agriculture has developed an agricultural land use geodatabases to assess the effects of agricultural production on Washington's natural resources. The geodatabase can store, query, and manipulate geographic information and spatial data used to identify agriculture land use in state. WSDA crop data is classified by several categories: 1. general crop group (berry, cereal grain, orchard, vegetable, etc.); 2. crop types (blueberry, wheat, apple, potato, etc.), and 3. irrigation method (center pivot, drip, rill, none, etc.). Traditional agriculture land use data provides only broad use definitions limited to distinctions made between row crops and pastrure."
"The future of farming is a statewide strategic plan for Washington agriculture submitted to the Legislature and the Governor in February 2009.

The future of farming identifies five broad strategies for keeping agriculture viable:

1. Make agriculture a priority. Farming needs to be a priority for the state's citizens and lawmakers.
2. Eliminating regulatory barriers. Complex local, state, and federal regulations that threaten the competitiveness need to be assessed and reformed.
3. Protect resources. The availability of productive and affordable land, water, labor and energy resources is essential.
4. Strengthen support services. Future competitiveness requires strong support services in education, transportation, research and development, processing, marketing, and more.
5. Harness emerging opportunities. Agriculture must recognize and tap into emerging opportunities.

Text Sources: Textbook, http://agr.wa.gov/
Picture Source: http://media.cleveland.com/business_impact/photo/seattle-times-farm-growthjpg-83a44fc5e90bbf69_large.jpg

The Southern Coastlands: On The Subtropical Margin

Our text reads, "Southern Coastlands farmers produce crops that are grown in few other parts of the United States and Canada. Citrus fruits, rice and sugarcane are the region's most important specialty crops." For seattle fruits are one of their top five commodities. Agriculture is successful in Seatlle because of its abundance in precipitation which helps grow crops.

"Rich soils, diverse climates and large-scale irrigation make Washington one of the most productive growing regions in the world. The state's deep-water ports and its proximity to important Asian markets also provide natural advantages from Agricultural trade. The states $35 billion food and agriculture industry employs 160,000 people and contributes 11% to the state's economy. Nearly $11 billion in food and agricultual products were exported through Wasshington Ports in 2009, the third largest total in the U.S." Seattle has a good grip on Agricultural resources and it has programs to preserve the agricultural practices as well. For example, "A long history of progressive action in the state of Washington such as farmlands preservation and the designation of Agricultural production districts have helped shape an environment that supports agriculture in Seattle. Additionally, King County has helped build this environment with actions such as the 1995 creation of an Agricultural commission and the development of the Farm and Forest report, which led to the creation of Puget Sound Fresh and FarmLink.

"Agricultural use means a business establlishment in which crops are raised or animals are reared or kept, but not including animal shelters and kennels. Agriculltural uses include animal husbandry uses such as poultry farms and rabbitries, aquaculture uses such as fish farms and shellfish beds, and horticulture uses such as nurseries and orchards."

Five Fun Facts of Agriculture in Seattle

1. The top five Agricultural commodities in Washington are apples, milk, potatoes, wheat and cattle.

2. Washington ranks first in the U.S. for production of 10 crops, including apples, sweet cherries, pears, red raspberries and hops.

3. More than 20 percent of Washington farms are operated by women.

4. Washington's $38 billion food and agricultural industry contributes 12% to the Evergreenns state's econommy and employs 160,000 people.

5. Washington is the secons-largest producer of premium wines in the U.S.



Text Sources: Textbook, http://Chicagofoodpolicy.org/Urban%20Agriculture%20in%20seattle%20policy%20and%20Barrierspdf., http://agr.wa.gov/?AgInWA/
Picture Source: http://www.okcareertech.org/stem/preengineering/083p0406ll.jpg

The Changing South

First of all Seattle is not in the South, I have been to the south, more specifically Georgia, and it had a completely different feel than Seattle. The southern culture is good and unique too, I love their southern hospitality and it made me feel very welcome. However, Seattle does have it's own culture as well. They are well known for their music and festivities. Major arts organizations include Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet, numerous art galleries, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Experience Music Project rock and roll museum. Festival celebrations include SEAFAIR, Northwest folklife, Seattle International Film Festival. Seattle hosts large-scale musical concerts and has gained gained international attention as the place of origin of trend-setting rock, pop and jazz groups. As you can see Seattle has grown its own culture; "Southerners find comfort in a shared sense of being southern" likewise people in Seattle take their own pride in being born, raised, or residents of Seattle, it may not be as strong as Southerners pride but it is there. I have never been to SEAFAIR but have seen pictures and it seems very diverse, hopefully someday I can take part of it.
Slavery had a very big impact in the South, as of today many African Americans reside in the South, in Seattle its African American population is not as big. In 2000, Seattle's African American total population was 8.4%. In the South, "By the first U.S. Census in 1790, blacks comprised 39.1 percent of Virginia's population, 43 percent of South Carolina's, 25.5 percent of North Carolina's, and 35.4 percent of Georgia's. This was the percentage in 1790 which  as of today still doesn't compare to Seattle's.
The South has undergone good change for example, "Today's Atlanta is a business, financial, and commercial center without peer in the South. Enterprises from Coca-Cola to CNN originated in Atlanta and continue to be based there". This can relate to Seattle because they too have been home to big companies and it has helped boost their economy in the same fashion that Coca-Cola and CNN helped boost economy in Atlanta.

Text Sources: http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
Textbook

Appalachia and the Ozarks

Seattle is very different from Appalachia and the Ozarks. In our book "The mountains continue to create problems for transportation, and this affects the pattern, pace and forms of regional economic development". Seattle in this way is very different, because Seattle has a very well economy that flourishes every year. The mountains are not a problem for Seattle and do not obstruct their transportation. For Seattle their very important transportation route, in terms of economic growth, is the ocean, this is where they import and export goods. Another thing is "In a nation where immigration, education, and commerce added more and more disparate elements to the total population, Appalachia became increasingly unusual because it simply remained unchaged until well past the middle of the twentieth century". Seattle has its share of migration that dates back to the early settlement but it was not late on it like the Appalachia. I'm sure that they can both have the commonality of immigration, education, commerce adding a little disparement, at first, but Seattle has its share of culture and from the looks of it it is doing just fine as a city. From reading this chapter, Seattle is not in the same problem as the Appalachia. Appalachia is defined as "The term Appalachia widely connotes isolation and poverty". Seattle is not isolated nor poor, like I said before its economic development has grown an is doing very well. The Seattle MSA accounts for 1.93 million jobs and has an estimated gross metropolitan product of $218.77 billion. Seattle is clearly not like the Appalachia and the Ozarks.

Text Source: http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
Textbook

The Bypassed East

In ways Seattle relates to the Bypassed East, because "The Bypassed East is no place for people who want a dry, warm climate. It is a place where polar, continental, and maritime weather systems meet. The resulting weather regime is seldom hot, often coldm and usually damp." Seattle, I believe, only has six weeks of summer and it is not summer like in the San Fernando Valley, which hits the 100 degrees range. Seattle is a pretty cold city with much rain, and the Bypassed East is similar to Seattle in terms of its climate. "Almost all of the region receives substatial and evenly distributed precipitation, usually between 100 and 150 centimeters (40 to 60 inches) annually and spread throughout the year. Snowfall can be substantial, with most places receiving between 25 and 50 percent of their total moisture as snow." In Seattle, high temperatures in July average about 75 degrees Farenheit (24 degrees Celcius), while low high temperatures in winter drop below freezing an average of 15 days per year. Average yearly rainfall in Seattle is 36.2 inches. In regards to snow, it does snow in Seattle but not significantly; Seattle is most known for its rain.
    
Fishing is another topic that relates to the Bypassed East and Seattle. I remember being a little girl and having my stepfather fly out to Seattle often because he was working for Trident Seafoods, a company that fishes to stay in business, and he would always tell me that Seattle was a great place to go fishing. Fishermen's Terminal serves as the homeport for the U.S. North Pacific fishing fleet and is a growing center for other commercial workboats as well. The facility includes a wide array of on-site businesses catering specifically to the needs of the commercial fishing and workboat industries.

 

In addition, as stated in our book, "Tourism is a cornerstone of norther New England's economy. Located near Megalopolis, attractions such as skiing and snowboarding resorts are within a day's drive of 50 million Americans." Tourism is takes a great part in Seattle, Among the most popular urban attractions are the Seattle Center and the space needle, Pike Place Market, the Hiram Chittenden Locks, Woodland Park Zoo, Tillicum Indian Village, Seattle Aquarium, waterfront, lakeside and sound beaches, Pioneer Square, International District, and local wineries and breweries. Outdoor activities include boating, fishing, golf, water sports, hiking, biking, mountain climbing and skiing. The Seattle-King County area attracts more than 8.8 million overnight visitors anually who spend $6.9 billion and contribute more than $416 million in state and local tax revenues. Direct visitor sending supports 50,000 jobs in the Seattle region.

Text Sources: http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
Textbook
Picture Sources: http://hdrcreme.com/photos/20972-Seattle-Rain-City

http://silencedmajority.blogs.com/.a/6a00d834520b4b69e201156f1feb3a970c-500wi

http://www.fishinginseattle.com/websitepics/seattle-skyline-picture-ars.jpg

The North American Manufacturing Core

"Manufactured products are everywhere around us- in clothing, in food, in residences and office towers, in transportation and communication, in computers and televisions, and more. Seattle has a very good manufacturing industry in the city such as Microsoft, Nordstrom, Amazon, Costco, Starbucks and Alaska Airlines. Seattle has been home to many other companies such as Washingto Mutual (now known as J.P. Morgan "Chase" bank), Red Robbin Gourmet Burgers, Eddie Bauer etc. Seattle is a great city for manufacturing since the port is such an easy access for trading and bringing in supplies to help create companies or expansion and more, manufacturing. Seattle has many companies and has potential to grow many more, so as seen here Seattle definitely has Manufacturing.

   

     
Text Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_based_in_Seattle#Manufacturing
Textbook
Picture Sources: www.weblo.com/asset_image/492259/137181/Microsoft_Building/www.olyprecast.com/page8070.asp

http:// commons.wikimedia.org/wikiFile:Nordstrom.jpg

http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53683720101220

Megalopolis

From what I have read in the book, and about Seattle, Seattle is not a Megalopolis place; it does have potential to become it some day, but as of now it is not. "Megalopolis formed along the northeastern coast of the United States by the gradual coaslescence of large, independent metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.... And urban forms-manifested by dense patterns of streets and buildings, industrial centers, retail and wholesale clusters, and government complexes-are never far away" Seattle, Washington does have characteristics of a megalopolis but it is not like a megalopolis in New York or Los Angeles. Seattle is a little less urban than other states in the United States.

Some of the characteristics that can relate to Seattle in regards to Megalopolis is education and transportation. In our book it states "Of the more than 22.5 million persons employed in Megalopolis in 2002, a higher than average proportion worked in white-collar and professional occupations. Transportation and communication activities are also prominent because of the region's coastal position." Seattle has a very good education system and 56.0 percent of people over 25 graduate with a Bachelors of Arts degree or higher. Seattle has a good transportation system as well. Seattle has Railroads and Bus services and provides passenger service to major U.S. cities through Amtrak. The public transportation network includes a trolley line, light rail, commuter rail, and over 100 miles of HOV lanes and regional express bus routes.

   
Text Source: http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
Assigned textbook
Picture Sources: www.lightrailnow.org/newsn_sea_2009-11a.htm

www.meritweb.com/seattle/seattle/university_of_washington.htm

Foundations of Human Activity

Chapter 3 discusses European Settlement, and it explains who "Pre-European North America was home to". Seattle was home to Native Americans at some point. Settlers first arrived in 1851 moving to what is now the historic Pioneer Square district, where a protected deep-water harbour was available. This village was soon named Seattle, after a local Indian leader named Sealth who had befriended the settlers. Chief Seattle also known as Sealth, was a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes in what is now the U.S. state of Washington. He was a prominent figure among his people and pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers. Seatlh was born around 1786 on or near Blake Island, Washington. He was tall and broad for a Puget Sound native at nearly six feet; Hudson's Bay Company traders gave him the nickname Le Gros (The Big One). Sealth was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, and given the baptismal name Noah, probably in 1848 near Olympia, Washington. Before it got the name Seattle in late 1852, the city was known as Duwamps. Migrants flowed into the city. There were significant communitites of Italians, Chinese, Jews, Scandinavians and Filipinos. The International District, home to several Asian ethnic groups, was largely developed during this period (1900's).

    

Population was another topic and it explains how the U.S. has a big population that by 2000 exceeded 281 million. Population in Seattle in 2010 was estimated to be 612,000 in Seattle, 3,707,400 in the Metro Area and 15,069,765 in the Pacific NW Region. As per the census of 200, the total population of hte city of Seattle is 563,374 and the total number of households is 258,499. According to the US Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey, the total population in the 2005 was 536,946. Seattle is inhabited by people belonging to various race or ethnic origin. Whites form 68.9% of the total population that is 369,689. There were 43,914 African American in Seattle in 2005 which is 8.2% of the population. There are just 6,336 people from American Indian and Alaska constituting of 1.2% of the total city population. There are 77,363 Asians in the city of Seattle who constitute 14.4% of the total population. Asian population comprise of Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Pakistan, Korean, Filipino and from other Asian origin. The total number of people of Asian origin in Seattle are: Chinese:20,774, Vietnamese: 10,602, Filipino: 21,950, Korean: 3,111, Japanese: 10,808, adn other Asian: 6,801. The population of people belonging to Hispanic or Latino ethnicity are 33,707 which is 6.3%. The native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders constitute only 0.3% of the total city population. Apart from these races, other races form 3.2% of the city population. 

  

"The U.S. and Canadian populations are largely urban. By residing in urban locations, North Americans live in environments with a very different character from what was experienced a few short generations ago".The United States has a far higher urbanization level than China, India or Nigeria, but a far slower annual urbanizaion rate, since much less of the population is living in a rural area while in the process of moving to the city. In terms of place, urbanization means increased spatial scale and/or density of settlement and/or business and other activities in the area over time. The land area in Seattle is 84 square miles, the population, as of April 1, 2010, is 612,000, and the population density is 7,286 people per sqaure mile. The population of Seattle more than tripled from 1900-1910, 81,000 to 237,000. Its urbanization today is 2,712,205.

Culture and Religion were other two topics described in our book, "At general level, culture is a people's assemblage of beliefs and learned behavior. A common culture bonds people together, whether an ethnic or social group, or residents of a region or country". This can tie into religion, because religion can be cultural as well. Cristianity was brought in by Europeans and Roman Catholicism was widely distributed by Hispanics, and these religions are practiced in Seattle.
Seattle has a lot of culture preserved in its city, it has the highest per-capita music and dance attendance in the country, with 80 live music clubs and 15 symphony orchestras. The Seattle International Film Festival in mid-May to june showcases world film and new world filmmakers. Seattle has 29 professional theatres. 56 fringe thatre companies and seven theatre schools. The Nordic Heritage Museum is the country's only museum honoring heritage of peopple from five Nordic countries. Seafair is a massive two-month summer festival that showcases the traditions and diversity of Puget Sound with parades, festivals, triathlons, hydroplane races and air shows. The Wing Luke Museum in Chinatown/International District is the country's only museum devoted to Asian-American history, with displays on immigration, the arts and traditional medicine.
All major religions are represented in the greater Seattle area. In addition to various Protestant, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, there are numerous Jewish synagogoues, Buddhist temples and Islamic mosques.

Text Sources: http://www.seattle.gov/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf
www.informationdelight.info/encyclopedia/entry/urbanization
www.fs.fed.us/fstoday/081031/LOOKINGBACK.html (picture source as well)
Textbook
 Picture Sources: www.seattlepi.com/local281876growth19.html
http://www.seattlepi.com/dayart/20060819/Seattle-Population-0819.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/UIATF_Pow_Wow_2007_-_18A.jpg

Geographic Patterns of the Physical Environment

Chapter 2 was a little on Physical Environment, "Where you live affects how much and what part of the physical environment you notice, but the amount of attention is governed by how the physical environment is modified". In Seattle you can definitely see it's physical environment. The ocean at the side of it and nice mountains around it. Seattle's environment is one of it's own. I really don't think that there is another state like Seattle. Seattle is located between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. The city's chief harbor, Elliot Bay, is an inlet of Puget Sound. To the west, beyond Puget Sound, are the Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula; to the east, beyond Lake Washington and the eastside suburbs, are Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Range. Lake Washington's water flow to Puget Sound through the Lake Washington Ship canal, Lake Union, and the HIram C. Chittended Locks at Salmon Bay, ending in Shilshole Bay.

                   

The city is essentially hilly. The city lie on seven hills including the Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, First Hill, West Seattle, Beacon Hill and Denny Hill. The hilliest areas are concentrated near the city center. Capitol Hill, First Hill and Beacon Hill collectively forms a ridge between the Elliot Bay and Lake Washington. The layout orientation of Seattle downtown has been reshaped by various man made constructions like the Lake Washington Ship canal an artificial waterway linking Puget Sound and Lake Washington, Harbor Island an artificial island constructed in the mouth of Duwamish Waterway. Downtown Seattle is a busy commercial center with high rise buildings and residential areas overlooking a panoramic waterfront.

Mountains were discussed in the book, and Seattle has many of them. Mountains are a great part of the physical landscape and it is in many places among the U.S. Seattle, Washington is home to a total of 12 mountain summits and peaks: Beckstrom Hill Summit, Blakely Rock Pillar, Cougar Mountain Summit, Denny HIlls Summit, Duwasmish Head Cliff, First Hill Summit, MAgnolia Bluff Cliff, Newcastle Hills Range, Norway Hill Summit, Orchard Rocks Summit, Pigeon Point Cliff and Queen Anne Hill Summit.
    

Climate was another topic in Chapter 2 and it explains how climate affects the states, and how its depending on its latitude the weather behaves respectively. "Proximity to large water bodies also tends to produce more precipitation, with coastal precipitation, with coastal locations receiving generally higher amounts." this is a perfect example of Seattle. Downtown Seattle averages 71 clear (sunny) days a year, with most of those days occuring between May and September. Seattle weather is mild and can be classified as typical Marine West Coast climate. It also exhinits some characteristics of a Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry summers. The topographical features play vital roles in controlling Seattle climate. Seattle's mild winters and cool summers work together to make the city lush and green, earning it the nickname "The Emerald City". Water bodies like the Pacific Ocean and the Puget Sound have a moderating effect on the extreme temperatures. The harsh effects of the Pacific Storm are nulled by the huge Olympic mountains, which obstruct its way whereas, the chilly Arctic air is stopped by the Cascade Range. In spite of lying on the rain shadow area of the Olympic Mountains the city receives rainfall throughout the year. Seattle receives frequent rains in the form of drizzle or light rains with occasional downpours. The normal average yearly rainfall in Seattle is approximately 37 inches. Most of the time cloudy skies prevail over Seattle. Heavy rainfall occurs between January and May and between October and June. Best time to visit Seattle are the dry months of June, July and August. Seattle summers are usually cool and mild. Specific years are characterized by a week long heat spells. Weatehr in Seattle during the summers is usually dry with occasional thunderstorms. Seattle winters are also mild with less days of snowfall. A number of damaging winter storms and, wind storms and low land snow have occurred during years 2006 and 2007. However, the Puget Sound Convergence weather syndrome, causes unpredictable fluctuations with rains and thunderstorms even during the dry months. this unique meteorological phenomena is caused when the Olympic mountains deflect the winds blowing from the Pacific. These winds converge again over the Pugent Sound causing convectional rainfall, in the form of drizzle or a thunderstorm. Wind components determine the intensity of the turbulence.



    
Text Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle, http://beautifulseattle.com/, http://www.mapsofworld.com/, http://www.mountainzone.com/, Textbook.
Picture Sources: www.operatorchan.org/wallz/6.html, www.seattlecontactimprovisation.com/lakes-list-in-united-states/index.html, www.fotopedia.com/albumsB16jsBQHNR&./entries/29n7fd9r8Gw, www.flickriver.com/photosjcolman/34758381051, www.depts.washington.edu/ictll39/weather.html, www.sfgate.com/.../green/detal?entry-id=33911, www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=6856.

Regions and Themes

Seattle, Washington is in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. and is one of the largest cities there. It is  also borderline with Canada. Geographically Seattle is located between the co-ordintaes 47.37 North latitude and 122.20 West longitude; with a total land area of 83.9 square miles. Like stated in our book "For decades, geographers have subdivided Canada and the United States into broad areas of distinctive character, terming these areas "regions". Often, the subdividing process begins when a single classification category is selected, such as physiography, climate, ethnicity, or economic activities. Areas containing similar qualities or quantities of the chosen category are identified as (physiographic,climatic, etc.) regions." Like shown in the picture below, Seattle is separated into its own region among the United States.
   
www.hhs.gov/about/regionmap.html
As learned in our book, Industrialization is composed by special components called Economic Activities and Basic Activities. Seattle is a perfect example of the use of these two components. There are many small retail shops that recirculate money in Seattle and trading helps bring income into its economy as well. Seattle trade and industry thrived even before the city actually came into proper shape. The main reason being the strategic location of the city at Washington. Seattle's trade history started with the transactions at the Port of Seattle. In the mid 1800's, many timber traders selected the location on the Pacific Rim for its natural deep harbor. International trading began in Seattle in 20th Century. Seattle advanced from a resource-based economy to extensive manufacturing based economy, over the years. Recently, the circle of trade and industry in Seattle is a knowledge and service-based economy. Seattel is known for its diverse industrial sectors. The major reason for this industrial diversity has been blend of cultures because of international trade and immigration of people from various parts of the world to Seattle. The Port of Seattle is considered to be the major seat of trade in Seattle.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki
Our book mentioned Political Complexity and how the U.S. has a complex political system. "Each county, city, town, and sometimes township is governed by its own elected officials." Seattle relates in this way, because it has a political system and a real good one. The city of Seattle has earned global recognition primarily due to the smart functioning of the Seattle Government. The Seattle Department of Executive Administration plays a major role in maintaining law and order in the city. All the measures are taken by the various departments of the administration for the betterment of the living conditions of the Seattle people.Education, job openings, business growth are well taken care of by the respective departments of the Seattle Government. The Mayor of Seattle heads the Executive department of Seattle. The mayor is assisted extensively by a number of offices and departments like City Council, City Attorney, Municipal Court. The Mayor elections are held after every four years. The Federal elections, State elections are also held at regular intervals in the city. The elections in Seattel are held under the observation of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Few of the political parties in Seattle include King County Democrats, King County Republican Party, Green Party of Seattle, Seattle Libertarian Party. Few of them are concerned with the national issues, while a few fight mainly over the local issues of Seattle.
           

Picture Sources: www.cityofseattle.net/cityarchivesexhibits/cityhalls/panel1_photo1.htm                                         

www.worldchanging.com/localseattle/archives/008584.html
http://iguide.travel/Seattle/Districts/

Text Source: www.mapsofworld.com/cities/usa/seattle.html 
Textbook